A Night To Remember: Chuck Morgan, Adrián Beltré Inducted Into Rangers Hall Of Fame
ARLINGTON, Texas — Saturday night was a night that many Texas Rangers fans can treasure forever.
No, it's not because of what the team did on the field. The Rangers gave up five home runs and lost by a score of 8-3 to the Oakland Athletics.
No, over 31,000 fans showed up to Globe Life Field tonight to witness the induction of Chuck Morgan and Adrián Beltré into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
The ceremony began an hour and 20 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Morgan and Beltré were joined by members of their families, along with several members of the Rangers Hall of Fame, including Richard Greene, Tom Grieve, Toby Harrah, Ferguson Jenkins, Eric Nadel, Iván 'Pudge' Rodríguez, Jeff Russell, Tom Schieffer, Jim Sundberg, and Michael Young.
Morgan was inducted by Texas Rangers executive vice president and chief financial officer Kellie Fischer while Beltré was inducted by his Rangers teammate of two seasons, Michael Young.
Before either one gave their acceptance speeches, they sat through tribute videos and many congratulations from several names of significance, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, former Rangers greats Will Clark and Nolan Ryan, actor Matthew McConaughey, and Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki.
The only unexpected absence was former Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus. He had to leave for Oakland after Friday night's game between the Rangers and A's for the birth of his third child. Beltré spoke at length about his relationship with Andrus when he met with the media earlier this week. And before Elvis flew back to Oakland, he took some time to return the favor.
Neither Morgan or Beltré prefer the spotlight, and it goes to show the true content of their character. Chuck Morgan has spent 38 of the past 39 years as the public address announcer in three Rangers ballparks, never taking a game off. He announced his 3,000th consecutive game in September last year. He also puts his heart and soul into every single game, with the intention that fans have the ultimate ballpark experience.
It was only natural for him to spend a large portion of his speech on others, and especially, thanking the fans.
"We grow up with baseball. We grow old with it," Morgan said. "I see and hear that every night up in my new PA booth. It's the best part of my work day — visiting with Ranger fans in my booth before and after games. Moms and Dads, bring their kids by, telling me about when they were kids and they saw Clemens against Ryan on a perfect Sunday afternoon at Arlington Stadium. Or at The Ballpark, they saw a rookie strike out a Yankees slugger for the Rangers first pennant.
"But my all-time favorite thing is how y'all responded to me. When I would say, 'No. 22, Steve Buechele. Or No. 17, Nelson Cruz. Or No. 17, Shin-Soo Choo.' Ladies and gentlemen, each time you did that, thank you for giving me the highest compliment you could give a guy like me. And thanks for making me feel at home in Texas."
Beltré came to Texas seeking a World Series ring. While the team was unable to achieve that goal, the bond between Beltré and the fan base grew as the five-time Gold Glove winner elevated his stance in baseball grandeur.
Beltré was praised throughout his playing career for being an elite competitor and a consummate professional. But he also put others before himself. He fought through injuries in key situations. And he turned himself into a first ballot Hall of Famer while donning a Rangers uniform.
"First of all, what an honor to be inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. This is unreal," Beltré said. "I want to thank you fans for the support over the years, always being there for our team, and knowing we always wanted to give you the best show we can. For that, I will always be grateful."
You would be hard pressed to find a duo that exemplifies Rangers baseball better than Chuck Morgan or Adrián Beltré. They made their careers by constantly putting others before themselves. And now, they're enshrined forever because of it.
More From SI's Inside The Rangers:
- Yohel Pozo's Big Debut Carries Rangers To 8-6 Victory Over A's
- 'It Couldn't Have Gone Any Better': An Ode To Adrián Beltré's Time With Rangers
- WATCH: Adrián Beltré Reflects On Ejection Over Moving On-Deck Circle
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