79 Facts About Nolan Ryan

Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball spanning four decades, Nolan Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers.

Nolan Ryan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, and is widely considered to be one of the best MLB pitchers of all time.

Nolan Ryan was a right-handed pitcher who consistently threw pitches that were clocked above 100 miles per hour.

Nolan Ryan has 5,714 career strikeouts, an MLB record that is 839 more than runner-up Randy Johnson.

Nolan Ryan is one of only three players in history to have his number retired by at least three teams, along with Jackie Robinson and Frank Robinson.

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Nolan Ryan is the all-time leader in no-hitters with seven, three more than any other pitcher.

Nolan Ryan is tied with Bob Feller for the most one-hitters, with 12.

Nolan Ryan is one of only 29 players in baseball history to have appeared in MLB games in four different decades.

Nolan Ryan was born on January 31,1947, in Refugio, Texas, a small town located just south of Victoria in the southern part of the state.

The senior Nolan Ryan operated a newspaper delivery service for the Houston Post that required him to rise in the early morning hours to prepare 1,500 newspapers for delivery over a 55-mile route.

Nolan Ryan's father thought baseball a better usage for his arm; therefore, he encouraged Nolan to play the game.

Nolan Ryan joined Alvin Little League Baseball when he was nine, made the all-star team when he was 11 and 12, and pitched the first no-hitter of his life a few years later.

Nolan Ryan played baseball for Coach Jim Watson at Alvin High School for all of his high school career.

Nolan Ryan held the school's single game strikeout record for 44 years, striking out 21 hitters in a 7-inning game.

Nolan Ryan had 12 complete games, with 211 strikeouts and 61 walks.

In 1965, after graduating from Alvin, Nolan Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft, with the 295th overall pick.

Nolan Ryan signed with the Mets and immediately pitched for the Marion Mets in the Appalachian League and for the Mets team in the Florida Instructional League.

When Nolan Ryan was called up by the New York Mets in 1966, he was the second-youngest player in the league.

Nolan Ryan missed much of the 1967 season due to illness, an arm injury, and service with the Army Reserve; he pitched only seven innings for the Mets' minor league affiliate in Jacksonville.

Nolan Ryan was unable to crack the Mets' pitching rotation, led by Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman.

Nolan Ryan was used more as a reliever and spot starter by the 1969 Mets.

Nolan Ryan has credited his time with Seaver and the Mets with turning him from just a flamethrower into a pitcher.

Nolan Ryan's performance declined sharply in the second half of his final season with the Mets.

Nolan Ryan's earned run average for the first half of the 1971 season was 2.

Nolan Ryan did not want to be traded from the Mets, and when it happened he felt betrayed by the team that drafted him.

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On December 10,1971, the 25-year-old Nolan Ryan was traded to the California Angels along with pitcher Don Rose, catcher Francisco Estrada, and outfielder Leroy Stanton for shortstop Jim Fregosi.

Nolan Ryan had a league-leading 329 strikeouts—nearly a third more than the AL runner-up, and to that point, the fourth-highest total of the 20th century.

Nolan Ryan set a still-standing Major League record by allowing only 5.

In 1973, Nolan Ryan set his first major record when he struck out 383 batters in one season, beating Sandy Koufax's old mark by one.

Pitching 13 innings against the Boston Red Sox on June 14,1974, Nolan Ryan threw 235 pitches, striking out 19, walking 10 and getting a no-decision.

Nolan Ryan added a third no-hitter in 1974 and a fourth in 1975, tying another of Koufax's records.

Nolan Ryan started Game 1 of the ALCS and threw seven innings against the Orioles' Jim Palmer, but neither man was involved in the decision as Baltimore won in the 10th inning.

Nolan Ryan was scheduled to pitch Game 5, but the Angels were eliminated in four.

Nolan Ryan led the American League in strikeouts seven times during his eight seasons with the Angels, but he led the league in walks in six of those years, and finished second the other two seasons: 1975 and 1979.

On November 19,1979, Nolan Ryan became the first million-dollar player when he signed a four-year free-agent contract with the Houston Astros for $4.

The normally light-hitting Nolan Ryan got his Houston years started with a bang in a nationally televised game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 12,1980, when he hit a three-run home run off Don Sutton.

Nolan Ryan got his third taste of postseason play in 1980, but the Astros were stopped one game short of the World Series.

On September 26,1981, Nolan Ryan threw his fifth no-hitter, breaking Koufax's mark while becoming the third pitcher to throw a no-hitter in each league.

In 1986, Nolan Ryan's Astros faced the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series.

