Arlington, TX—Ian Kinsler, whose combination of speed and power made him the most prolific leadoff hitter in club history, and John Blake, who has led the communication efforts for the franchise for more than three decades, will be inducted as the 25th and 26th members of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 13 prior to the 6:15 p.m. game with the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.

The induction ceremony will highlight a number of activities planned for the weekend series with the Mariners on Friday, August 12 at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, August 13 at 6:15 p.m., and Sunday, August 14 at 1:35 p.m.

Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Weekend Events:

HALL OF FAME LUNCHEON ON FRIDAY: The Rangers will honor the newest Hall of Fame inductees at the 2022 Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Luncheon presented by Coca-Cola on Friday, August 12 at Live! by Loews—Arlington, TX, 1600 East Randol Mill Road (76011). The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tickets and more information can be found at texasrangers.com/halloffame. Net proceeds will benefit the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. Luncheon sponsors also include Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Comerica, Kubota, Globe Life, Heritage Werks, Bally Sports Southwest, 105. 3 The FAN, and Univision Radio.

The luncheon will include conversations with Kinsler and Blake and a player roundtable featuring former Rangers Frank Catalanotto, Colby Lewis, David Murphy, Darren Oliver, and Hall of Famer Michael Young. A number of other members of the Rangers Hall of Fame will also be in attendance.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Members of the media will be able to attend the Hall of Fame Luncheon program beginning at 12:15 p.m. on Friday. Following the luncheon, there will be a media availability with the inductees and former players at 1:15 p.m. at Live! by Loews-Arlington, Commissioners Boardroom, 2**nd** floor.

INDUCTION CEREMONY ON SATURDAY: The on-field ceremony to induct Ian Kinsler and John Blake into the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame will begin at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Saturday with the introduction of the Hall of Famers at 5:00 p.m. and remarks beginning at 5:15 p.m. Michael Young will induct Kinsler, and fellow Rangers Hall of Famer Tom Grieve will induct Blake.

Members of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame planning to attend include Jim Sundberg (Class of 2003), Ferguson Jenkins (2004), Toby Harrah (2009), Tom Grieve (2010), Eric Nadel (2012), Ivan Rodriguez (2013), Tom Schieffer (2014), Michael Young (2016), Richard Greene (2019), Adrian Beltre (2021), Chuck Morgan (2021), and Victor Vandergriff (son of Tom, 2004). Other former Rangers planning to attend include Frank Catalanotto, Chris Davis, Craig Gentry, Colby Lewis, Doug Melvin, and David Murphy.

The ceremony will be carried live by KRLD 1080-AM, KFLC 1270-AM, and the Rangers English and Spanish radio networks beginning at 5:00 p.m. Bally Sports Southwest will broadcast a Hall of Fame Induction Special that debuts on Wednesday, August 24. The Rangers will also upload video of the ceremony to the club’s media FTP site on Saturday evening.

The Globe Life Field parking lots will open at 3:30 p.m. and ballpark entrances will open at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

RETRO UNIFORMS: For Saturday’s game, the Rangers will wear the home white style uniforms that debuted in 1972 and with minor modifications, were essentially utilized through the 1982 season. The original Rangers blue cap with a red bill and batting helmet with a similar design were worn until 1986.

The Rangers are also scheduled to wear the retro uniforms on September 25 vs. Cleveland and October 5 vs. the New York Yankees.

50th ANNIVERSARY PROMOTIONAL GIVEAWAYS: On Saturday, August 13, the first 15,000 fans in the ballpark will receive a 50th Anniversary Michael Young Bobblehead, presented by Chick-fil-A. The bobblehead is designed to reflect the “old-time look” of bobbleheads in the 1970s and is the fourth in a series of five to be given away in 2022. Included in the giveaway will be 100 entirely gold-painted bobbleheads and 500 partially gold-painted bobbleheads providing a few lucky fans with a limited-edition memento from the Rangers’ golden 50th anniversary season.

On Sunday, August 14, the first 15,000 fans entering Globe Life Field get a 50th Anniversary Trucker Cap, presented by Globe Life.

COMMENMORATIVE POSTER SERIES: The Rangers have collaborated with local artists to create a series of five limited edition 50th anniversary commemorative posters. The fourth poster in the series has been created by Mary Lo (SEE ATTACHED). It will be available for sale at the Rangers-Mariners game on Saturday, August 13. Only 250 of the posters have been produced and will be sold for $25.00 each at the Rangers Authentics kiosk at Globe Life Field with the proceeds benefitting the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation.

