Charlotte Sports Park (formerly known as Charlotte County Stadium and Ranger Stadium ) is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida . The stadium is the home field for Tampa Bay Rays spring training operations, as well as its Rookie-class Florida Complex League Rays teams. From 2009 to 2020, it also hosted the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League .
94-602: Originally built in 1987, the main stadium underwent a renovation that was completed in January 2009 at a cost of $ 27 million. Prior to the Rays, the stadium was home to Texas Rangers spring training exhibition games and the team's minor league affiliate Charlotte Rangers. The ballpark has also hosted college baseball tournaments and the South Coast League Charlotte County Redfish . Charlotte Sports Park has
188-653: A Silver Slugger award. On September 30, the Rangers clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2016 with a win against the Seattle Mariners . Despite leading the American League West for most of the season and finishing with the same record as the rival and defending champion Houston Astros, they finished second due to the Astros owning the tiebreaker as a result of taking the season series. The Rangers defeated
282-454: A 78–84 record. In 2018, the Rangers partnered with the KBO League 's LG Twins , in business and baseball operations. On September 21, 2018, holding on to a 64–88 record, the Rangers fired Jeff Banister who had led the team since 2015. He was replaced by bench coach Don Wakamatsu for the remainder of the season. The Rangers ended the season at 67–95. Chris Woodward was later selected to be
376-548: A few years in Texas, due in part to both the team's inconsistent performance and the oppressive heat and humidity that can encompass the area in the summer. Until the Florida Marlins arrived in 1993, Arlington Stadium was often the hottest stadium in the majors, with temperatures frequently topping 100 °F (38 °C) throughout the summer. So the Rangers began playing most of their weekend games between May and September at night,
470-537: A full-capacity event, calling it "a mistake" and "not responsible". However, former White House medical staff member Dr. William Lang argued that lowering rates of COVID-19 infections and increasing rates of vaccination in Texas gave the decision to hold the game at full capacity more credibility. The Rangers did not enforce a mask policy at the home opener or any of their games. Although the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Tarrant County more than doubled following
564-511: A half field for infield drills, and indoor batting cages. In March 2014, Charlotte Sports Park was named the #1 spring training destination by the readers of USA Today and 10Best. In the spring of 1993, Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan announced his retirement from the clubhouse at the stadium. During the 1994 Spring Training, the Rangers played host to the Chicago White Sox who featured basketball star Michael Jordan . The game drew
658-653: A postseason fallout between Rodriguez and club management, the reigning AL MVP and newly appointed Rangers captain was traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and infield prospect Joaquin Arias . The Rangers battled with the Anaheim Angels and Oakland Athletics for first place in the AL West for much of the 2004 season. Mark Teixeira , Alfonso Soriano, Michael Young , and Hank Blalock became some of
752-516: A record crowd and was one of only a few sites in Florida to host Jordan. In 2000, after signing an unprecedented 10-year deal worth $ 252 million with the Texas Rangers , slugger Alex Rodriguez held a press conference with the sports media at the stadium. The stadium was unable to accommodate the significant number of news reporters. In an effort to allow enough room for reporters to speak to Rodriguez,
846-485: A result of many injuries throughout the 2024 season, the Rangers finished the season with a 78–84 record, failing to improve on their 90–72 record from 2023 and not making the playoffs. The Rangers became the first team since the 2020 Washington Nationals to win a title and fail to make the playoffs in the very next year. This made the Rangers the 12th team in the past 25 years to win the World Series, then fail to make it to
940-462: A style reminiscent of the Boston Red Sox 's uniforms. Road gray uniforms simply featured "WASHINGTON" in navy block letters with navy numbers. Caps were all-navy with a red block "W" with white trim. In 1963, the uniforms returned to a design similar to the final uniforms worn by the original Senators, with "Senators" in script letters and an underline tail that flowed after the second "s". However,
1034-429: A team that lacked pitching talent. Club officials maintained that Rodriguez would be the cornerstone of future postseason success. Although Rodriguez's individual performance was outstanding, the Rangers continued to struggle, and manager Jerry Narron was fired following the 2002 season and was replaced by seasoned manager Buck Showalter . The 2003 season signified the Rangers' fourth-straight last-place finish, and after
