Why the Texas Rangers' Championship is for all of us
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Matt Bush holds up the championship trophy for all fans. Photo: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers are back home to celebrate their first World Series championship.
- Pinch yourselves; it's real.
State of play: They clinched their first title in the franchise's 62-year history on Wednesday night, capping their first trip to the playoffs since 2016.
Details: The Rangers' 11-game winning streak on the road is a record unlikely to be toppled soon.
- The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is collecting key items from the series, including Corey Seager's helmet, manager Bruce Bochy's ballcap and the glove that pitcher Josh Sborz threw on the mound after throwing the final strike to win the title.
- They'll also take the bat Adolis García used in Game 1 when he hit a walk-off homer in the 11th inning and Marcus Semien's jersey from Game 5, when he hit a two-run homer in the ninth.
Why it matters: This is for every long-suffering, loyal fan and for the new fans who are falling in love with baseball while watching García dominate in every part of the game.
This is for the fans who went to games at Arlington Stadium and still think of the Ballpark in Arlington as the new park.
This is for the fans who own a shirt with a photo of Nolan Ryan in a jersey covered in the blood of Robin Ventura.
This is for former Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff, who went up against a powerful Houstonian to ensure North Texas got a baseball team.
This is for Ted Williams, Johnny Oates and Ron Washington.
This is for the fans who can recite the entire 2011 World Series roster.
This is for the kids who learned to drop to one knee while batting because of Adrián Beltré.
This is for everyone who hears the first notes of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and thinks of Ian Kinsler.
This is for the fans who spent years sitting through hot July games in the old ballpark during losing seasons — because they loved the Rangers even if they didn't win.
This is for the adults who grew up going to Sunday day games and Dollar Hot Dog nights, and for the fans who've passed on their Rangers love to the next generations.
This is for all North Texas sports fans who haven't seen a championship since the 2011 Mavs.
The bottom line: The postseason motto was "Go and take it."
- Boy did they.