NFT: Candy Digital, in partnership with Major League Baseball and select teams and MLB Players, Inc,, has introduced a new series of free digital collectibles in 2022. This Commemorative Ticket Digital Collectible honoring Ian Kinsler’s Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame Induction marks a significant moment in the 2022 season and in franchise history, providing fans a new way to hold onto and showcase memories made at the ballpark. All fans who scan their August 13 game ticket via the MLB Ballpark app when entering Globe Life Field will be eligible to receive the NFT via email.

KINSLER GRAPHIC: This week the Rangers are also adding a permanent concourse graphic of Kinsler inside the Southeast entrance of Globe Life Field.

--

Kinsler holds multiple offensive records for a Rangers’ second baseman and batted .273 with 156 home runs and 539 RBI over 1,066 games with Texas from 2006-2013. He ranks second to Elvis Andrus on the club’s all-time list in stolen bases (172), is sixth in runs (748), places seventh in extra base hits (428), and walks (462), and is eighth in home runs (156—tied), doubles (249), total bases (1,908), and multi-hit games (335).

He is one of just 13 players and two second basemen in Major League history with 30 homers and 30 steals each in multiple seasons, accomplishing that feat in both 2009 and 2011. Kinsler holds club records for most games started (662) and home runs (109) when hitting first in the batting order, including a team mark 29 homers when leading off the first inning. He also scored 100+ runs four times, tying Michael Young for the club record.

Kinsler also excelled in the postseason for the Rangers, setting career team marks with a .311 batting average and .422 on-base percentage in 34 games with Texas. He has the only six-hit cycle in a nine-inning game since 1900, tying overall team marks for hits (6) and runs (5) on April 15, 2009 vs. Baltimore. A three-time A.L. Star as a Ranger (2008-10-12), Kinsler was the team’s 2006 Rookie of the Year.

Overall, Kinsler finished his Major League career with a .269 batting average, 257 homers, 909 RBI, and 243 stolen bases in 1,888 games with the Rangers (2006-13), Tigers (2014-17), Angels (2018), Red Sox (2018), and Padres (2019). He also played for Israel in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing last year and will serve as the manager for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic next March. Currently Kinsler is a Special Assistant, Baseball Operations & Player Development for San Diego.

Blake has spent 34 of his 44 years in professional baseball with the Rangers, originally joining the club as Director of Media Relations on November 1, 1984. He also served as Vice President of Public Relations and Senior Vice President of Communications over two decades in his first stint with the organization that extended through the 2004 season. Blake returned to the Rangers as Executive Vice President of Communications on November 1, 2008 and transitioned into the role of Executive Vice President of Public Affairs this past January.

During his Rangers’ career, Blake has overseen at various times media and public relations, broadcasting, community and player relations, marketing, social media, alumni initiatives, photography, archives, and publications while serving as the principal team spokesman for 34 years. He was responsible for the communications efforts during both the construction and opening of The Ballpark in Arlington and Globe Life Field.

Blake joins Rangers Hall of Fame broadcaster Eric Nadel as the only team employees to work all 52 of Texas’ postseason games. Overall, he has served in a communications role at 30 World Series and 25 MLB All-Star Games. Blake was the 1993 recipient of MLB’s Robert O. Fishel Award for public relations excellence and received the 2004 Harold McKinney Good Guy Award from the Dallas-Fort Worth BBWAA Chapter.

After graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1977, Blake served two years as that school’s Sports Information Director before beginning his baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles in 1979. He was the Orioles’ Media Information Director at the time of his move to Texas in 1984. Blake also was the Vice President of Media Relations for the Boston Red Sox from 2006-08.

The Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame was created in 2003 to honor those individuals who have excelled for the franchise both on and off the field. To be considered for Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame selection, former players must have spent a minimum of four seasons in a Texas uniform and be retired as an active player for a minimum of one year.

The Rangers have a dedicated web page that includes original content and information on the team’s 50th anniversary activities. Fans can find this content at texasrangers.com/50.

Tickets for all 2022 Texas Rangers home games can be purchased at texasrangers.com, by phone at 972RANGERS, and at the Southeast Box Office at Globe Life Field, which is located off Stadium Drive on the east side of the park.