WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Nine months following the Texas Rangers 2023 World Series Championship, President Joe Biden hosted the team at The White House on Thursday to commemorate the amazing accomplishment.
Biden opened his address by saying how happy he was to host the Rangers. However, he made sure to joke about his background and how he roots for the Philadelphia Phillies due to his wife, First Lady Jill Biden.
"I want the record to show I've got a little bit of an ability to say nice things because I married a Philly girl," Biden joked. "Philly fans are tough and if I didn't root for the Phillies then I'd be sleeping alone. But she understands this part of the job."
The president then said he's noticed a trend of championships over the last few decades in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. However, for the longest time, the Rangers had been unable to secure a championship for its sport of baseball in the Metroplex.
"From football to basketball to hockey to soccer, many doubters wondered if baseball would ever join them," Biden said. "To paraphrase Corey Seager, I guess we do know."
Biden then referenced when the Rangers' General Manager Chris Young took out a pen and paper and asked all of his staff whether or not they thought they could win the whole thing. Biden said, while any employee who said no would've been fired, he loved the confidence in the team.
The president then commended the team for its resilience in a tough AL West battle, despite not being able to secure the division title. He even threw in a Creed reference.
"You never gave up, you kept the faith," Biden said. "And like your favorite band 'Creed' you took each other higher and higher."
Following President Biden's address to the team, Young took the podium to thank the president for hosting his Rangers at The White House.
Young made sure to thank everyone in the organization including the front office, players and Manager Bruce Bochy, who was experiencing his fourth trip to The White House.
Following Young's time at the podium, Bochy presented the president with a custom Rangers jersey and even a nice pair of boots.
So, while this current season isn't going how many expected or wanted it to, this trip to The White House hopefully served as a nice reminder to the Rangers that they are capable of greatness and celebrating those times of achievement is necessary.