Think what you want about the Texas Rangers organization, but no matter your seasons of frustrations, by July 8, 1977 you just had to feel plain sorry for them. After the now-notorious road trip which featured the incredible Lucchesi to Stanky to Ryan to Hunter managerial misplay, the Rangers limped back into Arlington Stadium sinking in the standings and in the hearts of their fans.
Enter the 4th of July and All-America night, one of the biggest promotional games of the season. 35,000 show up and watch the Rangers lose 1-0. As part of the promo, there is a fireworks display after the game. The first few fireworks, of course, fizzle. The fans, of course, boo. Brad Corbett says he can’t take it anymore. The Rangers are for sale.
On to July 8: T-shirt night. Free Ranger T-shirts to all youngsters at the game. Another big crowd of 35,000 arrives to discover that the manufacturer has failed to deliver the T-shirts on time. Coupons are distributed and the fans take their seats. As the second batter of the game strides to the plate, the only cloud in Northeast Texas rolls in over the stadium, gets bigger and blacker, stops, and unloads. When it rains, as they say, it pours.
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