BOX SCORE

On Thursday night, June 2, the Texas Rangers played the Boston Red Sox in Arlington Stadium. Rangers management must have been somewhat disappointed with the crowd, a turnout of only 12,158 against the usually popular Red Sox. Meanwhile, on this same night, the Dallas Tornado was playing a soccer match in Ownby Stadium a-gainst the Seattle Sounders. Attendance: 12,238. If, only two years ago, you had predicted that soccer with the Seattle Sounders would out-draw baseball with the Boston Red Sox, people would have been looking for cracks in your batter’s helmet. It should be noted that the Rangers’ figure of 12,158 represents actual paid attendance, while the Tornado figure of 12,238 represents what the Tornado calls “estimated attendance” – and Tornado management, an exuberant bunch, have been accused before of “estimating” with an optimistic eye. So, chances are there were actually more fans in Arlington Stadium than at Ownby that night. But the fact that it was even close is remarkable.