World Series Collection Highlights Community

The launch of the Texas Rangers World Series Digital Collection at UTA Libraries tells more than just the historic 2023 championship run. The collection tells the fans' stories and their personal connection with the sport. 

Kathryn Slover, a Digital Archivist, stated that she felt compelled to document the fans' side of the championship after attending the Rangers victory parade in November. 

"We took a vacation day and went to the stadium to see the parade. It was overwhelming, in the best way possible, to see that many people were there to celebrate," Kathryn said. "I didn't realize this World Series win's impact on the community until I was at the parade. While I was there, I thought we should archive this moment." 

After the parade, UTA Libraries Special Collections put out a call to the community to let them know they were collecting digital items related to the Ranger's postseason run. Nationwide, people responded by sharing their photos and videos. 

These items shared moments from the games and the parade, but some donations were deeply personal. 

One of the donations with this personal connection was from John Sohel, who donated two photographs. The first photo shows John and his mom, Maggie, at a Rangers game several years ago. The second photo was of John holding his mom's favorite Ranger's hat at a World Series Game. 

"My mom, Maggie, was the biggest Rangers fan in all of Texas. When she was diagnosed with cancer, my family reached out to the Rangers, and they very kindly donated a suit at a game to her to thank her for being a fan. It made her so incredibly happy," John wrote in the photo description. "However, her cancer returned, and we lost her in 2020. I promised her that one day when her Rangers actually got good again and made it to the World Series, I would wear her favorite hat to a game. I attended game one and still can't believe what I saw happen on the field. Ranger fans were crying with joy at the end of the game, but I was crying because I got to fulfill my last promise to my mom. Thank you, Texas." 

Another donation that speaks to this personal connection was from William Whittington. William's photo was of a Rangers World Series pennant above his father's, William Whittington Sr., grave. 

"(I) always listened to Rangers on radio with my dad," William wrote in the photo description. "He was not here to celebrate with me, so I took the celebration to him." 

Kathryn stated that John's and William's donations are two of many that go beyond baseball. They capture the heart of the community. 

The Texas Rangers World Series Digital Collection is still accepting donations. To donate an item to the collection, people must fill out a donation form on the Libraries' website.  

Donations can include digital photos, videos, artwork, and other digital items relating to the Ranger's 2023 postseason run. UTA Special Collections utilizes a preservation system to ensure each donation in the collection is safeguarded for future access. 

The collection is organized into four categories for ease of access. These categories include the American League Division and Championship Series, the World Series, victory celebrations and the World Series Ring Ceremony. Users can also search for a donation by the name of the donor. 

People can view the collection through the UTA Libraries Digital Archive website.