Iván Rodríguez Statue

This statue commemorates Texas Rangers Hall-of-Fame catcher Iván Rodríguez (1971-). Born in Puerto Rico, he spent twenty-one seasons in the major leagues, the majority of them with the Texas Rangers. During his career, Rodríguez won thirteen Gold Glove Awards and seven Silver Slugger Awards. Nicknamed “Pudge,” he also captured the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1999 and the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award four years later. Following the 2011 season, Rodríguez retired, finishing his career with 2,844 hits, 1,332 RBIs, 311 home runs, and a .296 batting average. In 2017, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America elected the fourteen-time All-Star to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. On March 4, 2020, the Rangers unveiled a statue of Rodríguez outside the home-plate entrance of Globe Life Field. A few decades earlier, during his first stint with the organization, Rodríguez commissioned the larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture of himself and displayed it at his house in Florida. When he sold the residence, he placed his bronze likeness in storage. In the months leading up to the opening of the club’s new ballpark, the Rangers reached out to Rodríguez and arranged for the statue to be brought to its new home in Arlington. The sculpture depicts the Hall of Famer dressed in his catcher’s gear, resting on one knee. With his mask flipped up, he gazes into the distance while his left arm hangs over his left thigh and his right hand rests on his right knee.

Iván Rodríguez Torres was born on November 27, 1971 in Manatí, Puerto Rico. The youngest son of José Rodríguez, an electrician for a construction company, and Eva Torres, an elementary school teacher, he grew up in nearby Vega Baja. As a youngster, Rodríguez admired Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, and began playing his idol’s position in Little League after some instruction from his father, who was a catcher on a local amateur baseball team. While playing baseball at Lino Padrón Rivera High School in Vega Baja, he caught the attention of scouts for the Texas Rangers, who invited him to a tryout camp in 1988. The sixteen-year-old catcher impressed those in the organization so much that they offered him a contract on the spot, which he happily signed.

After spending a few years in the club’s farm system, during which time he earned the nickname “Pudge” due to his short stature, rounder figure, and confident attitude, Rodríguez made his major league debut for the Rangers in June 1991. He went on to spent the next eleven seasons with the club, during which time he won ten Gold Glove Awards and six Silver Slugger Awards. In 1999, Rodríguez captured the American League Most Valuable Player Award after hitting .332 with thirty-five home runs and 113 RBIs. Following the 2002 season, he signed a one-year deal with the Florida Marlins. While playing in the Sunshine State, Rodríguez helped lead the club to a World Series title, collecting the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award along the way. Prior to the 2004 season, he signed with the Detroit Tigers. In his four and a half seasons with the organization, Rodríguez earned three Gold Glove Awards and one Silver Slugger Award, while leading the team to a World Series title in 2006. After brief stints with the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros, he returned to the Rangers in 2009 before spending his final two big league seasons with the Washington Nationals. After the 2011 season, Rodríguez retired, finishing his career with 2,844 hits, 1,332 RBIs, 311 home runs, and a .296 batting average. In 2017, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America elected the fourteen-time All-Star to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. 

On March 4, 2020, the Rangers unveiled a statue of Rodríguez outside the home-plate entrance of Globe Life Field. A few decades earlier, during his first stint with the organization, Rodríguez commissioned the larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture of himself and displayed it at his house in Florida. When he sold the residence, he placed his bronze likeness in storage. In the months leading up to the opening of the club’s new ballpark, the Rangers reached out to Rodríguez and arranged for the statue to be brought to its new home in Arlington. The sculpture depicts the Hall of Famer dressed in his catcher’s gear, resting on one knee. With his mask flipped up, he gazes into the distance while his left arm hangs over his left thigh and his right hand rests on his right knee. 

Andro, Anthony. "Pudge statue unveiled at Globe Life Field." mlb.com. 4 March 2020. Web. 22 July 2021 <https://www.mlb.com/news/pudge-rodriguez-statue-unveiled-at-new-ballpark>.

"Iván Rodríguez." baseballhall.org. National Baseball Hall of Fame. Web. 22 July 2021 <https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/rodriguez-ivan>.

West, Steve. "Iván Rodríguez." sabr.org. Society for American Baseball Research. Web. 22 July 2021 <https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ivan-rodriguez/>.