Rangers unveil statue at home ballpark, reigniting historical context debate

Fans attending the Texas Rangers’ home opening series against the Cincinnati Reds in early April will get their first look at the newly installed, permanent fixture in left field.

Billed as a tribute to the MLB franchise’s namesake, the Rangers unveiled the “One Riot, One Ranger” statue along the left-field concourse at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, Monday.

In 2020, the statue was removed from Dallas Love Field amid heightened racial tensions and the group’s complicated history tied to race relations.

The book “Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers” examined parts of the law enforcement unit’s past. Its publication coincided with nationwide scrutiny of some police practices after the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

In an Associated Press account about six years ago, around the time the statue was pulled from the airport, “Cult of Glory” identified the figure as Capt. Jay Banks. The book states that, in 1957, Banks led a group of Rangers believed to have blocked Black students from enrolling at a local high school and community college.

In the article, “Cult of Glory” author Doug Swanson said, “There’s a famous picture of him leaning against a tree in front of Mansfield High School while a black figure hangs in effigy above the school, with Banks making no effort to take it down.

“And Banks sided with the mobs who were there to keep the black kids out. So, he was the face of that.”

Russell Molina, a board member of the Texas Ranger Association Foundation, acknowledged the Rangers’ controversial past but said those who lived “up to the ideal” deserve recognition and argued the statue was not solely meant to represent Banks.

“We recognize that the history of the Texas Rangers, like that of our state and nation, includes moments that must be confronted honestly,” Molina said. “While not everyone who has served across more than two centuries lived up to the ideal, most did, and they deserve to be remembered for their service, sacrifice and commitment to the people of Texas.”

Swanson told The Dallas Morning News he hoped the statue’s latest placement would include more context about the organization’s complex past.

Fox News Digital contacted the baseball franchise’s media relations department but did not immediately receive a response. 

According to Globe Life Field’s official website, “While the ‘One Riot, One Ranger’ statue commemorates the legend surrounding the agency’s involvement in the stoppage of an unsanctioned Dallas prize fight in 1896, it also stands as a tribute to all who have served the organization over its storied history.”

Statues of former MLB stars Iván Rodríguez, Adrián Beltré and Nolan Ryan also stand at the Rangers’ retractable-roof stadium.

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