Baseball News

Texas Rangers and MLB set jam-packed schedule for All-Star week

Globe Life Field will play host to its first ever MLB All-Star Game.

Kelly Gavin / Courtesy of Texas Rangers

The 2024 annual MLB All-Star Game, along with its accompanying All-Star Week festivities, were awarded to the Texas Rangers and the Cities of Arlington and Fort Worth way back in 2022.

The week has finally arrived, now with events taking place in Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas.

Also known as the "Midsummer Classic," the All-Star Game is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National League (NL).

The 2024 game will be played on Tuesday, July 16, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, for the first time since it opened in 2020. The last time the Rangers hosted an All-Star Game was back in 1995 game at their previous home, then known as The Ballpark in Arlington.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, July 12: HBCU Swingman Classic at Globe Life Field, which highlights the history and legacy of HBCU baseball programs while also providing HBCU baseball players with the opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage.

July 12-15: Two MLB youth tournaments, the All-Star Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic, both of which will be played at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy in Dallas.

The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup features teams of youth baseball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies from around the country and in Puerto Rico.
The All-Star Jennie Finch Classic features teams of youth softball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies and Jennie Finch softball programming.

July 13-16: The Capital One All-Star Village, a one-of-a-kind baseball theme park that will also encompass Esports Stadium and the North Lawn, will be open at Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Field in Arlington). It will feature a variety of family-friendly activities, including current and former player appearances.

July 14: MLB Draft Opening Night will take place at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth and will be open to the public. This is the fourth consecutive year that the MLB Draft will also take place during All-Star Week. The draft will continue on July 15 and 16.

July 15: The T-Mobile Home Run Derby will feature a variety of the best home run hitters in the league. Given his participation in the Derby in 2023, his performance in the 2023 playoffs, and this being a hometown game, don't be surprised to see Ranger right fielder Adolis García as one of the participants again.

July 16: MLB All-Star Game, at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Event-specific ticketing and broadcast information will be announced in the coming months. For additional details, fans can go to AllStarGame.com.

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This story was updated on July 11, 2024.

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RIP Joe

Texas country music singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer, and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

According to a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife Sharon, and daughter Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings."

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

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