"New York Rangers" naming mystery (1926)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

I had a day off today, so I got some sleep, thought about the Hancock
Building again, and checked out the usual Gothamist photo assortment of Jen  Chung
and pandas (don't ask).

The "New York Rangers" nickname obviously comes from former Madison Square
Garden owner Tex Rickard ("Tex's Rangers or Texas Rangers"). A nickname is bit
of a New York misnomer, but then again, Madison Square Garden is not in
Madison  Square.

The manager of Madison Square Garden was Tex Rickard. He saw how well the
New York Americans hockey team did, so he started his own team. Newspapers (see
1935 citation) called the team "Tex's Rangers," and the "Rangers" became the
official name.

Which newspapers? I'm working on it.


_http://www.barrypopik.com/article/426/new-york-rangers-texs-rangers_
(http://www.barrypopik.com/article/426/new-york-rangers-texs-rangers)


18 April 1926, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. S1:
<i>NEW YORK IS ASSURED</i>
<i>OF ANOTHER PRO SIX</i>

<i>Rangers, Sponsored by Colonel</i>
<i>Hammond, Promised Admission</i>
<i>Other Cities Considered.</i>
(...)
The New York Rangers, new professional hockey team sponsored by John S.
Hammond, were assured that they would be admitted to the league for next season.
Actual admittance rests with the annual meeting next September. The new club
will operate in Madison Square Garden.
...
...
26 September 1926, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. S4:
The New York Rangers also were officially admitted into the league. The  team
is owned by the Madison Square Garden Company and was represented by  Colonel
Hammond and Wilfred Smythe of New York.
...
...
20 October 1926, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. 28:
<i>NEW YORK RANGERS</i>
<i>START ICE TRAINING</i>
...
...
1 November 1926, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. 27:
New York's two teams are already training: the Americans at Niagara Falls
and the Rangers at Toronto.
...
...
31 December 1935, Ironwood (MI) <i>Daily Globe</i>, pg.  10:
<i>Americans First</i>
<i>New York Ice</i>
<i>Hockey Team</i>
(...)
Before the first professional game in New York, Rickard told Colonel  Hammond
that he would be satisfied if it drew $8,000. It grossed $44,000.
(...)
"The entire club cost only $30,000. The newspaper boys called us Tex's
Rangers, and the name stuck." (Colonel Hammond quotation - ed.)


15 February 1982, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. C9:
The team, in the beginning, was called Tex's Rangers, because of Tex
Rickard, the fight promoter who ran Madison Square Garden in the 1920's.
...
...
12 June 1994, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. E5:
Witnessing the success of the Americans, he (Tex Rickard - ed.) decided his
Garden should have its own hockey team, not merely one as a tenant.

"Tex's Rangers," he'd say at the office, slapping people on the back. "Get
it?" The name stuck.


It now seems clear from a citation that "newspaper boys" did it. Another
"Yankees"!

Was it Damon Runyon and the NEW YORK AMERICAN in 1926?