Washington Senators (1961?1971)
edit
The second iteration of the Washington Senators wore this cap logo from 1968 to 1971. It was later adopted by the
Washington Nationals
in 2005.
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 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 a ten-year lease.
U.S. President
Richard Nixon
throwing the
Opening Day
ceremonial first pitch
at
RFK Stadium
on April 7,
1969
, with
Ted Williams
(left) and
Bob Short
(right, partially obscured by
Ralph Houk
)
For most of their existence, the new Senators were the definition of 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." Their only winning season was in
1969
when
Hall of Famer
Ted Williams
managed the club to an 86?76 record, placing fourth in the AL East.
[7]
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 the nearby
Baltimore Orioles
to regular championship contenders (winning their first World Series in
1966
) did not help the Senators' cause either.
Ownership changed hands several times during 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.
[8]
[9]
By the end of the
1970
campaign, Short had issued an ultimatum: unless someone 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 the
Buffalo Bills
; however, the project went over budget and the Senators started to look elsewhere while the Bills opened up
Rich Stadium
instead.
[10]
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 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 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
.
[11]
[12]
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 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 the game to the
New York Yankees
.
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
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
.
[17]
Texas Rangers (1972?present)
edit
Naming of the Rangers
edit
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 was part of Mexico,
[18]
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,
[19]
including by lynching
Hispanics
.
[20]
[21]
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 the baseball team to abandon the Rangers name.
[22]
[23]
[24]
[25]
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."
[26]
First years in Texas (1972?1984)
edit
Jim Sundberg
, catcher during 1974?1983 and 1988?1989
Arlington Stadium
, home ballpark from 1972 to 1993
Prior to the
1972 season
, improvements were made to Turnpike Stadium, which reopened as
Arlington Stadium
, in preparation for 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 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 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 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, a tradition that continues to this day.
Valentine, Ryan, and Bush (1985?1994)
edit
President
George H. W. Bush
with son,
George W. Bush
, and baseball broadcaster,
Joe Morgan
, in the Texas Rangers locker room, 1991. Future president George W. Bush (
far right
) owned the Rangers from 1989 to 1994
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
Ruben Sierra
,
Pete Incaviglia
,
Mitch Williams
,
Bobby Witt
, and
Edwin Correa
, 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 the Rangers. Despite powerful lineups including
Juan Gonzalez
, Ruben 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 the team to an investment group headed by
George W. Bush
for $89?million.
[27]
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.
[28]
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 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 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 the California Angels.
First division titles (1995?2000)
edit
Globe Life Park
opened in 1994.
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 Gonzalez
was named AL MVP. The team featured a powerful lineup of hitters including Gonzalez,
Ivan Rodriguez
, 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 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.
[29]
The lean years and the A-Rod era (2001?2004)
edit
Michael Young
was selected for the
MLB All-Star Game
seven times (2004?2009, 2011).
Prior to 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 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 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 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.
Making changes (2005?2009)
edit
Nelson Cruz
, Rangers outfielder from 2006 to 2013
In 2005, the Rangers again struggled to find consistency amid controversy and injuries.
John Hart
stepped down as general manager following 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, 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.
[30]
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
Eric Gagne
and
Brandon McCarthy
.
[31]
The Rangers struggled offensively early in 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 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 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 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 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.
[32]
Josh Hamilton and
Nelson Cruz
were also named 2009 AL All-Stars.
Rangers Baseball Express, LLC
edit
Following financial problems, including defaulting on a $525?million loan,
[33]
Tom Hicks
and Hicks Sports Group reached an agreement to sell 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.
[34]
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 the defaulted HSG notes.
[35]
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.
[36]
[37]
As the stalemate between HSG and its creditors continued, the Texas Rangers filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
on May 24.
[38]
[39]
As of that date, the Rangers and HSG had an estimated debt of $575?million.
[39]
Much of the unsecured debt 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.
[39]
The sale would repay all the team's creditors, including Rodriguez and other players owed back salary.
[39]
Following a court-ordered public auction to be held on August 4 with the winning bid submitted by Greenberg/Ryan, the bankruptcy court closed 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.
