Rangers manager Jeff Banister: Game last thing on mind
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers observed a moment of silence before their game Friday night to honor five police officers killed in a sniper attack in downtown Dallas, which is about 20 miles from their ballpark.
About 150 Air Force recruits stood along the base lines after a previously scheduled induction ceremony that included a flyover by the U.S. Air Force after the national anthem. Players and coaches from the Rangers and Minnesota Twins stood outside their respective dugouts.
The Rangers asked everyone in attendance to "pause and remember those who have lost their lives in tragic events across our nation in the last week, including those of our community who last night were injured or tragically lost their lives in the line of duty."
Seven other officers and two civilians were wounded in the Dallas attack, which took place during a protest over this week's killings by police of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
During the moment of silence, with a color guard staged behind the pitcher's mound, all the video boards and ribbon signs in Globe Life Park went dark.
Before their home game Friday night, theAstrosand Houston police also observed a moment of silence for the fallen Dallas officers.
Joey Gallo, one of the top prospects with the Rangers, recalled in an Instagram post earlier in the day when he and teammate Nomar Mazara were stopped by a police officer walking down the street in downtown Dallas earlier this year.
The two young players weren't in trouble. The officer, Patrick Zamarripa, recognized them and wanted to take a picture with the two.
Zamarripa was one of the five police officers killed in Dallas.
Gallo, now playing at Triple-A Round Rock, posted the picture and relayed the story of the meeting while asking for prayers for Zamarripa and all the officers and families affected by the tragedy.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said the last thing on his mind throughout the day was the game. He was still thinking about what happened in downtown Dallas on Thursday night when the Rangers were finishing up the first game of the weekend series.
"I went to bed last night watching it. Woke up this morning watching it," Banister said. "No disrespect. We're going to go out and play a baseball game because that's what we're here to do. Our guys are going to play [hard]. But I guarantee you this, this game was the last thing I was thinking about when I woke up this morning."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
