Silver Boot Series (Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers)

The “Silver Boot Series” (formally called the “Lone Star Series”) is when baseball’s Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers. The winner of the series receives the Silver Boot trophy. Interleague play began in 2001, but the first ‘Silver Boot” was awarded in 1992, when the teams played in spring training.
 
   
Wikipedia: Lone Star Series
The Lone Star Series is an annual Major League Baseball contest featuring Texas’ two major league franchises, the Texas Rangers of the American League and the Houston Astros of the National League. It is an outgrowth of the “natural rivalry” established by MLB as part of interleague play.
 
The winner of the 6-game series is awarded the Silver Boot. A 30-inch tall display of a size-15 cowboy boot cast in silver, complete with a custom, hand-made spur. If the series is split (3-to-3), the winner is the club which scored the most runs over the course of the series. Under the current rules, the designated hitter is used at the Rangers’ home games but not at the Astros’ home games. 
 
26 March 1992, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, “Texas Rangers Notebook”:
A “Silver Boot” trophy has been designed to be awarded to the winner of the Rangers exhibition game with the Houston Astros on April 3 at Arlington Stadium.
 
4 April 1992, Washington (DC) Post:
Last night, the Rangers beat the Astros, 2-0, before 22236 at Arlington Stadium to win the “Silver Boot,” a leather cowboy boot with the logos of both teams.
   
5 April 1992, Kerrville (TX) Times, “Rangers nip Astros, 2-0,” pg. 3B, col. 5:
ARLINGTON (AP)—The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros have never met in October when it would really count.
(...)
And to the winners went—the Silver Boot—a leather cowboy boot with the logos of both teams.
 
5 June 2001, Dallas (TX) Morning News:
The Silver Boot trophy will be presented annually to the winner of the Lone Star State series between the Rangers and Houston Astros.
 
8 June 2001, Dallas (TX) Morning News:
The Rangers and Houston Astros are doing everything they can to guarantee (...) into ponying up for a silver-and-glass trophy - “The Silver Boot.”
 
13 June 2002, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, “Yankees, Mets Enjoy Real Feud” by T. R. Sullivan:
When John Hart joined the Rangers, Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker sent him a message.
 
“The gauntlet has been thrown down,” Hunsicker wrote Hart. “Texas isn’t big enough for the two of us. The Silver Boot Series will never be the same.” 
 
19 June 2003, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, “Postcard from the Road” by T. R. Sullivan, pg. 2:
There is a pennant race going on in Oakland, while in Texas, they might be getting excited about that impending Silver Boot Series.
 
Baseball Letters
Monday, July 03, 2006
The Silver Boot Series
Eat that Rangers! Give us the boot back right now. It’s ours for a year! It was fun playing the Rangers and I was amazed at how many Astros fans were up in Dallas.
 
Houston Chronicle Blog- The Official Scorer with Zachary Levine
May 17, 2008
54 runs down, Astros still lead Silver Boot series
     
Foul Territory
Silver Boot series resumes June 24
May 18, 2008
The Silver Boot series resumes in Houston June 24 when the Rangers take on the Astros for a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
The Rangers have won the series the last two seasons (4 games to 2).
 
Press of Atlantic City
Interleague play isn’t as much fun for Phillies
By DAVID WEINBERG Staff Writer, 609-272-7186
Published: Sunday, May 18, 2008
PHILADELPHIA—Brad Lidge never actually saw the silver boot.
 
Before joining the Phillies this season, the closer spent five years with Houston. The Astros’ interleague schedule always includes an intrastate showdown with the Texas Rangers that is called the Silver Boot Series for the trophy that goes to the winner.
 
“I’m pretty sure we got the upper hand against them at least a few times when I was there, but I don’t ever remember anyone giving us a silver boot,” Lidge said. “I’m pretty sure it exists, but I guess the (team) owner keeps it in his office.”