Hang It On the Wall

When a professional sports team retires a number, it means that that number will never be worn again by any player in that organization!

Now only one number will never be worn by any other person in major league baseball and the same can be said about professional hockey—the numbers 42 and 99 will never worn again!

HOWEVER!

For teams that retire numbers, they reserve that right for the one person that they believed, represented that team in a manner that no one else can or will ever do with that number on their back!

For the Texas Rangers, they have retired 3 numbers from their roster. Just THREE!

They are: #26 former Manager and the late Johnny Oates, #34 The Express Nolan Ryan, #7 Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, and of course #42 The Leagues retirement of the Brooklyn Dodger great Jackie Robinson! Now add #29—Adrian Beltre’ who will join those names on the left field façade and no one will ever wear that number in a Ranger uniform again!

Beltre’ who played for the Rangers for 7 seasons came to the team in a round about way, he started with the Dodgers, played for the Mariners then the Red Sox then game to Texas! Its in Arlington, that Beltre’ became a team leader, not just on the field, but also in the club house, he developed a friendship with short stop Elvis Andrus, that was more like big/little brother antics, that showed on the field, they would tease each other, laugh at one another, prank each other, and respect one another.

You can talk about Beltre’s stats and the fact that he got his 3000^th hit in a Ranger uniform, and that he pretty much has his ticket punched for Cooperstown in five years, but the truth is, his production for the Rangers team is unmeasurable, he did things at bat, that was at times, super human- Hitting a home run from his knees, or diving for a ground ball and then throwing from the seat of his pants for the out! Adrian did it all, and then some!

He will be remembered for all of that, but truly, there was a night, where he was on deck, and getting ready to step up to the plate—but was not on the batting circle—and the umpire at first base told him to get back to the on deck circle, and with that, Adrian picked up the mat, that had the Rangers logo on it, and moved it to where HE was and not where it was! And after that—the umpire said a few words- then HEAVE HO! Threw Beltre out of the ball game in the 7^th inning! One of the best things someone could have seen in the ball game! Actually it was shortly after that—that the Rangers had a giveaway, that was the Batting Circle Mouse Pads to give out in honor of that! GENIUS!

Adrian though gave himself to the Rangers, and to the community, he strived to help inner city kids to learn the game of baseball, he did the same thing in this native Dominica Republic, striving to give youth an opportunity to learn and to share experiences with them.

The Charity work that he was involved in: Actively involved in the community, Beltré has contributed significantly to humanitarian acts in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex such as Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, Texas Rangers RBI program, the I Love Baseball program, which operates in the Dominican Republic, and the Baseball Tomorrow Fund. Further, he has donated to Dave Valle's Esperanza International as well as foundations established by other major league players, including Robinson Chirinos, Eddie Guardado, Joakim Soria and Michael Young.

To have his number retired by the Rangers just after 9 months of retirement, is a little unusual, meaning that most clubs that retire numbers, wait at least 3 maybe even five years, just so that they might come at the same time as their induction into the Hall of Fame if that is the case, and IF that is the case with Beltre, that in five years we will be watching him in Cooperstown, what hat will he wear? Most likely they will place a Ranger cap on him, and he would be the 3^rd Rangers player to be placed in the Hall with a Rangers hat on his head. (Ryan, Rodriguez, and soon Beltre’)

When you think about the athletes that have played in the DFW area, and who have had their numbers retired, the Dallas Mavericks have Rolando Blackman, and Brad Davis, and they are talking about retiring #41 Dirk Nowitzki, and again not too long after his last game played, they are also talking about placing a statue outside the AAC to commemorate his days in a Maverick uniform.  

Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars has had his number hang from the rafters, but only after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. And now lets talk Cowboys, oh wait, they don’t retire numbers they hang them on the Ring of Honor and EVEN that doesn’t mean that someone won’t wear the number! Look at Chuck Howley, they gave his number 54 to Randy White, now there are is the unwritten rule that no one will ever wear the #74 (Mr. Cowboy Bob Lilly), or #12 (Capt. American Roger Staugbach), but #88 is worn by a receiver that the Cowboys feel has the same abilities that Drew Pearson or Michael Irvin possess. So its not truly retried, just a suggestion!

But The Rangers WILL indeed not have anyone wear #29 again, there were others before Adrian that wore that number—Pete Incavillia, Rusty Greer, just to say two of them. But its Beltre that will have it hanging from façade, and one day be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame.

For all that, the greatness of a players is measured by the character of which he possess, and for that Adrian Beltre’ gave everything when he wore the uniform of a Major League team, and specifically the Texas Rangers.

He will live in the hearts of Rangers fans as #29!

Just a thought