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Texas Rangers: Top 10 Opening Days

By Nathaniel Puente

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Robinson Chirinos #61 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley #27 in the second inning after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 10, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Robinson Chirinos #61 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley #27 in the second inning after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 10, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – MARCH 29: A Texas Rangers fan makes his way to the ballpark with his beard decorated with the team’s logo before the Opening Day game against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington on March 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – MARCH 29: A Texas Rangers fan makes his way to the ballpark with his beard decorated with the team’s logo before the Opening Day game against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington on March 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

5. Opening Day 1976 – vs. Minnesota Twins (W 2-1)

This may be no surprise, but the early years of Texas Rangers baseball do not feature many success stories.

It was not until the Rangers fifth year in Arlington that they won their first opening day.

The Rangers were led by manager Frank Lucchesi and starting pitcher Gaylord Perry who was looking to improve upon his already future Hall of Fame career.

Jeff Burroughs got the scoring started in the second inning with a home run off the first pitch he faced that season.

Minnesota found hits and runs hard to come by on this day. They eventually broke through in the sixth inning with a Butch Wynegar RBI single.

Perry and Minnesota’s Bert Blyleven put on a pitching duel of epic proportions. Both teams fired tough pitching. Three hitless innings ended regulation and the hard-worked starters showed no signs of breaking.

Gaylord Perry remained in the game for extra innings but the Twins replaced Blyleven with Bill Campbell, a move that would prove their downfall.

Perry compiled more 1-2-3 innings in the tenth and eleventh, but Campbell walked the first batter he faced in the tenth. Campbell quickly worked himself out of the jam but would not be so lucky the next inning.

The Rangers quickly loaded the bases and Toby Harrah put the game away with a single to left-field.

Texas would win the series over the Twins and go on to a sub-par 76-86 record.

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