25 Years as a Texas Rangers Fan
Win or lose, I'll always be a fan for life
Happy New Year, Vocal readers and subscribers! 2026 has finally arrived. 2026 is also me celebrating a quarter century of me being a Texas Rangers fan. I need to correct everyone on a few details when it came to me attending my very first Rangers game in person at 13 years old. I've stated in my numerous stories on Vocal that I attended the aforementioned game soon after the tragic events of September 11. Recently, I was looking at the 2001 Texas Rangers schedule, via the Baseball Almanac's website. I was surprised that they kept records of old MLB regular season schedules and rosters going back that far. Speaking of that roster, players such as Michael Young, Kenny Rogers (not to be confused with the late, great country singer), Pudge Rodríguez, and Gabe Kapler stood out for the team. Also, Alex Rodríguez was on this team before he ended up finishing his career with the New York Yankees. As far as the exact date of when I attended my first Rangers game, it was August 22, 2001, and on a warm Wednesday evening. Yes, it was on a school night, but it would be a memory that I would cherish forever. The Rangers played the Yankees at home as part of a four-game series. When I arrived at The Ballpark in Arlington, which was their old ballpark and the name of it at the time, I was so amazed of the exterior of it. I attended the game with my now estranged father, younger brother, and one of my friends from school at the time. It was a guy's night out, but I had a great time. By the way, the Rangers won that game 8-1. The four-game series ended in a split decision between both teams. After arriving home from the game, that was the night I became a Texas Rangers fan.
Fast forward to the night of November 1, 2023: Game 5 of the World Series. We're not going to go over the Rangers 2010 and 2011 back-to-back appearances to the Fall Classic, because unpacking those disappointing cans of worms and rehashing old wounds would be a drag. Game 5 of the 2023 Word Series had me nervous. Sure, the Rangers were ahead three games to one and a victory away from capturing their first championship in franchise history, but in the MLB Postseason, there's a chance that a team could come back and even the series. No lead in a seven-game series is not always a guarantee that it would be secure. Nathan Eovaldi made the start for the important Game 5. Later in that game, he was in a bases loaded jam, which he would eventually get out of. He almost gave me a heart attack and honestly, I wanted to go through my TV and strangle him. Alas, it was a sigh of relief. The Rangers didn't score until the top of the 7th inning and as the saying goes, the rest was history. Before the Rangers played the Diamondbacks in the World Series, I was a bit pessimistic. I thought to myself, "Don't mess this up again." Even while watching Game 5 and there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth, I also said to myself, "Oh no. Here comes the heartbreak." I thought it was going to be like 2011 all over again. I recorded the final out and reacted with excitement, posting the reaction video on my social media pages. That excitement I felt was like when Chicago Cubs fans witnessed their team winning their first World Series title since 1908, ending a long championship drought.
Three months after the Rangers won the World Series, I bought my first baseball jersey (shown above). Before this, I've never owned one, despite me being a fan for over two decades. Since then, I've bought several of them. You can view the rest of my Rangers jerseys, by reading the story about me showcasing each one I currently own down below.
About the Creator
Mark Wesley Pritchard
You can call me Wesley. Former cosplayer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?
Threads: @misterwesleysworld
Instagram: @misterwesleysworld
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