A banner was dropped from the roof of Globe Life Field’s right field to celebrate the Texas Rangers’ first championship victory in their 52nd season in Texas and 63rd overall for the franchise that started in 1961. The team’s manager, Bruce Bochy, and pitcher Josh Sborz, who made the final out in the clinching Game 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in November, brought the Commissioner’s Trophy to home plate. Bochy expressed his gratitude to the fans for their tremendous support and reminded the players to savor the victory and ring ceremony that will take place before the second game of the series on Saturday night.
Bochy, who previously managed three World Series-winning teams with the San Francisco Giants, encouraged the players to soak in the celebratory moment as it is difficult to achieve such success. Despite losing in their two previous World Series appearances, the Rangers finally secured their first championship in a historic win. In 2010, they lost to Bochy’s Giants in five games, and in 2011, they were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals after twice being one out away from winning.
Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer, who was part of the Washington Nationals’ championship team in 2019, expressed his excitement about celebrating the victory with fans after pandemic restrictions prevented them from attending the ceremony in 2020. Meanwhile, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who scored the run that earned the Florida Marlins the 1997 World Series crown, felt envious watching the Rangers’ celebration from the opposing dugout. He admitted to being jealous of their achievement, showcasing the honesty of competitive sports.