Arlington Celebrates Texas Rangers’ World Series Victory
Arlington, Texas – The city of Arlington, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, is buzzing with excitement as it celebrates the World Series victory of its hometown team, the Texas Rangers. The Rangers’ win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday marked their first championship in the 51 years since relocating to Arlington.
Arlington, often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, has long been a sports-crazed city. However, the Rangers had struggled to capture the hearts of all Texans, especially with the dominance of football, particularly the Dallas Cowboys. But as the Rangers continued to win throughout the MLB playoffs, more and more fans emerged, and the excitement became palpable across the connected cities.
By Halloween night, viewing parties were held in driveways throughout the Dallas suburbs, with outdoor televisions and projections of the game onto garage doors. The cheers echoed across neighborhoods as the Rangers secured a 10-0 lead with a three-run home run by second baseman Marcus Semien.
The Rangers’ journey to the World Series victory has been a long time coming. Tim Cowlishaw, a veteran sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News, recalled attending the first game held in Arlington in 1972 when he was 17. The team had been named after the Texas Rangers, an elite law enforcement division of the state police. At the time, the stadium was a very minor league park with just a few bleachers.
In contrast, the Houston Astros already had the Astrodome, a colossal indoor stadium with the league’s first turf field. The Rangers, however, were cherished by Arlington residents and civic leaders who built newer stadiums over the years. But they often frustrated fans across the Dallas area, who watched other sports franchises come in and win championships.
Despite being overlooked for years, both the Rangers and Arlington are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Arlington, with a population of 400,000 people, is now on par with cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and St. Louis. The city will host its first World Series victory parade on Friday.
Tommy Bird, who works at an O’Reilly Auto Parts store, watched the final game of the series at Bobby V’s Sports Gallery Cafe, an Arlington restaurant founded by former Rangers Manager Bobby Valentine. Bird vividly remembers the feeling of anticipation in 2011 when the Rangers made it to the World Series but ultimately lost in seven games. This time, however, the Rangers emerged victorious, bringing joy to their loyal fans.
The road to the championship ran through Houston and the defending champion Astros. The Rangers won the fiercely fought series in seven games, setting up a showdown between the state’s largest urban areas. While Houstonians often see themselves in competition with Dallas, the rivalry is mostly one-sided, with Houston fantasizing about Dallas.
Despite the Astros’ success and the failures of the Rangers, Arlington remained faithful to its team. The city funded a new retractable dome stadium, the team’s third in Arlington, to ensure the Rangers stayed. Now, Arlington can proudly celebrate its baseball team’s historic victory.
As fans gather at Bobby V’s, Angela Rivera, a longtime Rangers fan, quietly watches the game, reminiscing about her childhood visits to the original stadium with her father. The restaurant, filled with memorabilia from the Rangers and other Dallas-area teams, has been a gathering place for fans since the 1980s.
Arlington’s faith in its baseball team has paid off, and the city can now revel in the glory of a World Series victory. The Rangers’ win has brought the community together and put Arlington on the map as a sports powerhouse.Arlington Celebrates Texas Rangers’ World Series Victory
Arlington, Texas – The city of Arlington, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, is buzzing with excitement as it celebrates the World Series victory of its hometown team, the Texas Rangers. The Rangers’ win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday marked their first championship in the 51 years since relocating to Arlington.
For years, the Rangers struggled to capture the hearts of all Texans, overshadowed by the dominance of football, particularly the Dallas Cowboys. However, as the team continued to win throughout the MLB playoffs, more and more fans emerged to cheer them on. The excitement in October became palpable across the connected cities of Dallas and Fort Worth.
On Halloween night, people in the Dallas suburbs held viewing parties in driveways, projecting the pivotal Game 4 onto garage doors. The atmosphere was electric as the Rangers secured a 10-0 lead with a three-run home run by second baseman Marcus Semien in the third inning.
The Rangers’ journey to the World Series victory has been a long time coming. Tim Cowlishaw, a veteran sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News, recalled attending the first game held in Arlington in 1972 when he was 17. The team played in a minor league park with makeshift bleachers, and fans were thrilled just to see the visiting teams.
In contrast, the Houston Astros already had the Astrodome, a colossal indoor stadium with the league’s first turf field. The Rangers, cherished by Arlington residents and civic leaders, received newer stadiums over the years. However, they frustrated fans across the Dallas area as other sports franchises came in and won championships.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross expressed his pride in the Rangers, stating, “The Rangers are for everyone. We’ve struggled, but it’s our baby.” The city of Arlington, often overlooked like the Rangers themselves, will finally get to host a World Series victory parade for the first time on Friday.
The Rangers’ victory holds special significance for fans like Tommy Bird, who watched the final game of the series at Bobby V’s Sports Gallery Cafe, an Arlington restaurant founded by former Rangers Manager Bobby Valentine. Bird vividly remembers the anticipation and subsequent disappointment of the team’s previous World Series appearance in 2011.
The Houston Astros, who have won two World Series titles and become a regular postseason presence, have been a point of pride for some Houstonians. The competition between Houston and Dallas is often one-sided, with Houston fantasizing about Dallas while Dallas pays little attention to Houston.
The Rangers’ road to the championship ran through Houston and the defending champion Astros. In a fiercely fought series, the Rangers emerged victorious in seven games. Despite the loss, some buses in Houston continued to root for the Astros, reflecting the city’s loyalty to its team.
As Arlington prepares for the World Series victory parade, the city and its residents are savoring this historic moment. The Rangers’ triumph has brought the community together and solidified their place in Texas sports history.