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#17328582937131128-535: A ten-year lease. For most of their existence, the new Senators epitomized futility, losing an average of 90 games a season. The team's struggles led to a twist on a joke about the old Senators: "Washington: first in war, first in peace and still last in the American League." Frank Howard , an outfielder / first baseman from 1965 to 1972 known for his towering home runs, was the team's most accomplished player, winning two home run titles. The concurrent rise of
1222-486: A tradition that continued for years. Manager Bobby Valentine became steward over an influx of talent in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A winning season in 1986 was a shock to pundits and fans alike as the Rangers remained in the race for the American League pennant for the entire season. With a team consisting of stellar young rookies such as Rubén Sierra , Pete Incaviglia , Mitch Williams , Bobby Witt , and Edwin Correa ,
1316-440: A variety of amenities including a playground area, a boardwalk from foul pole to foul pole, two grass berms for general seating, and a tiki bar. The stadium features four air conditioned suites on the second floor and team store. The third floor of the stadium houses a 17-seat press box, the media dining center, PA booth, camera well, and four broadcast booths. The stadium sits on a complex that also includes five full practice fields,
1410-496: Is 4,818–5,302–6 (.476). Since moving to Texas in 1972, the Rangers have an overall win–loss record of 4,078–4,270–5 (.489) through the end of 2024. When the original Washington Senators announced their move to Minnesota to become the Twins in 1961 , Major League Baseball decided to expand a year earlier than planned to stave off the twin threats of competition from the proposed Continental League and loss of its exemption from
1504-448: Is derived from a historic law enforcement agency . The Rangers have made nine appearances in the MLB postseason, seven following division championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2016 and as a wild card team in both 2012 and 2023. Prior to 2010, the Rangers were the only team in MLB to have never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. In 2010, the Rangers advanced past
1598-641: Is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with
1692-561: The 2011 World Series after beating the Detroit Tigers 15–5 in game six of the ALCS. The series featured Nelson Cruz hitting six home runs, the most home runs by one player in a playoff series in MLB history. In Game 2, Cruz also became the first player in postseason history to win a game with a walk-off grand slam as the Rangers defeated the Tigers 7–3 in 11 innings. However, they proceeded to lose to
1786-509: The 2023 season with a 90-72 record, losing the AL West title to the Houston Astros on a tiebreaker. The Rangers had six players (five starters) named to the All-Star game, a franchise record. Second baseman Marcus Semien was the only player who started in every game the Rangers played in 2023, and he also became the fifth player in MLB history with at least 100 RBI in the leadoff spot and won
1880-610: The Buffalo Bills ; however, the project went over budget and the Senators started to look elsewhere while the Bills opened up Rich Stadium instead. Short was especially receptive to an offer brought up by Arlington, Texas , mayor Tom Vandergriff , who had been trying to obtain a major league sports team to play in the Metroplex for over a decade. Years earlier, Charles O. Finley , the owner of
1974-580: The Comeback Player of the Year after winning 25 games, a club record to this day. The team posted winning records again from 1977 to 1979 but fell short of reaching the playoffs. The Rangers came very close to clinching a playoff spot in 1981, but wound up losing the first half of the AL West by one-and-a-half games to Oakland at the time of the players' strike . Texas went on to finish under .500 each season through 1985. The Rangers faced an attendance problem for
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#17328582937132068-721: The Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since the 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and
2162-657: The Houston Astros of the same league. The team was founded as the Washington Senators in 1961, an expansion team awarded to Washington, D.C. , after its previous team became the Minnesota Twins . The new Senators relocated to Arlington, Texas after the 1971 season and debuted as the Rangers the following spring. In 2020, the Rangers moved to the new Globe Life Field after having played at Globe Life Park (now Choctaw Stadium ) from 1994 to 2019. The team's name
