FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 26, 2026
Oakland Ballers Head to The Crucible This Week to Shape Opening-Game Attraction Amid $500,000 Fundraising Sprint
WHO
Oakland Ballers leadership and representatives
The Crucible staff artists and fabricators
WHAT
The Pioneer League 2025 Champion baseball team, the Oakland Ballers, will visit The Crucible to explore hands-on industrial arts and fabrication techniques as inspiration for a custom opening-game attraction. Ballers representatives—including team co-owner Paul Freedman—will observe demonstrations in metalworking, construction, and large-scale artistic mechanics that could inform a dramatic game-day feature—such as a lock to unlock home games or a cannon to celebrate home runs.
The visit comes as The Crucible races to meet a $500,000 challenge match deadline by Feb. 2, making this both a creative collaboration and a timely moment of community support.
WHEN
Tuesday, January 27
9:00 a.m.
WHERE
The Crucible
1260 7th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
VISUALS
- An expansive warehouse filled with glass blowing, metal working, wood working, and more.
- A specially designed Key to Oakland made for the Oakland Ballers
WHY IT MATTERS
The Crucible is the largest nonprofit industrial arts education center of its kind in the country. It is currently in the final days of a race to unlock a transformational $500,000 challenge grant from the Kelson Foundation by Feb. 2. The Oakland Ballers’ visit highlights how Oakland-based institutions collaborate—combining sports, art, and hands-on creativity—to create unforgettable public experiences while supporting beloved community anchors.
MEDIA CONTACT
Doug Yeiser, Executive Director, The Crucible
510-359-5527
Sam Felsing
510-381-2772
ABOUT THE CRUCIBLE
Founded in 1999, The Crucible provides instruction in glassblowing, welding, blacksmithing, woodworking, and other industrial arts, serving thousands of students each year while fostering creativity, workforce skills, and community connection.
ABOUT THE OAKLAND BALLERS
The Oakland Ballers are a community-driven independent baseball team built by Oakland, for Oakland, with a commitment to never leave the city. Since launching, the Ballers have invested more than $1.6 million to restore historic Raimondi Park, transforming it into a professional-quality stadium that now serves both fans and the broader community through youth sports, tournaments, and public events. Known for pioneering a new model of fan-centered sports ownership—including becoming the first team to add a fan to its board—the Ballers prioritize civic pride, local partnerships, and joyful experiences for the entire East Bay.
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