[40]
Oil magnates
Ray Davis
and
Bob R. Simpson
paid the bulk of the $539?million sale price, and became co-chairmen, with 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.
[41]
[3]
Rise to contention and back-to-back American League Pennants (2010?2016)
edit
Ron Washington
, managed the Rangers from 2007 to 2014, winning two A.L. pennants ('10, '11)
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 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."
[42]
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 Cantu
, and
Jeff Francoeur
. After 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 the first time since 1999 with a 90?72 record.
[43]
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, 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.
[44]
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 the Rangers after a falling out with his partners.
[45]
Following his resignation, Nolan Ryan was named CEO in addition to his continuing role as team president.
[46]
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.
[45]
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 the
2011 World Series
after beating the Detroit Tigers 15?5 in game six of the ALCS.
[47]
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 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
, 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 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.
[48]
Since then, Daniels has 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.
[49]
[50]
The lone bright spot was
Adrian Beltre
, who despite spending some time injured, was the most consistent offensive player on the team.
[51]
[52]
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.
[53]
[54]
The following day, manager
Ron Washington
resigned, citing personal issues.
[55]
With the acquisition of
Cole Hamels
in 2015, 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.
Rebuilding and Road to World Series champions (2017?present)
edit
The Rangers finished the 2017 campaign 23?games out of first place with a 78?84 record. In 2018, the Rangers partnered with the
KBO League
's
LG Twins
, in business and baseball operations.
[56]
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.
[57]
The Rangers ended the season at 67?95.
Chris Woodward
was later selected to be the team's manager beginning with the 2019 season.
[58]
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.
[59]
On September 29, 2019, the Rangers played their final game at Globe Life Park, a 6?1 win over the
New York Yankees
.
[60]
Following a delayed start to the 2020 season due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
, the Rangers played their first regular season game at the new
Globe Life Field
on July 24, 2020, a 1?0 win over the
Colorado Rockies
.
[61]
They ended the contracted season in fifth place at 22?38.
[6]
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 a full-capacity event, calling it "a mistake" and "not responsible".
[62]
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.
[63]
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 the home opener, there was no evidence of causation occurring as a result of the opening game.
[64]
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, 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.
[65]
[66]
Chris Young, who was named general manager in 2020 to take over the role from Daniels, was named the new club president.
[67]
On October 21, 2022, the Rangers hired three-time World Series winning manager
Bruce Bochy
.
[68]
During the offseason, the Rangers signed longtime
New York Mets
starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom
to a five-year, $185 million contract,
[69]
and starting pitchers
Nathan Eovaldi
and
Andrew Heaney
.
The Rangers finished the 2023 season with a 90-72 record, losing the AL West title to the Houston Astros on a tiebreaker. 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.
[70]
Washington: 1961?1971
edit
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 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, 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 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, 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 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 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.
This period saw the Rangers deemphasize red in favor of blue on their uniforms. The home white uniform now had "RANGERS" in uppercase letters, with the trim on the player names removed. The road uniform color was changed to a dark royal blue, and "TEXAS" was also featured in red-trimmed white uppercase letters. The "TR" patch minus the circle was moved to the left chest, and a road all-blue cap was unveiled featuring a red "T" trimmed in white. This design was used for one season. Then in 1984, the Rangers made slight tweaks to their uniforms, unveiling a red alternate uniform and going with a script "Rangers" in front. The sleeve patch, now featuring the script "Rangers" in red on a baseball and a blue Texas map, was added, and left chest numbers were also emblazoned.
Late in 1985, the Rangers returned to wearing road gray uniforms. This design has "TEXAS" in blue block letters with white trim; the same color scheme was also used on the player's name and number. Both this uniform and the existing home uniform removed the collar and sleeve striping. In addition, the all-blue cap returned after a two-year absence, replacing the original red-brimmed blue cap. Both blue and red alternate uniforms were retired.