2256-666: The Kansas City Athletics , sought to relocate his baseball team to Dallas, but the idea was rebuffed and ultimately declined by the other AL team owners (the A's ultimately moved to Oakland, California in 1968 ). Arlington's hole card was Turnpike Stadium , a 10,000-seat park built in 1965 to house the Double-A Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs of the Texas League . However, it had been built to MLB specifications, and only minor excavations would be necessary to expand
2350-658: The Kansas City Royals ) in the AL West , while pitting last place Washington against the AL's five best teams in the AL East . Despite this, the Senators managed a winning season in 1969 (their only winning record in the nation's capital) when Hall of Famer Ted Williams managed the club to an 86–76 finish, good enough for fourth in the AL East. Ownership changed hands several times during
2444-649: The Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues, the China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During
2538-553: The Sherman Antitrust Act . As part of the expansion, the American League added two expansion teams for the 1961 season–the Los Angeles Angels and a new Washington Senators team. The new Senators and Angels began to fill their rosters with American League players in an expansion draft . The team played their inaugural season at old Griffith Stadium , then moved to the new District of Columbia Stadium in 1962 under
2632-604: The St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, after twice being one strike away from the championship in Game 6. The Rangers dominated the American League standings for much of the 2012 season, but floundered in September, culminating in a sweep by the Oakland Athletics in the final series. They did, however, qualify for the first American League wild-card playoff game . In the new Wild Card Game ,
2726-668: The Tampa Bay Rays in the ALWCS in a two-game sweep and the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game sweep in the ALDS to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2011 , in which they beat their division and Lone Star Series rival, and defending World Series champions Astros in seven games to claim their first pennant since 2011 . The Rangers went 13–4 in the postseason, going 2–4 at home and 11–0 on
2820-402: The 2001 season, star free agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez was signed by the Rangers in the most lucrative deal in baseball history: a 10-year, $ 252 million contract. The move was controversial and is frequently maligned by fans and writers who thought that owner Tom Hicks was placing too much emphasis on one player instead of utilizing team resources to acquire several players, especially for
2914-496: The 2005 season. Jon Daniels was promoted from assistant general manager to replace him. Daniels, at 28 years and one month, became the youngest general manager in major league history. Daniels and the Rangers front office were very active in acquiring new players before and during the 2006 season. New acquisitions included Brad Wilkerson , Adam Eaton , Kevin Millwood , Carlos Lee , and Nelson Cruz . Despite bolstering their roster,
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3008-479: The 2007 season, despite playing in a notoriously hitter-friendly park. A number of roster moves before the 2007 trade deadline were the beginnings of a rebuilding project headed by Jon Daniels with a focus on the acquisition and development of young players. In the coming years, more club resources would be dedicated to improving the quality of the farm system and scouting departments, most notably in Latin America and
3102-411: The AL West. Michael Young responded to his move to third base by posting one of his best offensive seasons ever while committing just nine errors and earning a sixth-straight All-Star appearance. Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz were also named 2009 AL All-Stars. Following financial problems, including defaulting on a $ 525 million loan, Tom Hicks and Hicks Sports Group reached an agreement to sell
3196-466: The All-Star Game, in which six Rangers were present, came the debut of the claw and antler hand gestures, which gained much popularity, especially after the release of various apparel and souvenir options. Foam claws and helmets with deer antlers became quite commonplace in the ballpark as the Rangers played further into the fall. The Rangers won the AL West on September 25, advancing to the postseason for
3290-400: The American League West with an 84–76 record, behind the eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics . The 1974 Rangers are still the only MLB team to finish above .500 after two consecutive 100-loss seasons. Mike Hargrove was awarded American League Rookie of the Year , Billy Martin was named AL Manager of the Year , Jeff Burroughs won AL MVP , and Ferguson Jenkins was named
3384-466: The California Angels. Johnny Oates was hired as the Rangers' manager in 1995. Oates and company helped to bring home the 1996 AL Western Division Championship, the first division championship in franchise history. The first playoff series, 24 years after the franchise came to Texas, saw the Rangers lose to the New York Yankees, 3 games to 1. Oates was named AL Manager of the Year and Juan González
