Texas Rangers name baseball field after Charley Pride

The Texas Rangers are paying tribute to Charley Pride by dedicating their new spring training facility after the country singer.

The new Charley Pride Field in Surprise, Arizona honors the lifelong Rangers fan, who in 2010 became a partial owner of the team. Pride passed away on December 12, 2020 from complications due to COVID-19.

“The Rangers have been honored to have Mr. Pride be a part of the team’s ownership group for the last ten years. A longtime resident of this area, he was a regular at home games when his schedule permitted… Mr. Pride was a true gentleman, and we will never forget the lasting contributions he has made to the Texas Rangers organization,” the Texas Rangers said in a statement in December.

Pride, spent seven years as pitcher, playing for the Memphis Red Sox and the Birmingham Black Barons from 1953 – 1960. He was named to the Negro league All-Star team in 1956 and 1957.

One of Pride’s final performances came in July 2020, as he performed the National Anthem at the first-ever baseball game played at the Rangers’ new Globe Life Field in Arlington.