The Rangers changed its uniforms in anticipation of moving to The Ballpark in Arlington. Red became the primary color and blue was relegated to accent color, and silver was also added. The home white uniforms featured red piping and "RANGERS" in red serif rounded letters with blue trim. That same color scheme was used on the player's name and number. The road gray uniforms featured red sleeve piping and "TEXAS" in red serif rounded letters with white trim; the player's name and number also adopted this color scheme. A new red cap was also unveiled, featuring a white "T" with a blue drop-shadow. Blue trim was later added on the road uniform letters. Starting in 1996, the Rangers sported a new sleeve patch. This patch is a blue diamond with silver pinstripes, and contained a silver star surrounded by a red circle that featured two baseballs and the full team name in white letters.
For the 2000 season, the Rangers kept their home uniforms, but the road uniforms were changed anew. Blue again became the dominant color on the road uniform letters, and a new all-blue cap was released, essentially the inverse of the all-red cap. A new blue alternate uniform was also released, featuring white letters with red and blue trim. A
Texas flag patch
adorned the home and road uniforms.
Starting in 2001, the Rangers again went with blue as a dominant color, while also adding black as an accent color. Black drop shadows were added on the home and road uniform letters, as were silver accents on the blue alternate uniform. The home uniform brought back the left chest numbers but removed the chest piping, while the Texas flag patch was added on the blue alternate uniform. The Rangers wore three different caps during this period. For both home and road games, the Rangers sported either an all-blue cap or a black-brimmed blue cap with the "T" in white and red drop shadows, while for road games only, the all-blue cap with a red "T" on a white drop shadow was used.
In 2004, the Rangers added a white alternate sleeveless uniform, containing the red "T" with white trim and blue drop shadows in front, along with blue piping and blue letters with red trim. The chest number was moved to the right. In 2006, the Rangers added a gray road alternate sleeveless uniform, similar to their primary road uniform but with the addition of chest numbers and blue piping, and the absence of black drop shadows. Both sleeveless uniforms were paired with blue undershirts. The red "T" all-blue cap which was not worn in 2004 and 2005 was brought back to be worn with the road gray alternates. However, the black-brimmed blue cap was retired permanently.
In 2009, the Rangers unveiled slight updates to their uniform design. The home uniform now featured "TEXAS" in blue letters with red and white trim along with black drop shadows. The chest numbers were also removed. In addition, the block letters and numbers added some pointed accents similar to the "TEXAS" wordmark. The Rangers also added a red home alternate uniform, which was essentially the inverse of their blue alternate uniform. This uniform also brought back the all-red cap which was last worn in 2000. Starting in 2014, the black drop shadows and silver accents were removed. While blue remained a primary color used on all road games and most home games, the Rangers would occasionally wear red accessories with the home white uniform.
As in 1994, the Rangers changed their uniforms upon moving to a new ballpark, this time in Globe Life Field. The home white uniforms now featured a script "Rangers" wordmark in blue with white and red trim, and letters were blue with white trim and red drop shadows. As with the previous white uniform, this set is worn with either blue or red accessories. The road gray, red alternate, and blue alternate uniform remained mostly the same except for the updated letters and the addition of drop shadows. On the red alternate uniform, a blue-brimmed red cap with "TX" in front of a red Texas map in front was added as an alternate to the all-red cap. Also new was a powder blue alternate, featuring the "Rangers" script in white with royal blue trim and red drop shadows, and is paired with a powder blue cap with royal blue brim emblazoned with a white "T" on a red drop shadow. Unlike the other uniforms, the powder blue alternate does not have a corresponding batting helmet; instead, the royal blue batting helmet was used.
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In 2023, due to MLB and Nike's new four-uniform plus
City Connect
limit, the Rangers' red uniform was retired. However, the red equipment worn with the uniform were retained for select home games. The red "TX" cap, last worn on a regular basis in 2021, was also officially retired. Also that year, the Rangers unveiled their City Connect uniform. The cream and black uniform featured a mythical-like creature titled a Peagle, which represents the metro area's two minor league baseball teams before the arrival of the team, the
Fort Worth Panthers
and the
Dallas Eagles
. Along with the Peagle, the uniform also features a
typographic
"TX" on the hat and across the chest, as this is similar to the uniform of the Eagles.
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The City Connect uniform was met with mixed reception, with most criticism stemming from fans who disliked the uniform's design.
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