This date in Texas history: Ron Gardenhire’s record RBIs help Longhorns rout Razorbacks

This date in Texas history is part of a Longhorns newsletter put together by Texas football beat writer Danny Davis. For this and more phenomenal American-Statesman coverage delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the newsletter here.

Today is March 5, 2025. And on this date in Texas history, Ron Gardenhire set a school record for RBIs in a single game.

As it improved to 12-3 during the 1978 season with an 18-3 rout of Arkansas’ Razorbacks, Texas got an offensive jolt from Gardenhire. The junior shortstop drove in a Texas-record 10 runs. Gardenhire did his damage with a grand slam, three-run homer and a three-run double, and he added a single for good measure.

No Texas player has matched Gardenhire’s feat in the last 47 years. Gardenhire actually injured his thumb in this third inning against Arkansas, but he remained in the game because Texas hadn’t suited up any other shortstops. “I told Dr. (Jerry) Julian to let him go back out and play or for him to go out and play shortstop himself. I don’t know if Dr. Julian has ever played shortstop or not, but he was fixing to become one,” Texas coach Cliff Gustafson told the American-Statesman afterwards.