3478-587: The Division Series for the first time, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays . The team then won their first American League pennant after beating the New York Yankees in six games; league MVP Josh Hamilton won their first ALCS MVP award for a Ranger player. In their first appearance in a World Series , the Rangers fell to the San Francisco Giants in five games. They repeated as American League champions
3572-557: The Far East. Daniels' objective was to field a legitimately competitive team by the 2010 season. The Rangers began the 2008 season exceptionally well, headlined by newcomer Josh Hamilton who looked to be a threat to win the Triple Crown , before fading off as the season wore on. During the All-Star festivities at Yankee Stadium , Hamilton crushed a first-round home run record in the 2008 Home Run Derby with 28. Hamilton hit another four in
3666-574: The Rangers after a falling out with his partners. Following his resignation, Nolan Ryan was named CEO in addition to his continuing role as team president. Ryan was subsequently approved as the team's controlling owner by a unanimous vote of the 30 owners of Major League Baseball on May 12. The Rangers successfully defended their AL West Division title in 2011, making the club's second-straight division title and postseason appearance. The Rangers set records for best win–loss record (96–66, .592) and home attendance (2,946,949). On October 15, they went back to
3760-474: The Rangers finished the season in second place with an 87–75 record, just five games behind the division champion Angels. The season marked a dramatic 25-win improvement over the 1985 season, which resulted in yet another last place finish in the West. The signing of 41-year-old star pitcher Nolan Ryan prior to the 1989 season allowed Ryan to reach his 5,000th strikeout , 300th win , and 6th and 7th no-hitters with
3854-591: The Rangers overtook the Houston Astros to clinch the American League West title on the final day of the season with a record of 88–74. The Rangers went on to lose to the Toronto Blue Jays in five games in the Division Series after squandering a 2–0 series lead. Texas again clinched the AL West in 2016, but lost to Toronto, 3–0, in the ALDS. The Rangers finished the 2017 campaign 23 games out of first place with
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3948-413: The Rangers went with a two-button pullover design and changed the road uniform color to powder blue. The home uniform design remained mostly the same save for the blue trim on the player's name. However, the front of the road uniform was changed to "TEXAS" in red letters with white and blue trim, which was also used on the numbers. Player names became dark royal blue. This style was used for one season before
4042-588: The Rangers' 2006 season ended with a disappointing 80–82 record and a third-place finish in the AL West. Buck Showalter was dismissed as manager after the season. The team hired Oakland third base coach Ron Washington as their next manager. A change at manager was the first of several moves to strengthen the team in yet another busy offseason. The team lost Gary Matthews, Jr. , Mark DeRosa , Carlos Lee , and Adam Eaton, but gained Kenny Lofton , Sammy Sosa , Frank Catalanotto , and pitchers Éric Gagné and Brandon McCarthy . The Rangers struggled offensively early in
4136-542: The Rangers' woes continued, as they lost 5–1 to the Orioles. The Rangers figured in the 2013 wild card as well. They finished the season in second place in the American League West with a 91–72 record, tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for a wild card spot. A 163rd play-in tie-breaker game was held to determine the second participant in the 2013 American League Wild Card Game against the Cleveland Indians . The Rangers lost to
4230-447: The Rangers. Despite powerful lineups including Juan González , Rubén Sierra, Julio Franco , and Rafael Palmeiro and a pitching staff that also included Charlie Hough , Bobby Witt, Kevin Brown , and Kenny Rogers , Valentine's Rangers never finished above second place and he was relieved of his duties during the 1992 season. In April 1989, Rangers owner and oil tycoon Eddie Chiles , sold
4324-515: The Rays announced a naming rights deal with The Mosaic Company . The agreement was reported to last through 2024, however due to a potential conflict-of-interest with Charlotte County —whom ultimately must approve the name change—the Rays asked for more time to study the proposal before giving it to the county commissioners for final approval. On February 17, due to intense opposition by both the Charlotte County Council and local residents,
