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Arlington Stadium never quite had the aura of a true major league park. It opened in 1965 as Turnpike Stadium for the local Double-A Texas League club, before being quickly expanded for the emigrating Washington Senators, who moved in as the Texas Rangers. This single-level circular stadium had no roof over the grandstand, and a disproportionate number of outfield bleacher seats. Its seating capacity of under 36,000 made it the second-smallest ML venue at the time, but it was usually more than adequate for the Rangers' modest attendance. (In its early years, the club's main attraction may have been manager Ted Williams.) Later expansions, including the addition of a small second deck behind home plate, raised its capacity to about 43,500.
The stadium was situated in a suburban location, adjacent to the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park, about halfway along the turnpike between Dallas and Fort Worth. Its far more ambitious successor, The Ballpark in Arlington, was built in a parking lot on the same property, a few hundred yards away.
Arlington Stadium’s field was natural grass with little foul territory. The field was slightly sunk at one end, gently sloping upwards towards the outfield, so that fans entered the stadium in the upper levels of the grandstand. A large Texas-shaped scoreboard behind the left-center field seats was the stadium's most distinguishing feature. Almost all the Rangers' home games, even Sunday ones, were and still are played at night due to the oppressive summer afternoon heat and humidity. Home runs were reduced somewhat due to power alleys of 380 feet, but overall run production was normal.
In the stadium's last seasons, the Rangers finally became a contender, thanks to rising stars such as Juan Gonzalez and the final efforts of grand old man Nolan Ryan, a native Texan who was the team's biggest draw. "The Ryan Express" wore a Rangers uniform when threw his record 7th no-hitter against the feared lineup of the Oakland A’s on May 1, 1991. (SCL/JP)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 21, 1972: The Rangers celebrate their first game in their new home, Arlington Stadium, halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, by outscoring the Angels, 7–6.
»September 19, 1973: The Angels down the Rangers 6–2 and 9–4 at Arlington Stadium. Frank Robinson homers in the 32nd different park of his ML career—a record.
»April 10, 1980:
At Arlington Stadium, Jon Matlack and the Yankees Ron Guidry both pitch shutout ball for nine innings before being lifted. In the 12th, Goose Gossage relieves with Mickey Rivers on 3rd and Richie Zisk at the plate. His first pitch is wild allowing Rivers to score the games on run. Gossage also lost the '78 Opener when Zisk took him deep in the 9th. Each team manages just four hits in the contest with Bob Watson and Jim Sundberg each collecting three of them.
»October 3, 1993:
The Royals defeat the Rangers, 4-1, in the final game at Arlington Stadium, before a crowd of 41,039. The Rangers will move into their new stadium next season.
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