Rangers Legend Adrian Beltre Unveils Statue Featuring Iconic Batting Stance

“The only thing that was really important was whether the Beltré family liked it,” Tabor said, who was done several statues, but Beltré’s was his first for a baseball player.

On a searing hot day that Beltré would have enjoyed as a player at The Ballpark in Arlington, he and Tabor unveiled the statue that immortalized him forever in front of the northeast gate of Globe Life Field.

He said he never could have dreamed of this as a kid growing up in the Dominican Republic.

“I don’t know if I’m worthy of this, but one thing I know for sure is that I am so grateful,” he said.

Adrian Beltre’s Career

He played 21 seasons, made his debut at 19 years old with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played his final eight seasons with the Rangers before he retired in 2018. He joined Texas in 2011, with the franchise coming off its first World Series appearance and he helped them push for another in his first season.

He made three of his four All-Star Game appearances with Texas. He won three of his five Gold Gloves with Texas. He won two of his four Silver Sluggers with Texas. He finished in the Top 25 in MVP voting six times with Texas.

By the end of his eight seasons, he slashed .304/.357/.509 with 199 home runs and 699 RBI.

Beltré’s No. 19 is retired by the Rangers, and he was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame shortly after his retirement. He is a member of the 3,000-hit club, as he finished his career with 3,166 hits. He is No. 18 all-time and one of 33 players with 3,000 hits.

Rangers Statues at Globe Life Field

Beltré’s statue is the sixth at Globe Life Field, which has been the home to the Rangers since the 2020 season. He never played a single game at GLF but played his home Rangers games across the street at The Ballpark in Arlington. The other statues feature:

Nolan Ryan: His statue was unveiled at the old ballpark in 1997 and was the first individual to be recognized in that fashion. The eight-foot bronze statue featured Ryan tipping his cap after one of the many pitching feats he accomplished in a Texas uniform from 1989-93. The Ryan statue was relocated in the North Plaza of Globe Life Field when that facility opened in 2020.

Tom Vandergriff: He was the Mayor of Arlington from 1951-77 and was instrumental in luring the Rangers from Washington D.C. before the 1972 season. He is a member of the Rangers Hall of Fame. His statue was dedicated in July 1997 at the former ballpark and was relocated to outside the northeast entrance of GLF in 2020. It stands behind Beltré’s statue.

Going to The Show: The statue commemorates the Rangers’ first World Series appearance in 2010 and features pitcher Neftali Feliz and catcher Bengie Molina embracing after the final out of Game 6 of the ALCS. The statue was dedicated in 2018 and is now at GLF’s northeast entrance.

Rangers Fans: The statue honors Shannon Stone, a firefighter from Brownwood, Texas, who died from his injuries after falling over the left-field railing while attempting to catch a baseball in 2011. It was dedicated at the former ballpark in 2012 in front of the main entrance and is still there.

Ivan Rodriguez: Dedicated in 2020 and in front of Globe Life Field’s southwest entrance, it depicts the Baseball Hall of Fame catcher who played for the Rangers from 1991-2002 and again in 2009.