4418-539: The Rays announced they were abandoning the deal with Mosaic and will potentially look at other companies in the future instead. The Rays cancelled 2023 spring training at Charlotte Sports Park due to damage from Hurricane Ian , moving exhibition games to Tropicana Field . The team announced that the Rays’ Major League camp would muster at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex , then relocate to St. Petersburg at
4512-417: The Rays, 5–2, in the tie-breaker and were eliminated from playoff contention after reaching the postseason in three consecutive seasons. Nolan Ryan stepped down as Rangers CEO effective October 31, 2013. After that, Daniels served as operating head of the franchise, with Davis and Simpson continuing to serve mostly as senior consultants. Injuries took a major toll on the Rangers in 2014. The lone bright spot
4606-483: The Texas Rangers to group headed by Pittsburgh sports lawyer Chuck Greenberg and Rangers team president Nolan Ryan for approximately $ 570 million on January 22, 2010. Hicks also sold much of the land surrounding Rangers Ballpark to Greenberg and Ryan's group in a separate deal. However, one of HSG's principal lenders, Monarch Alternative Capital, opposed the sale on grounds that the proceeds would not fully repay
4700-662: The United States in 2000 . During Bush's tenure, the Rangers and the City of Arlington decided to replace the aging Arlington Stadium with a new publicly funded stadium, at a cost of $ 193 million, financed by Arlington residents, through a sales tax increase. Ground was broken on October 30, 1991, on what would become The Ballpark in Arlington (now named Choctaw Stadium ). In 1993, Kevin Kennedy took over managerial duties, presiding over
4794-406: The United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ") is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of
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#17328582937134888-660: The Wilson family unveiling the jersey shaped sign. The number now hangs just inside the Home Plate gate. Texas Rangers (baseball) The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . The Rangers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division . They are one of two major league clubs based in Texas, alongside
4982-547: The advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in
5076-486: The baseball team to abandon the Rangers name. The baseball team responded by committing to keeping the Rangers name. The team subsequently made a statement clarifying that despite sharing the name, they are not affiliated with the law-enforcement agency and they stand for equality by "condemn[ing] racism, bigotry and discrimination in all forms." Prior to the 1972 season , improvements were made to Turnpike Stadium, which reopened as Arlington Stadium , in preparation for
5170-512: The beginning of March, while Tampa Bay's Minor League camp would remain at the Orlando complex all spring. The stadium has also been used by the local community for non-baseball events like concerts, festivals, and expos. It has hosted such musicians as Kenny Rogers , The Beach Boys , The Little River Band , and Simple Plan . Number 405 is "retired" at Charlotte Sports Park which was the radio number that belonged to Sgt. Michael Wilson. Sgt. Wilson
5264-631: The best-hitting infielders in the league, with Young, Blalock, and Soriano being selected for the 2004 All-Star Game . Soriano was named the All-Star MVP after going 2 for 3 with a three-run home run . Despite a late-season push, the Rangers ended up losing six of their final ten games and finished in third place behind the Angels and A's, a mere three games out of first place. In 2005, the Rangers again struggled to find consistency amid controversy and injuries. John Hart stepped down as general manager following
5358-421: The blue trim disappeared and the middle three letters became lowercase in the word "TexaS". Also in 1976, a left sleeve patch was added containing the Texas map and red star on a red, white and blue shield with "RANGERS" in red letters on top. For 1976 only, the patch featured "1776" and "1976" in white in commemoration of the United States Bicentennial . Names would be dropped from the uniform in 1980, but returned
5452-407: The case. The sale to Greenberg/Ryan was approved by all 30 MLB owners at the owners meeting in Minneapolis on August 12. The new ownership group was called Rangers Baseball Express, LLC and had Chuck Greenberg serving as managing general partner and Nolan Ryan as club president. Oil magnates Ray Davis and Bob R. Simpson paid the bulk of the $ 539 million sale price, and became co-chairmen, with
5546-436: The color scheme was reversed on the letters, with red serving as the dominant color. The cap also adopted the "curly W" insignia that was later used by the modern-day Washington Nationals . In 1968, the cap color became all-red with the "curly W" now in white with navy trim. Pinstripes would be removed from the home uniform in 1969. The Rangers debuted in the Dallas Metroplex wearing double-knit polyester buttoned uniforms. Both
