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The city of Dallas has a rich baseball history extending back to the 1870s when the professional game first found roots in Texas. In 1888, the Dallas Hams were a founding member (and first champion) of the professional Texas League. With the major leagues far away to the north, a relationship was established between the city of Dallas and one of Americas premier minor league. It lasted on and off until 1971, when the Texas Rangers entered Major League Baseball. During that by-gone era, players like Curley Maloney, Jewel Ens, and Zeke Bonura were the heroes for countless local baseball fans. Hall of Famers Ted Williams (as manager), Fergie Jenkins, and Nolan Ryan all spent time in a Rangers uniform. In more recent times, Ranger players like Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, and Ivan Rodriguez have become heroes to baseball fans across the nation.
About the author
Chris Holaday is a renowned minor league baseball historian and author of several titles on the history of the sport in the South. Mark Presswood is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and a longtime chronicler of America's pastime in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. This is their second Arcadia collaboration, Baseball in Fort Worth being the first.
