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| American League Champions 2010 |
As I was watching the last couple of innings of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees last night, a flood of memories rushed through my mind. I was at the third game the Rangers ever played in Texas, at old Arlington Stadium in 1972. I don't even remember whether they won or lost, I was just excited that Major League baseball had finally come to the Metroplex.
Here are some of those memories:
- The '72 Rangers sucked. Bad. I think this was the team that was so bad they were called The Strangers by local Media. It was that bad.
- Jeff Burroughs was the MVP of the American League in 1974.
- Jeff Burroughs vs Reggie Jackson pre-game Home Run Contest. I'll tell that story another time.
- Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland in 1974. Hilarity, beer-tossing and a riot ensued. Ten Cent Beer Night never happened again.
- Burn a Disco Record Night in Chicago. I don't remember the year, but on paper it looked like a good idea. It wasn't.
- Rangers pitchers wife-swapping. BTW, the guys who did the wife swap came to Texas from, you guessed it, the Yankees.
- David Clyde.
- Eddie Chiles
- Eddie Stanky - Manager for a Day.
- Nolan Ryan. I was lucky enough to have seen Ryan pitch as an Astro and a Ranger. The meanest SOB to ever chunk the rock, except maybe Bob Gibson.
- The ball bouncing off Jose Canseco's head over the fence for a homer.
- Oh, yeah! The guy who went into a catatonic trance in the locker room! Roger Moret? Help a brutha out with that one.
- Eric Nadel. The Best Baseball Announcer I Have Ever Heard. Period. The guy is amazing.
After 39 years of mostly ineptitude, weird plays and weirder players, the Rangers are the American League Champions. And they beat the Damn Yankees to get there. The sight of A-fraud's knees buckling when Neftali Feliz froze him with a curve ball to end the game is Shakespearian in its drama.
Other than the game itself, one moment stood out to me like a Klan member at a Juneteenth celebration. When Josh Hamilton accepted the ALCS MVP trophy from Mrs. Autry, he thanked God for his success and the crowd cheered! Loudly. God bless Texas and kick some Philly/San Fransissy ass!!!
I have always been a Rangers fan. From Ted Williams, Billy Martin, Bobby Valentine, Buck Showalter, to Ron Williams....I saw Yankees catcher , the Late Thurman Munson, hit a homer, against the Rangers, to straight away center field. The ball never got above 15 ft. off the ground, to clear the outfield fence. That was the luck of the Rangers for soooo long. Today's Rangers are joining a group of elite teams to make it to the World Series. Like the New Orleans Saints of the NFL, last year, was THEIR YEAR! This year is the Rangers year. A burden has been lifted and as with the Saits....Hell has frozen over, AGAIN!!!! and pigs can fly! I remember Mr. Eddie Green (Chemistry teacher @ Nimitz High). We always could get him off subject(chemistry) to talk Rangers baseball. He wrote in my 1973 Vallhalla "Rangers vs. Dodgers - 1974". Well,36 years later and a team to be decided, the Rangers are in!!! Thank the POWER above (whom ever it may be). To paraphase Jimmy Johnson (former Dallas Cowboys head coach) "HOW 'BOUT THEM RANGERS!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat comment, James! I remember Mr. Green, too. He was one of my favorite teachers.
ReplyDeleteI am a Houston Astros fan, the only original born in Texas MLB franchise, and until now, the only Texas team to make it to the World Series.
ReplyDeleteI remember where I was when the Rangers were moved to Arlington. I was embarrassed.
Prior to becoming the Rangers, they were the Washington Senators, and when I was a kid there was no greater playground insult than for someone to accuse you of playing like a Senator. The Senators were the epitome of bumbling, bungling, buffoonery and failure.
After all these years, with many great players/coaches/owners, the Rangers have finally made it to the Big Show and good for them.
I doubt I will watch any of it, but I wish them well. I have many friends, including blog buddies, that are Ranger fans and I am happy for them. Plus it's good for this area to have such a big event going on and I am still a Nolan Ryan fan, from all his years as an Astro.
I just hope none of the games interfere with my Sunday night Fox animation domination shows.
n2l...I am a big Astros fan as well, going back to the '60s. If both Texas teams made it to the Big Show, I'd have to root for the 'Stros.
ReplyDeleteMan, wouldn't that be sumpin'?
ReplyDeleteAn I-45 series.
We can at least dream.
It was interesting watching the 'Stros this year. They got off to a horrible start, but not long after they traded their valued vets Berkman and Oswalt, the only two remaining from the '05 World Series, that young team began to win. They had the second best winning record after the All-Star break of all MLB teams.
We used to make the drive down 59 to H-town quite a bit. My big brother was on the UofH football team and we started going to the Dome the first year it was opened.
I will always have very fond memories of the Dome, both for baseball and football.
One thing to mention, this being your C&W month. Larry Gatlin and my brother were teammates on the Cougar football team.
ReplyDeleten2l...great comments as usual. I am gonna do a post on the Gatlins this week. The Dome was a great place to watch a sporting event. I went to many Astros games and I even saw Sugar Ray Leonard fight there once.
ReplyDelete