▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁season , ▁and ▁so ▁a ▁rival ry ▁was ▁born . ▁( At ▁one ▁time , ▁the ▁Kansas ▁City ▁Athletics ▁were ▁interested ▁in ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁Dallas / F ort ▁W orth ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁but ▁were ▁voted ▁down , ▁ 9 – 1 , ▁by ▁the ▁other ▁American ▁League ▁own ers .) ▁The ▁Ast ros ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁Texas ▁ten ▁years ▁longer ▁than ▁the ▁R angers , ▁but ▁the ▁Sen ators / R angers ▁franch ise ▁is ▁one ▁year ▁older ▁than ▁the ▁Ast ros . ▁They ▁met , ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁spring ▁training ▁with ▁the ▁R angers ▁winning ▁ 2 – 0 ▁and ▁claim ing ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁Silver ▁Boot . ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁N olan ▁Ryan ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Ast rod ome ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁R angers ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁ 5 3 , 6 5 7 , ▁the ▁biggest ▁crowd ▁to ▁see ▁a ▁big ▁league ▁game ▁in ▁Texas ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁point . ▁The ▁R angers ▁won ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁exhibition ▁games , ▁a ▁ 6 – 5 ▁victory ▁in ▁Ar ling ton ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁a ▁ 9 – 3 ▁victory ▁at ▁Houston ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁before ▁the ▁two ▁teams ▁met ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁regular ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁▁ 1 9