Rangers Offering Nolan Ryan Bloody Lip Jersey Giveaway for One Night Only

Nearly every season the Texas Rangers usually include franchise icon Nolan Ryan in one of their in-game giveaways. But they’ve never done something like this.

For Friday’s game against the Kansas City Royals the franchise is giving away what it’s calling a Nolan Ryan Bloody Lip jersey. The giveaway is for all fans and it’s fitting that it’s happening against the Royals.

The jersey features the script blue Rangers across the front, in the same style Ryan wore during his time with the team from 1989-93. It also features a design that is meant to emulate the blood that was on his jersey on Sept. 8, 1990, when he was hit in the lip by a comebacker from Royals outfielder Bo Jackson.

Nolan Ryan’s Bloody Lip Jersey

Tomorrow evening’s promotional giveaway at Globe Life Field: A Nolan Ryan Bloody Lip Jersey. pic.twitter.com/awDsxGYbEE
— Rangers Nation (@RangerNationDAL) May 29, 2026

In that game, Jackson hit a one-hop ground ball back to Ryan, who was unable to field it before it hit him in the lip. Staggered for a moment, Ryan was able to pick up the ball and throw Jackson out at first base. But the ball split open his bottom lip. He finished the inning, walking two hitters and inducing a pair of pop-ups to end the frame. But, as he pitched, blood collected across the front of his jersey.

Unlike today, not every Rangers game was broadcast on television. Even with the draw of Ryan facing Jackson, the game was not televised live. But Ryan and his bloody jersey became iconic due to a photo taken by Linda Kaye, a part-time Rangers photographer and Fort Worth freelancer, who just happened to be there that night to shoot the game.

ESPN recently wrote a profile about the photo, Kaye and her connection to Ryan, who remained friends with Kaye until she died of cancer in 2007.

The photo is the only record of what happened that night, unlike his legendary fight with Chicago White Sox slugger Robin Ventura or many of his final career milestones with the Rangers. Not only was the game not televised, but Ryan’s jersey was washed during the game, removing all the blood. It was not lifted from the game to be installed as an exhibit in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaye’s photo is it. And, 36 years that jersey is part of Ryan’s legend and Kaye’s legacy.

Ryan went on to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame and at one time served as president of the Texas Rangers. Now, fans can take home a replica of a piece of Ryan’s legend for one night only.

Add us as a preferred source on Google