Rangers PA icon Morgan heads to club HOF
ARLINGTON -- Chuck Morgan has been part of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame ceremonies in some way since the inaugural class in 2003, which he coordinated himself.
The Rangers' public address announcer handled the emcee duties, the tribute videos, the introductions, the entire run of the show and everything in between. But this year, he’ll hand those duties over to Bally Sports on-air personalities John Rhadigan and Emily Jones McCoy.
Instead, Morgan will be on the other end of things on Saturday, Aug. 14 when the 2021 class is inducted. He will be joined by former third baseman Adrián Beltré.
“It's a big ‘Oh, wow’ [to be honored alongside Beltré],” Morgan said. “To be associated or linked with him in any type of way is, if you're a baseball fan, unbelievable. There really aren't any words to describe it.”
Morgan added that it’s like the Twilight Zone, having to write a script that includes him for once.
He’s been the PA announcer for the Rangers in three separate stadiums, from Arlington Stadium to Globe Life Park to Globe Life Field for 38 of the past 39 years, sans a pit stop in Kansas City in 2002. His voice goes hand-in-hand with the fan experience of a Rangers game, with his iconic “It’s baseball time in Texas” echoing through the stadium before every game.
Morgan’s favorite names to announce include Juan Gonzalez and Shin-Soo Choo and even one as simple as Nelson Cruz, to which the fans in Globe Life Park would echo “Cruuuzzzzzzzz” during his time in Texas.
“The way they responded to me is probably the highest compliment a guy like me could receive,” Morgan said. “Better than payday.”
And it goes further than the in-game interactions. Fans often flock to Morgan’s booth on the main concourse before games all season. The booth, positioned directly behind home plate with a Chuck Morgan No. 6 Rangers jersey hanging on the back of his chair, is filled with memorabilia, promotional content and jerseys from almost 40 years of Texas baseball history.
And while he’s given so much to the role, Morgan said that this has never been an honor he’s expected for any public announcer, much less himself.
“I don't know how it came together, how it happened or whatever it is,” Morgan said. “But my goal has always been for a fan to come to the ballpark and not even know I was there. That they had a good time at the game, that we kept them informed, that we did our best to entertain them. But when a fan left the ballpark that I didn't do anything to take away from their memory of the ballgame and everything that [PA announcers] did would just add to that experience at the ballgame. So no, I never thought any type of PA guy would ever be recognized in any way like this.”
But Morgan has been so much more than just a PA announcer for the Rangers' organization all these years.
He almost single-handedly created the fan-favorite Dot Race, which used to be solely on screen but now features live mascots in three colors -- red, blue and green -- modeled after the President’s Race in Washington.
Morgan oversees the scoreboard and video production. He coordinates the schedule promotions. He even started using "The Natural" music in the stadium when a Ranger hits a home run.
And most importantly, he has announced the starting lineups for 3,001 consecutive Major League Baseball games, which he was honored for during the 2020 season. He hasn’t missed a home game in Texas or Kansas City in 39 years.
When asked about his favorite game ever to call, he didn’t hesitate to say October 22, 2010, when the Rangers clinched their first American League pennant in franchise history with a 6-1 win over the New York Yankees in Game 6.
“Having worked here a long time and invested a lot of time and energy and passion into selling all kinds of things for Rangers baseball, to eventually win an American League pennant was one of the most special times in my life,” Morgan said. “That always will be, because it was a pretty great night. All my confetti from that 2010 game has disappeared, so I keep telling Chris Young and Jon Daniels that we need some more confetti games. They better hurry up because I've only got so much hair left and it's all turning white. But that game to win the American League pennant for the first time, that was the best.”
After the Hall of Fame ceremony, Morgan will immediately go back to his booth to announce the Rangers’ matchup with the A’s. If he’s not back by first pitch, then something is wrong. That’s the kind of person and professional he is. And that’s the “Texas Rangers answer” as Morgan says.
“When you hear the name ‘Chuck Morgan,’ it just brings a smile [to] your face and you just think about the ballpark and hearing his voice,” said Rangers manager Chris Woodward. “This guy loves baseball, and he's grateful for his job every day. He loves coming to the ballpark.
“You don't find that very often, honestly. And I know in this game, there's a lot of really good people, but guys like him are a treasure and I'm glad we're doing it, because it means a lot to the organization and to him.”