Nolan Ryan returned in Game 5, throwing 9 innings of 2-hit, 1-run, 12-strikeout ball, but one of those hits was a Darryl Strawberry home run which tied the game at 1, as Dwight Gooden matched Ryan pitch for pitch.

Nolan Ryan left Houston after a contract dispute following the 1988 season and signed with the Texas Rangers at age 42.

Nolan Ryan became the first player to play for all four MLB original expansion teams: the Mets, Angels, Houston Colt.

In 1990, Nolan Ryan threw his sixth no-hitter on June 11 against the Athletics, and earned his 300th win on July 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

On May 1,1991, at age 44, Nolan Ryan extended his record by throwing the seventh no-hitter of his career, striking out Roberto Alomar of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final out.

Nolan Ryan secured the 26-year-old Ventura in a headlock with his left arm, while pummeling Ventura's head with his right fist six times before catcher Ivan Rodriguez was able to pull Ventura away from Nolan Ryan.

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Nolan Ryan stated afterwards it was the same maneuver he used on steers he had to brand on his Texas ranch.

Nolan Ryan had been determined to be more aggressive after coming out on the wrong side of an altercation with Dave Winfield in 1980.

Nolan Ryan's arm gave out in Seattle on September 22,1993, when he tore a ligament.

Nolan Ryan briefly attempted to pitch past the injury, and he threw one additional pitch after tearing his ligament.

Nolan Ryan's last start was his career-worst; he allowed a single, four walks, and a grand slam in the top of the first without recording an out.

Nolan Ryan finished his career having played in a major league record 27 seasons.

Nolan Ryan was the final active player from the 1960s to retire from Major League Baseball, outlasting Carlton Fisk by three months.

Nolan Ryan threw a record seven no-hitters during his major league career, three more than any other pitcher.

In those seven games, Nolan Ryan accumulated a total of 94 strikeouts and 26 walks; a ratio of 3.

Nolan Ryan struck out 17 in his no-hitter on July 15,1973, versus Detroit and walked eight in his subsequent no-hitter against Minnesota, both respective highs for his no-hitters.

Nolan Ryan threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the 2005 World Series between the Astros and the White Sox, the first World Series game played in Texas.

Nolan Ryan served on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission from 1995 to 2001.

Nolan Ryan appeared as a TV spokesman for Advil for several years, promoting the pain medication he recommended for his own arm.

Nolan Ryan has appeared in various television commercials shown in the Texas market.

Nolan Ryan's likeness was used in the "Nolan Ryan Fitness Guide", published by The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 1994.

Nolan Ryan suffered a heart attack on April 25,2000, and had to receive a double coronary bypass.

Nolan Ryan was immediately named as CEO while keeping the title of president.

Nolan Ryan was named the Dallas–Fort Worth's 2012 CEO of the Year by Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business.

Nolan Ryan's title was changed simply to CEO, but he remained operating head of the franchise; both Daniels and George reported to him.

On October 17,2013, Nolan Ryan announced that he was stepping down as Rangers CEO effective October 31,2013.

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On February 11,2014, Nolan Ryan accepted a position as an executive adviser for the Houston Astros under owner Jim Crane.

Reid Ryan was demoted by the Astros after the 2019 World Series, and shortly thereafter Nolan Ryan sent a text message to a reporter indicating that he would not return to the Astros front office for the 2020 season.

Nolan Ryan played in more seasons than any other player in modern major league history.

Nolan Ryan is fifth in innings pitched, second in games started, seventh in shutouts, is tied for 14th in wins, and is third in losses.

Nolan Ryan had 15 or more strikeouts in a game 26 times, second only to Randy Johnson, who had 28.

Nolan Ryan was the first pitcher in MLB history to give up ten grand slam home runs, including one to Dann Howitt, the next-to-last batter Nolan Ryan faced in his career; he has since been surpassed.

Nolan Ryan was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 in his first year of eligibility with 98.

Nolan Ryan chose to wear a Rangers cap for his HOF plaque to reflect his Texas heritage, as well as the fact that his 300th win, 5000th strikeout, and last two no-hitters came as a Ranger.

Nolan Ryan Foundation is a Texas nonprofit organization that supports youth, education, and community development and is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas.

Nolan Ryan married his high school sweetheart, the former Ruth Holdorff, on June 25,1967.

Nolan Ryan frequently pitched in the off-seasons, with Ruth often donning catching gear and serving as his catcher.

Ruth Nolan Ryan coached their sons' little league teams for a few summers.

Nolan Ryan has maintained a decades-long friendship with the Bush family, partially due to George W Bush being a part-owner of the Rangers while Ryan played there.

In 1996 Nolan Ryan campaigned on behalf of Ron Paul in the election for Texas's 14th congressional district; his hometown of Alvin was located in the district.