Texas Rangers to Retire Uniform Number of Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez
By Office of Communication
Posted on January 24, 2017, January 24, 2017

‘Pudge’ Rodriguez

The Texas Rangers recently announced that the club will hold a ceremony later this season to retire the uniform number 7 of catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez.

Rodriguez will become the third Ranger to have his uniform number retired by the club, joining Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan's #34 in 1996 and former manager Johnny Oates' #26 in 2005.

The ceremony to retire Rodriguez' number will take place in August following his induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rodriguez joins first baseman Jeff Bagwell and outfielder Tim Raines as BBWAA selections in the Hall of Fame class of 2017. They will join former Royals and Braves General Manager John Schuerholz and former commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig as the inductees in the Class of 2017 on Sunday, July 30 in Cooperstown, New York.

Rodriguez became the 52nd player to be elected by the member of the Baseball Writers Association of America in his first year on the ballot when the 2017 results were announced earlier this month. He joins Johnny Bench, who was elected in 1989, as the only first ballot catchers so honored.

Click here to read more about Rodriguez's accomplishments.

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