5640-410: The defaulted HSG notes. On April 21, Major League Baseball issued a statement declaring the Rangers' sale to be under the control of the Commissioner to expedite the process. As the stalemate between HSG and its creditors continued, the Texas Rangers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 24. As of that date, the Rangers and HSG had an estimated debt of $ 575 million. Much of the unsecured debt
5734-416: The first time since 1999 with a 90–72 record. The Rangers entered the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round, which ultimately resulted in a 3–2 series victory and marked the first postseason series victory in the 50-year history of the Rangers/Washington Senators franchise. Facing the Rangers in the American League Championship Series were the defending World Series champion New York Yankees,
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#17328582937135828-399: The following season, during which the uniforms returned to a traditional buttoned style and a new circular sleeve patch featuring the "TR" in red letters in front of a baseball and blue Texas map was added. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It
5922-416: The following year, but lost the 2011 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. The Rangers made it to the 2023 World Series and won their first-ever championship, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games, with Corey Seager being the first Ranger player to win the World Series Most Valuable Player Award . From 1961 through the end of 2024, the franchise's overall win–loss record
6016-400: The franchise's stay in Washington and was often plagued by poor decision-making and planning. Following their brief success in 1969, owner Bob Short was forced to make many questionable trades to lower the debt he had incurred to pay for the team in late 1968; the purchase price was reported at $ 9.4 million. By the end of the 1970 campaign, Short had issued an ultimatum: unless someone
6110-436: The game to the New York Yankees . The nation's capital went without Major League Baseball for 33 years, until the relocation of the National League 's Montreal Expos , who became the Washington Nationals in 2005 . After moving from Washington, the Senators were renamed after the Texas Rangers , the state-wide investigative law-enforcement agency which was founded by Stephen F. Austin in 1823 when Texas
6204-402: The hands of the Yankees, a team that won three World Series in the 1990s after defeating Rangers teams in the first round. The 1999 team was to be the last playoff-bound team until 2010. En route to a second-straight last-place finish, Oates resigned his position 28 games into the 2001 season. In 1998, venture capital billionaire Tom Hicks bought the team for $ 250 million. Prior to
6298-415: The home opener, there was no evidence of causation occurring as a result of the opening game. After a 60–102 season in 2021, their worst since 1973, the Rangers signed several free agents, including Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Marcus Semien and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager , and they brought back former starting pitcher Martin Perez after three seasons away from the team. However,
6392-431: The home white and road gray uniforms feature "RangerS" in red serif rounded letters with blue drop shadows (with a white star at the bottom of the "R"), and the back of the uniform featured red block letters for the player names and red block numbers with blue trim. Red, white and blue stripes adorn the collar and sleeves. The original cap is blue with a red brim, and has a white "T" trimmed in red emblazoned on it. In 1975,
6486-425: The inaugural season of the Texas Rangers. The team played its first game on April 15, 1972, a 1–0 loss at the hands of the California Angels , their 1961 expansion cousins. The next day, the Rangers defeated the Angels, 5–1, for the club's first victory. In 1974, the Rangers experienced their first winning season after finishing last in both 1972 and 1973. Under the ownership of Brad Corbett , they finished second in
6580-406: The largest stakes in the ownership group. However, they remained mostly in the background as senior consultants, leaving the team mostly in Greenberg and Ryan's hands. With the influx of talent and success in 2009, the Rangers entered the 2010 season expecting to compete for the division and achieve the front office's 2007 goals. During the off-season, Nolan Ryan spoke about the Rangers' chances in
6674-542: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with the major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at
6768-491: The nearby Baltimore Orioles to regular championship contenders (winning their first World Series in 1966 ) certainly did not help the Senators draw crowds. Further expansion and re-alignment in 1969 did not do much to help the Senators either, since (unlike the National League ) the AL owners elected to align their new divisions strictly based on geography. This arrangement placed both expansion teams (the Seattle Pilots and
