Fort Worth U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey called on the Texas Rangers to remove the “One Riot, One Ranger” statue, joining the Arlington branch of the NAACP in expressing his discontent with the addition at Globe Life Field.
The 12-foot bronze sculpture was modeled after Jay Banks, a member of the Texas Rangers law enforcement agency who, on the orders of then-Gov. Allan Shivers, helped stop Mansfield High School from integrating in 1956 despite a court order.
The statue had been displayed at Love Field since the 1960s but was taken down in 2020. The Rangers baseball team recently unveiled the statue at its ballpark.
In a letter posted on his website, Veasey, a Democrat, addressed MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Rangers co-owners Ray Davis and Bob Simpson.
“To place a monument honoring someone associated with resisting civil rights at a Major League ballpark dishonors that legacy,” Veasey wrote. “It sends a chilling message about which parts of history are being elevated and which sacrifices are being forgotten. Ballparks should be places where families gather, where children fall in love with the game, and where fans of every race, faith, and background feel welcome. Honoring a figure tied to resisting school integration — and doing so with imagery that evokes racist violence — sends exactly the wrong message about who belongs in that space.”
He posed five questions in the letter:
1. Was MLB aware that the statue honors an individual connected to efforts to block the integration of Mansfield High School in 1956?
2. Did MLB review or approve the installation of this statue before it was placed at the Texas Rangers’ stadium?
3. How does MLB reconcile honoring a figure associated with resisting school integration with the league’s public commitments to inclusion?
4. What standards or guidelines do MLB maintain governing statues, monuments, or commemorative displays at its ballparks?
5. Does MLB believe that honoring individuals connected to efforts to block school integration reflects the values the league wishes to project to fans and communities today?
The Star-Telegram reach out to the Rangers for comment, and the team referred back to two statements when the statue was unveiled at Globe Life Field.
“We have worn the Rangers name since 1972 with pride,” Davis said.
Russell S. Molina, chairman of the law enforcement agency’s Texas Rangers Bicentennial 2023 and board member of the Texas Ranger Association Foundation, said:
“This statue represents all Texas Rangers, not any single individual,” Molina said. “The modern Texas Ranger reflects the diversity, integrity and professionalism expected of one of the nation’s oldest and most respected law enforcement organizations.”
Veasey ended his letter by asking the league to think of pioneers like Jackie Robinson and why it honors them.
“I urge the league to correct this mistake immediately,” Veasey said. “The statue should be removed, and Major League Baseball should ensure that the symbols displayed at its stadiums honor the progress made possible by pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby — not the forces that tried to stop them.”
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Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.