Today In Country Music History [VIDEO]

2010 Charley Pride Invests In Texas Rangers

Former professional baseball player turned country music legend Charley Pride is part of an 18-person investor group headed by Nolan Ryan that buys the Texas Rangers baseball team for $593 million at auction in Fort Worth.

In his early teens, Pride began playing guitar. Though he also loved music, one of Pride's lifelong dreams was to become a professional baseball player. In 1952, he pitched for the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League. He pitched well, and in 1953, he signed a contract with the Boise Yankees, the Class C farm team of the New York Yankees.

He pitched for several other minor league teams, his hopes of making it to the big leagues still alive, but the Army derailed this. After serving two years in the military, he tried to return to baseball. Though hindered by the injury to his throwing arm, Pride briefly played for the Missoula Timberjacks of the Pioneer League (a farm club of the Cincinnati Reds.) He had tryouts with the California Angels  and the New York Mets  organizations, but was not picked up by either team. When it became apparent that he was not destined for greatness on the baseball diamond, Pride pursued a music career^.

On June 5, 2008, Pride and his brother Mack "The Knife" Pride and 28 other living former Negro league players were "drafted" by each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams in a recognition of the on-field achievements and historical relevance of 30 mostly-forgotten Negro-league stars. Pride was picked by the Texas Rangers, with whom he has had a long affiliation, and the Colorado Rockies took his brother.

In his 1994 autobiography, Pride claimed that he and teammate Jesse Mitchell held a distinction. "Jesse and I may have the distinction of being the only players in history to be traded for a used motor vehicle," after disclosing the pair had once been traded for a team bus. Charley's major league dream was fulfilled by his son Curtis, an outfielder, who played in the majors with the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Anaheim Angels, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.