Texas Rangers Women's Club celebrates 50 years of service
NORTH TEXAS – If you've ever been to a Rangers game, you've probably been greeted by a member of the Texas Rangers Women's Club.
The group is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
"We love baseball, we love the Rangers, and we just help the Rangers do whatever we can to help them," said Beth Marshall, vice president of programs for the Texas Rangers Women's Club.
For the past five decades, these ladies have stuffed goody bags, rolled posters, and passed out promotional items at home games.
"Last night it was the rings, tonight's bobbleheads," said Mary Humphus, one of the club's original members. "T-shirts, jerseys, coupons, bats."
The club began in 1974, two years after the team arrived in Arlingon. Humphus, who is 94 years old, says the Rangers didn't think many women would even be interested in joining.
Nearly 300 people showed up at the first meeting.
"We love baseball," Humphus said.
For 50 years, she's worked every home game that has a promotion. She can only think of a handful she may have missed.
"No matter what family function we have, they gladly rearrange it," she said.
Humphus is joined by women from all over the metroplex and from all walks of life, who volunteer their time to share the love of the game.
"We've got a couple of attorneys, a doctor, a lot of educators, we've people out of the business world," said Starla Langston, president of the Texas Rangers Women's Club.
Any money the group brings in goes to things like taking underprivileged kids to the ballpark or helping stock the Tarrant County Food Bank.
"The camaraderie that goes on, these ladies are actually hysterical," Langston said. "They've got big hearts. Real big hearts. So it's really kind of a family unit. Closer than family."
The Women's Club says it's the only one of its kind in the country.
The team's World Series win brought in about 50 new members, bringing their total to 179, and they're always looking to add to the roster.
They hope new recruits will help them reach another 50 years of service.
For more information about the group, visit: http://texasrangerswomensclub.com/