I started listening to the Texas Rangers in 1975 or 76. Gaylord Perry and Bert Blyleven were the pitchers I remember. Jim Sundberg and Tom Grieve, Toby Harrah (and then Buddy Bell.)

They were awful. Reliably finished in 3rd or 4th place in the AL West. But they were on the radio every night, so I listened.

We were living in Dallas when we started going to Ranger games, first at the old Arlington Stadium and then at The Temple. Took my daughter, Kayla, to watch Nolan Ryan’s last win.

We were still in Dallas a few years later when the Rangers finally made the playoffs.

And I was watching from Kentucky when they made the World Series, my heart breaking when Nelson Cruz booted that ball.

Ranger fans have been through the valley, miles & miles and decades & decades of darkness.

Now we’re gonna celebrate.