Dallas Rangers

Dallas Rangers
Dallas Rangers
1958–1964; Dallas, Texas ;
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes	Triple-A (1959–1964); Double-A (1958);
League	Pacific Coast League (1963–1964)
Previous leagues	American Association (1959–1962); Texas League (1958);
Major league affiliations
Previous teams	Kansas City Athletics (1960, 1964); Minnesota Twins (1963); Philadelphia Phillies (1962); Los Angeles Angels (1961–1962);
Team data
Previous names	Dallas Rangers (1958–1959), (1964); Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers (1960–1963);
Previous parks	Burnett Field

The Dallas Rangers were a high-level minor league baseball team located in Dallas, Texas from 1958 to 1964. The team was known by the Dallas Rangers name in 1958, 1959, and 1964 and as the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers from 1960 to 1963. It played in the Double-A Texas League in 1958, the Triple-A American Association from 1959 to 1962 and the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 1963 and 1964. Its home stadium was Burnett Field.

Storied Texas League franchises

Both Dallas and Fort Worth had long and storied histories in the Texas League.

Dallas was a mainstay in the Texas League from 1902 to 1958. Over the years, it was known by many nicknames—the Griffins (1902), Giants (1903–1918), Marines (1919), Submarines (1920–1921), Steers (1922–1938), Rebels (1939–1942, 1946–1947) and Eagles (1948–1957), before it was dubbed the Rangers ^[1] in its final TL campaign.

The Fort Worth team was called the Panthers (1902–1931) and the Cats (1932–1942, 1946–1958, 1964).

Admission to Triple-A baseball

In 1959, the American Association expanded and admitted both cities, Dallas as an unaffiliated club and Fort Worth as an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Dallas' Rangers outdrew Fort Worth's Cats, 130,000 to 97,000, and the two teams were merged in 1960 as the top farm team of the Kansas City Athletics. The Dallas Cowboys, Clint Murchison's new NFL franchise, were originally to be called the "Dallas Rangers" because the baseball team's owners had told him in 1959 that they were disbanding. When the owners reversed course the following year, Murchison volunteered to rename his new team to avoid confusion.^[2]

The Rangers struggled on the field and at the gate in 1960, finishing last and drawing only 113,000 fans. In 1961, the team was affiliated with the expansion Los Angeles Angels, and then in 1962 the Angels split the working agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies. During this two-year period, the Rangers featured future MLB stars such as the Angels' Jim Fregosi and Dean Chance. But they continued to lag behind other Association members in attendance.

When the American Association itself folded after the 1962 season, the Rangers joined the Pacific Coast League and affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, inheriting the players of the defunct Vancouver Mounties. The 1963 Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers, managed by Jack McKeon and led by Triple-A rookie Tony Oliva, who hit .304 with 23 home runs, finally reached the .500 level. But the Minnesota affiliation lasted only that one season.

Final season and relocation to Canada

The lowly Kansas City A's returned as the team's parent in 1964. Moreover, that season the Texas League placed a team (another Cubs' affiliate) in Fort Worth, and the Rangers reverted to their Dallas-only identity.

The last Dallas Rangers club, managed by John McNamara, won only 53 of 157 PCL games. Starting pitchers Lew Krausse and Bill Landis lost 19 and 17 games, respectively. The team drew only 39,000 fans all season. The franchise then moved in 1965 to, ironically, Vancouver. The Dallas-Fort Worth regional name was then applied to the Texas League club, which played in Arlington and became known as the Spurs through 1971. The old nickname Rangers was revived for the major league Texas Rangers, who moved to Turnpike (renamed Arlington) Stadium in 1972.

Yearly record

Year	Record	Finish Full Season	League	Attendance	Manager	Postseason
1958	76–77	Fifth	Texas League	116,085	Davey Williams George Schepps Fred Martin	DNQ
1959	75–87	Fourth (Western Division)	American Association	130,334	Fred Martin Jim Fanning	DNQ
1960	64–90	Eighth	American Association	113,849	Jim Fanning	DNQ
1961	72–77	Fifth	American Association	105,933	Walker Cooper	DNQ
1962	59–90	Sixth	American Association	86,034	Dick Littlefield Ray Murray	DNQ
1963	79–79	Third (South Division)	Pacific Coast League	118,350	Jack McKeon	DNQ
1964	53–104	Sixth (East Division)	Pacific Coast League	39,391	John McNamara	DNQ

Notable alumni

((Ray Jablonski))
((Tom Burgess))
((Leo Burke))
((Chuck Tanner))
((Mickey Harrington))
((Ron Hogg))
((Chet Boak))
((Don Larsen))
((Chuck Hartenstein))
((Ricardo "Rico" Joseph))
((Jack Spring))
((Charlie Shoemaker))
((Joe Nossek))
((George Banks))
((Marty Martinez))
((Jay Ward))
((Joe McCabe))
((Sandy Valdespino))
((Don Kessinger))

References

^ "Dallas TL Club Named Rangers". Dallas Morning News. 1958-03-18.
^ "Dallas Eleven Changes Made". New York Times. 1960-03-20. p. S4.