Story #250: My Experience at The Ballpark in Arlington

250 stories on Vocal! I've come a long since I first started writing stories on this platform back in 2018. For my 250th story, I'll be sharing of how I became a fan of a Major League Baseball team. But first, a bit of history.

For nearly 55 years, the Texas Rangers have been playing in Arlington, Texas, which happens to be my hometown and the place where I grew up. Since then, they have won one World Series title and that was back in 2023. Before they were known as the Rangers, they were originally known as the Washington Senators from 1961-1971 and played in Washington, DC. The team moved to Arlington in the spring of 1972, becoming the Texas Rangers, and played at Arlington Stadium from their inaugural season until 1993. Here is the list of the other numerous ballpark name changes the Rangers went through:

• The Ballpark in Arlington (1994-2004)
• Ameriquest Field in Arlington (2004-2007)
• Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (2007-2014)
• Globe Life Park in Arlington (2014-2020)
• Globe Life Field (2020-Present)

Now onto my story.

I can't recall the exact date I attended my first Rangers game, but it was soon after the events of September 11, 2001. A time when this country was coming together as one after one of the most horrific events in history. I do remember that I attended my first Rangers game on a warm September night in 2001. A school night, I might add. It was me, my now estranged father, younger brother, and one of my friends from school. At the time, it was called The Ballpark in Arlington. When we arrived there, the outside of the ballpark was so cool. The inside of it was even better. I remember the matchup for that night's game: it was the Rangers vs the Yankees. Seeing a game in person was an exciting experience and I don't remember the final score of that game, but I remember the Rangers winning by a large margin. That was the night I became a Rangers fan. Nearly 25 years later, I'm still a loyal and devoted fan.

The old ballpark will always hold a special place in my heart. The Rangers current ballpark, Globe Life Field, opened in 2020 and I hope to attend a game there someday. Based on what other Rangers fans told me about GLF, they said it's nice and amazing. Regardless, it'll always be The Ballpark in Arlington to me. Their previous ballpark is now a casino. If you haven't been to a Major League Baseball game yet, then you're missing out on all the fun. It should be on everyone's bucket list. Two facts to pass along to everyone: the average cost to attend an MLB game is $53, but the cost may vary by team. The other is if you're planning on attending a World Series game, it'll cost you thousands of dollars. For example, the average cost to attend last year's World Series Game 1 matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees was around $1,700. Hopefully one or both of these facts don't scare you away from attending a game. Whenever you do get a chance to attend a game, enjoy the moment and take advantage of this experience.

What was your first MLB game like? What team are you a fan of? Sound off in the comments. Please subscribe to my page on here and also, follow me on my socials. Like this story and finally, please consider sending me a one-off tip, which you can find at the end of this story. Big or small, your tips will support creators like me so we can keep on publishing interesting and fun stories to share with you.