6862-604: The new Globe Life Field on July 24, 2020, a 1–0 win over the Colorado Rockies . They ended the contracted season in fifth place at 22–38. On April 5, 2021, the Texas Rangers hosted the first full-capacity sporting event in the United States since the pandemic began with more than 38,000 fans in attendance. The decision for full capacity stemmed from Texas allowing all businesses to operate at 100% capacity without mask restrictions. The Rangers were criticized by United States health officials and President Joe Biden for hosting
6956-505: The park to accommodate major league crowds. Vandergriff's offer of a multimillion-dollar down payment prompted Short to make the move to Arlington. On September 21, 1971 , American League owners voted 10–2 to allow the move of the franchise to Arlington for the 1972 season . Senators fans were livid, and enmity came to a head at the club's last game in Washington on Thursday, September 30. Thousands simply walked in without paying after
7050-416: The playoffs the following year. Globe Life Field , in Arlington, Texas, began serving as the home of the Texas Rangers in 2020. Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company , a subsidiary of McKinney -based Torchmark Corporation , owns the naming rights for the facility through 2048. The new ballpark is located across the street just south of Choctaw Stadium , the Rangers' previous home. Choctaw Stadium
7144-555: The press conference was held on the roof of the Rangers' dugout, a clear sign that the Rangers had outgrown the facility. They would leave 2 years later. The Rays opened Spring Training at the renovated stadium on February 14, 2009. They lost their first Spring Training game to the Cincinnati Reds on February 25, 7–0. Their first Spring Training home win came on February 27, a 12–4 win over the Boston Red Sox. On February 3, 2010,
7238-498: The road, the most road wins in a postseason in MLB history. The postseason was marked by performances by All-Star players Corey Seager and Adolis García , with the former winning World Series MVP and the latter winning ALCS MVP . On November 1, 2023, the Rangers won the World Series after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games, achieving their first World Series championship in franchise history. As
7332-550: The season second in the AL West, the club's best finish since 1999. The 2009 season saw the Rangers soar into playoff contention for the first time since 2004. Despite injuries to Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler , the Rangers held first place in their division for long stretches of the summer before fading after September 1, losing the division to the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers finished the season at 87–75, their first winning season since 2004 and good enough for second place in
7426-564: The second round and three during the final round, for a total of 35 home runs, but lost to the Twins' Justin Morneau . Four Rangers played in the All Star Game: Hamilton, Ian Kinsler , Milton Bradley , and Michael Young, who would repeat his 2006 All-Star Game feat by driving in the winning run via a sac fly. The Rangers finished the season with yet another sub-.500 record (79–83), yet ended
7520-420: The security guards left early, swelling the paid attendance of 14,460 to around 25,000, while fans unfurled a "SHORT STINKS" banner. With two outs in the top of the ninth inning and the Senators leading 7–5, several hundred youths stormed the field, raiding it for souvenirs. One man grabbed first base and ran off with it. With no security in sight and only three bases, umpire crew chief Jim Honochick forfeited
7614-467: The team finished 68–94, good enough for fourth place in the AL West; they were also a franchise- and league-worst 15–35 in one-run games. The Rangers fired Chris Woodward on August 15, 2022, with Tony Beasley taking his place as interim manager for the rest of the year. Two days after Woodward's firing, the Rangers fired President of Baseball Operations (and former Rangers general manager) Jon Daniels, after six consecutive losing seasons. Chris Young, who
7708-436: The team for two seasons, keeping the 1993 Rangers in the hunt for a playoff berth into mid-September; Nolan Ryan also retired after that season. Kennedy was let go in 1994, although the team led the AL West prior to the players' strike which prompted commissioner Bud Selig to cancel the remainder of the season and the playoffs. On July 28, Kenny Rogers pitched the 12th perfect game in major league history in Arlington against
7802-625: The team the Rangers failed against three separate times in the 1990s. In a six-game ALCS, Texas came out victorious, winning the first pennant in franchise history in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Josh Hamilton was awarded ALCS MVP . The Rangers faced the San Francisco Giants in the 2010 World Series , but their offense struggled against the Giants' young pitching and eventually lost the Series, 4–1. In March 2011, Chuck Greenberg resigned as Chief Executive and Managing General Partner and sold his interest in
