21 Best Rangers Ever: Jim Sundberg

ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Considered one of the great defensive catchers in all of Major League Baseball, Jim Sundberg was the anchor of the Texas Rangers for much of his 16-year career.

'Sunny' spent his first 10 seasons in baseball with the Rangers, arriving in 1974 and quickly making the All-Star team that year.  He went on to become the first player in team history to play in 1,500 games.

Sundberg won 6 straight Gold Gloves from 1976-1981 while calling pitches for the likes of Gaylord Perry, Fergie Jenkins, Charlie Hough and a who's who of early Rangers pitchers.

After a stint with the Brewers, Royals and Cubs Sunny returned to the Rangers in June of 1988, hanging up his catcher's mitt in 1989.

But that's not where the story of Jim Sundberg and the Texas Rangers end.  He moved into the broadcast booth in 1990, joining Steve Busby in calling games on TV through the 1995 season.  He returned to the Rangers organization in 2002 as minor league coordinator for catchers before moving into the Rangers front office.

Sundberg now serves as Senior Executive Vice President for the Rangers, as well as the President of the Texas Rangers Foundation.

And while he's still an ambassador for the Rangers off the field, it's his time behind the plate that made him the 6th Best Ranger Ever.