The baseball mural in Fort Worth’s north side is going, going, gone
The fat lady is warming her vocal cords to sing the swan song of a north side Fort Worth mural celebrating the Latino baseball community, according to an Instagram post by artist Juan Velazquez.
The two-story mural at 1434 N. Main St. was commissioned by Major League Baseball in 2024 in the run-up to the MLB All-Star Game at Globe Life Field.
The building it adorns was recently purchased, and the new owners plan to paint over the mural, Velazquez said in his post.
“I’m not exactly sure when I’ll happen but if you want to stop by and take a picture before it’s gone please do so,” he said.
Crowley-based western wear retailer Alan’s Lids purchased the building in April, according to Tarrant County deed records.
A representative for the company was not immediately available for comment when contacted by the Star-Telegram Wednesday.
The building was unoccupied when Velazquez painted the mural in 2024, he said in response to a Facebook comment asking why the new owners wanted to paint over the mural.
Several commenters urged Velazquez to fight the removal pointing to federal legislation meant to protect the visual arts.
Velazquez responded by saying he’d prefer to have people take pictures of the mural before it’s gone, and that he plans to move on to other projects.
In a phone interview with the Star-Telegram, Velazquez said he’d considered fighting the removal, but decided against it citing a lack of resources.
This mural is special both because it was commissioned by MLB, but also because it includes people from the north side neighborhood including a player on the Northside High School baseball team, he said.
It’s also two doors down from the Artes De La Rosa cultural center where Velazquez volunteered teaching art to children.
“This one was kind of a personal project for me, so I didn’t want the mural to be gone,” he said.
However, Velazquez said he wasn’t able to come to an agreement with the building’s new owners on whether to repaint or preserve the mural, so he decided to let the public know of its possible demise.
During a July 2024 dedication ceremony, Velazquez said it was the honor of a lifetime to paint the mural. He said he hoped it would inspire children in the neighborhood to pursue their dreams, after recounting how he’d resisted pursuing a career in the arts due to self-doubt.
The mural features Latino baseball players and was meant to represent the largely Hispanic community in the surrounding north side neighborhood.
Velazquez also painted a mural in Arlington depicting the 2016 brawl between former Texas Rangers infielder Rougned Odor and Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays.
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 2:12 PM.
.jpg)