7896-444: The team to an investment group headed by George W. Bush for $ 89 million. While his own equity in the team was a small one ($ 500,000), Bush was named Managing General Partner of the new ownership group. He increased his investment to $ 600,000 the following year. Bush left his position with the Rangers when he was elected Governor of Texas in 1994, and he sold his stake in the team in 1998. Bush went on to be elected President of
7990-491: The team's manager beginning with the 2019 season. He led the team to a 78–84 record in his first season. The 2019 season also marked the Rangers' final season of play at Globe Life Park. On September 29, 2019, the Rangers played their final game at Globe Life Park, a 6–1 win over the New York Yankees . Following a delayed start to the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the Rangers played their first regular season game at
8084-576: The upcoming season saying, "My expectations today are that we're going to be extremely competitive and if we don't win our division, I'll be disappointed." After stumbling out of the gates with a sub-.500 start in April 2010, the Rangers took the division lead with a franchise-best month of June, going 21–6. The Rangers never relinquished first place after an 11-game winning streak. The team made several mid-season moves to acquire players such as Cliff Lee , Bengie Molina , Jorge Cantú , and Jeff Francoeur . After
8178-440: Was Adrián Beltré , who despite spending some time injured, was the most consistent offensive player on the team. On September 4, 2014, the Rangers became the first MLB team officially eliminated from 2014 postseason contention when a 10–2 loss at home to the Seattle Mariners dropped their record to 53–87. The following day, manager Ron Washington resigned, citing personal issues. With the acquisition of Cole Hamels in 2015,
8272-532: Was a member of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Department for 21 years and was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call on August 5, 2013. The community rallied around the Wilson family and turned out in thousands holding signs and waving flags as the funeral procession drove by. On August 13, 2014, the Charlotte Stone Crabs retired Sgt. Wilson's 405 during a pre-game ceremony , with
8366-406: Was named AL MVP. The team featured a powerful lineup of hitters including González, Iván Rodríguez , and Rusty Greer , but continued to struggle with pitching despite having Rick Helling and Aaron Sele on their roster. Oates led the team to consecutive AL West championships in 1998 and 1999. Neither of Oates' last two playoff teams could win a single game, losing all six in back-to-back sweeps at
8460-420: Was named general manager in 2020 to take over the role from Daniels, was named the new club president. On October 21, 2022, the Rangers hired three-time World Series winning manager Bruce Bochy . During the offseason, the Rangers signed longtime New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom to a five-year, $ 185 million contract, and starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney . The Rangers finished
8554-405: Was owed in back salary. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez topped the list of unsecured creditors with an estimated $ 24.9 million owed by the Rangers. The sale would repay all the team's creditors, including Rodriguez and other players owed back salary. Following a court-ordered public auction to be held on August 4 with the winning bid submitted by Greenberg/Ryan, the bankruptcy court closed
8648-432: Was part of Mexico, and whose mythology led to fictional characters such as The Lone Ranger and Walker, Texas Ranger . But the Rangers also had bouts as vigilante squads, when they abused their authority, including by lynching Hispanics . In the wake of 2020's Black Lives Matter protests, prominent mainstream voices have shined a light on the historical racism associated with the law-enforcement agency and called for
8742-473: Was previously named The Ballpark in Arlington, the original name of the facility which opened in 1994. Naming rights were sold to Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company in 2014 who changed the ballpark name to Globe Life Park in Arlington. As the second iteration of the Washington Senators, the team's first home uniforms featured navy pinstripes and navy-trimmed red letters. "SENATORS" was written in
8836-451: Was willing to buy the Senators for $ 12 million (by comparison, the New York Yankees were sold in 1973 for $ 8.8 million), he would not renew the stadium lease and would move the team elsewhere. At first, it looked like a move to Buffalo, New York , was in the works as at the time, a proposed multi-use stadium was in the cards in either downtown Buffalo where the current KeyBank Center is, or in suburban Lancaster to share with
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