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Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? After giving Dallas a World Series win, the Texas Rangers have teamed up to offer just that to fans, with the help of one of the city’s most famous artists.
In celebration of 25 years of Brad Oldham Sculpture, artists Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin have created “Baseball Forever,” an homage to the Texas Rangers, Texas artists, the sport of baseball and the Lone Star state. It’s art with a deeper meaning honoring Texas’ history and tradition of baseball, while also being an heirloom to be appreciated by fans of art and baseball for generations.
“Baseball Forever” is a lost-wax cast bronze baseball sculpture with a petite edition of Brad Oldham Sculpture’s “The Traveling Man” (the iconic 41-foot-tall robot-like sculpture you might’ve seen in Deep Ellum) nestled inside. There are also visual elements inspired by the Rangers City Connect uniform on the bronze ball, which represent the team’s origin story and how baseball in Arlington was able to connect Dallas and Fort Worth through the Rangers.
The piece is only 3.23 inches in diameter and 25 ounces. They’re not just small, they’re rare: there were only 25 editions made and they were hidden in 25 locations around DFW.
If you find one, you get to keep it. You’ll be taking home a rare piece of art and baseball history and getting the privilege to pass it down to your offspring.
This project was a special one for Oldham, as his love for sports and art have helped him reach the level of artistic success that he has today.
“We all have those moments in life that shape who we are, and for me, sports have always been a big part of that journey,” Oldham said in a press release, adding that, “To have the opportunity to celebrate 25 years of creating public art and to collaborate with the Texas Rangers, a team who just reached the pinnacle of success as World Series champions, feels like my two worlds coming together in the most meaningful way.”
North Texas has seen more public and street art surrounding the Rangers pop up since their World Series championship, and are all in on the art and history that is being portrayed through Oldham’s project.
“Collaborating with Brad Oldham Sculpture on Baseball Forever allows us to celebrate our history while providing our fans with a unique and memorable way to engage with the team,” said Travis Dillon, senior VP of the Rangers, in the release.
If you want to get your hands on one of the Texas Forever pieces, good luck, because there is no map showing directly where they are. You can, however, visit rangers.com/baseballforever and register on the site, where you will receive a map showing areas where the sculptures have been hidden.
You better hurry, though, because some have already been found in areas from Cleburne to Frisco. This info is also displayed on rangers.com/baseballforever, so you don’t waste your time looking for already-claimed treasure.
Brad Oldham Sculpture, founded by Oldham and Coltrin in 1999, specializes in crafting placemaking sculptures. The goal of their art is to push the boundaries of public art while inspiring communities and transforming public spaces. It’s a treasure indeed.
