Seager, Rangers invest in Senter Park renovation

ARLINGTON — Senter Park is home to a lifetime of memories and history of this community. It’s where many kids developed their love for sports and will continue to do so for even longer.

“I coached my now 42-year-old son’s Optimist football team here in the park back in the 80s,” said Jim Ross, the Mayor of Arlington. “Our baby became a little ugly after a while because this park sat here and got ugly and ugly and ugly.”

MLB and the Texas Rangers helped give Senter Park a much-needed facelift so the community could continue making memories.

On Monday morning, the installation of turf of two youth baseball fields and new batting cages — donated by 2023 World Series MVP and All-Star Corey Seager and his wife, Mady — was unveiled at the renamed All-Star Legacy Park.

The renovations aim to enhance baseball in Arlington’s historic park and increase access to youth from diverse and low-income communities.

“Projects like this have driven participants in baseball and softball to new heights,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “We are literally at a peak in terms of youth participation that bodes well for the future of the game.”

MLB, under the MLB Together platform and the Rangers partnered with the City of Arlington, Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, Optimist Club of Arlington, Graham Civil and Paragon Sports Construction to complete the 2024 All-Star Legacy project ahead of the Midsummer Classic.

All-Star Legacy Park was the final initiative unveiled during All-Star Week as part of the 2024 All-Star Legacy program. MLB, the Rangers, and long-time Rangers community partners invested $7 million in projects to support the youth in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Arlington communities.

“Today was the ribbon cutting of the last one and this last investment means the world to us,” said April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility. “All of the projects are incredibly special. This gives access to the sport that we love for this community, which is right behind Globe Life Field, just a few minutes away.”

The Seagers were present at the ceremony and honored for their contribution to the projects. Rangers general manager Chris Young was also among the dignitaries participating in the ribbon cutting.

“MLB Together is the togetherness of our amazing players who give back,” Brown said. “It gives it that special touch of the youth here that are playing already got a sneak glance of him. We’re just thrilled to see [Seager]. That’s who they desire to be today.”

As the ceremony was underway and speakers shared their gratitude for the park and those who worked to make it happen, around 100 kids from Arlington Parks and Recreations and the Optimist Club were already on the fields to play in a PLAY BALL event.

Excitement radiated from both sides of the field and the participants were ready to be the first to create memories on the new field.

“This park is now gorgeous,” Ross said. “It’s a phenomenal place that kids are going to create their legacy here and 40 years from now, others will be able to stand here and talk about the memories that they created out here on these fields.”