Rangers' City Connect jerseys star newly invented mythical creature
Kennedi Landry
@kennlandryARLINGTON -- What in the world is that cool-looking, mythical beast on the Rangers City Connect uniforms unveiled on Monday? Why, it¡¯s a ¡°Peagle,¡± of course.
And what, exactly, is a Peagle? Well, we¡¯re here to tell you.
The mythical-looking creature on the shoulder patch came to be known as the ¡°Peagle¡± during the design process, and it represents two of Dallas-Fort Worth's Minor League teams prior to the Rangers¡¯ arrival in 1972: the Fort Worth Panthers (who soon became the Cats) and the Dallas Eagles.
When Nike and MLB announced their City Connect uniform series, the Rangers were presented with a unique challenge: They are associated with two cities, not just one.
While the Nike MLB City Connect program was created in 2021 to celebrate the bond between each club and its city, the Rangers are located in the middle of one of America¡¯s biggest metropolitan areas, equidistant between Dallas and Fort Worth, in the Arlington Entertainment District.
The Peagle is just one of many unique design elements on the City Connect uniforms that bind the team's history with the two cities, reflect the club¡¯s roots and build on its allegiance to the state of Texas.
¡°The story of Arlington is uniquely a baseball story,¡± said creative director Scott Biggers. ¡°The cities are connected in Arlington.¡±
The Rangers wear Texas across their chest, with a block "T" on their hats, representing the Lone Star State and the DFW area as a whole far more than any one city. The City Connect uniforms needed to represent that and to embody a Texas spirit that wasn¡¯t specific to just Dallas or just Fort Worth, Biggers explained.
So the Rangers design team looked to the rich baseball history of the Metroplex, which existed long before Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff brought Major League Baseball to DFW in 1972. They mainly looked to a trio of Minor League teams that led the way for Rangers¡¯ own existence: the Panthers, the Eagles and the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs.
A gothic TX typography with a spur through it is prominently featured on the hat and jersey. The lettering is a nod to the Dallas Eagles, who used the same style on their caps. The spur is a reference to the Dallas Fort-Worth Spurs, the Minor League team that broke records in the Texas League from 1965-71. The team played in Turnpike Stadium in Arlington, and that was the first time the two cities came together for baseball in the Metroplex.
The spur logo around the state of Texas featured on the socks and embroidered at the hip of the pants is also a direct nod to the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs, who used that same logo throughout their existence. The number typography is inspired by a medal won by the Fort Worth Panthers in the 1920s in the Texas League.
The numbers 4-21 are embroidered into the side of the hats and on the inside of the jerseys, representing one of the most important days in Texas history. Not only is April 21 San Jacinto Day -- the anniversary of the final battle of the Texas Revolution when Texas won its independence from Mexico -- but it also is the anniversary of the Rangers' first game in Arlington in 1972. And now it will be the day the Rangers debut the City Connect collection on the field -- on Friday night against the A¡¯s. (They will wear them Saturday as well.)
¡°Dream the Big Dream¡± is stitched onto the bottom of the jersey, representing a quote from Vandergriff, who tirelessly worked for decades to bring Major League Baseball to the Metroplex and unite the two cities of Dallas and Fort Worth.
¡°We wanted to celebrate and educate the fanbase,¡± said Rangers senior vice president of marketing Travis Dillon. ¡°It's about how and why we got here, where we are today.¡±
The Nike City Connect Collection is now on sale at the Rangers Grand Slam team store at Globe Life Field. It will be the exclusive Metroplex location to purchase the collection until it debuts on field on Friday. Fans also can purchase the City Connect collection at MLB.com, Nike.com, NewEra.com, Stance.com and the MLB Flagship Store in New York City.
The Rangers will also be hosting two City Connect launch party events at art venues in both Dallas and Fort Worth.
From 4-10 p.m. CT on Friday, the launch event will be at ArtPark Trinity Groves (331 Singleton Blvd., Dallas). The City Connect collection will be available for purchase, and National Baseball Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez will be on hand for the special event from 6-7 p.m.
On Saturday, the launch party moves to the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival (Corner of Main Street and E 2nd Street, Fort Worth) from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Like in Dallas, the City Connect collection will be available for purchase and Rodriguez will be present from 6-7 p.m.