We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! He then returned to the starting position and brought high quality work. Ryan featured a rising fastball and a looping 12-6 curveball. [78] They have three children: Reid, Reese, and Wendy. Ryan developed a love for hunting and ranching as a child, and for several years, he woke up early to roll and deliver copies of The Houston Post. In 1996 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.[84]. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Nolan Ryan held several additional less commonly quoted records upon his retirement including Most Seasons Pitched with a Win (26), Most Bases on Balls in a Career (2,795), Grand slams Allowed in a Career (10), Most Wild Pitches in a Career (277), Fewest Hits Allowed Per 9 Innings in a Season (5.26 in 1972), and Fewest Hits Per 9 Innings in a Career (6.56 / 1,500 IP Minimum). Nolan and Ruth attended Alvin High School together. In 1986, Ryan's Astros faced the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. His ERA+ 147 is remarkable for a career that spanned 21 years and the advent of the live-ball era! "[71][72], In 1995 the Texas State Legislature declared State Highway 288, which passes near Alvin, as the Nolan Ryan Expressway. He was 0-107 with a 2.27 ERA, 1.166 WHIP, & 9.77 K/9 in those starts. With his injured arm, his final pitch was measured at 98 miles per hour (158km/h). A primitive radar gun clocked a ninth-inning fastball at 100.8 miles per hour (162.2km/h) when it was 10 feet (3.0m) in front of home plate. He is the second great Latin pitcher in the major leagues. He came in and pitched 7 innings of relief pitching and solidified a sweep to advance to the World Series. [8][9] Ryan held the school's single game strikeout record for 44 years, striking out 21 hitters in a 7-inning game. He won the NL strikeout title seven years in a row after he broke in as a rookie at age 31! He pitched until he was 46 years old and his final pitch was registered at 98 MPH. Reid and Reese were both pitchers for the TCU Horned Frogs. September 22, 1993 [20], Ryan left Houston after a contract dispute following the 1988 season and signed with the Texas Rangers at age 42. Born: 1/31/1947 in Refugio, TX. He wrote a book about it in '73, but was not caught until the '82 season in Seattle. Who has hit the most home runs in the World Series; See trending via theaceofspaeder 10: Fathers and sons struck out by Nolan Ryan: Sandy Alomar Sr., Sandy Alomar Jr., & Roberto Alomar After that season, he was traded with three other players by the Mets to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi. His career WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched) was 1.247 (1955-1966) (165W 82L; 2.76 ERA; ERA+ 131; 137 CG/ 40 SHO; 2324 IP/ 1754 H/ 6.8 H/9; 2396 K/ 817 BB/ 2.93 ratio; 1.106 WHIP); (post-season 4 3; 0.95 ERA; 57 IP/36 H; 61 K/ 11 BB; 0.857 WHIP). Walter Johnson is simply put, the greatest starting pitcher in the history of baseball. . (1948-1966) (286W 245L; 3.41 ERA; ERA+ 113; 305 CG/ 45 SHO; 4688 IP/ 4582 H/ 8.8 H/9; 2357 K/ 902 BB/ 2.61 ratio; 1.170 WHIP); (post-season 0-1; 1.64 ERA; 11 IP/ 11 H; 5 K/ 3 BB; 1.273 WHIP). Bert Blyleven toiled in relative obscurity in Minnesota for the first part of his career. After joining Macks Athletics in 1902, he began breaking strikeout records. His endurance is proven by his IP total, 300 wins and 37 shutouts. Against the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, Ryan completed a Mets sweep by throwing seven innings of relief in Game 3, getting his first playoff win (it took him 12 years to get another). In 1989 he struck out his 5,000th batter; he also held the record for most strikeouts in a live-ball era (post-1920) season (383 in 1973). He won his league ERA title nine times. medians to draw your conclusions! In addition, he also led the league in WHIP once, strikeouts twice, and K/BB ratio three times during the same four year span! With this column I hope to appreciate and admire each of these pitchers for their accomplishments and unique contributions to pitching greatness. He is one of 16 pitchers with 3000 strikeouts. being beat by USA (4.3461226399548), Baby Boomers (4.2264623233034), mlb (4.3614031148122), SP (4.3392668544321), and Y (3.0750522047158) player career averages. [Answer]. Nolan Ryan was a Pitcher. (Age 46-234d) In his subsequent report to the Mets, Murff stated that Ryan had "the best arm I've seen in my life." His 363 wins and 63 shutouts are the most for any pitcher since 1921. This data is cumulative for each season, each column represents the career ERA Nolan Ryan In the second one, on July 15 against the Detroit Tigers, he struck out 17 batters the most in a recorded no-hitter. He led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts in both '63 and '65. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Although he pitched brilliantly in relief for the Mets in 1969 when they won the pennant and the World Series, he came into his own as a pitcher with the Angels, leading the league in strikeouts seven of his first eight years with them (197274, 1976, 197779). Nolan Ryan had 5,714 career strikeouts ( Top 1,000 ), more than any other pitcher in baseball history, 839 more strikeouts than #2 all-time Randy Johnson ). In the 1980 NLCS versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan pitched well in Game 2, leaving the game tied 22 in the seventh (having contributed to both Astros runs with a run scored following a walk, and a sacrifice bunt leading to a run) but again got a no-decision in a game that went extra innings. His career arc is somewhat unusual, having had his best years in his 30s (19972004). 34 retired; Angels Hall of Fame; Houston Astros Hall . Nolan Ryan Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac Married to wife Ruth since 1967, he has three children: Reid, Reese and Wendy. He is the last pitcher to throw 300 complete games. The comparisons are calculated for each The two sons followed in their dad's footsteps by pitching at the collegiate level, and Reid later ascended to the position of Astros team president. Ryan holds 51 total MLB records, including: Nolan Ryan's post-retirement business interests include principal owner of Ryan Sanders Sports and Entertainment, which is the ownership group for the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Texas Rangers, among other businesses. Ryan was a right-handed pitcher who consistently threw pitches that were clocked above 100 miles per hour (161km/h). His WHIP is one of the best in history. In addition to his strikeouts and no-hitters, Ryan also had a career ERA of 3.19, with 324 wins and 292 losses. Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan established records with his 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters during his 27-year Major League Baseball career. His views on this calmed only once he started running the Rangers and gained a better understanding of the business side of baseball. It was the first of two homers in Ryan's career and produced half of the six RBIs he got that year. Nolan Ryan has by far the most walks allowed all time, but his career era was a miniscule 3.19. TIL Nolan Ryan was a walking machine, but it didn't matter 1972 In 1972, Nolan Ryan had his first great season. (Voted by BBWAA on 491/497 ballots) The children were expected to help with the daily tasks. Ryan threw a record seven no-hitters during his major league career, three more than any other pitcher. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Jackie Robinson, 8 Negro League Legends Featured in a New MLB Game, 10 Things You Might Not Know About Shohei Ohtani, Lou Gehrig Fought the Disease Named After Him. His K/BB ratio was third in his era. However, the Hall of Fame recognizes the Los Angeles Angels as his primary team. During his peak, 1952-55, he led the league in wins, games started, complete games, innings pitched, and batters faced each year. He won 20 games 13 times. He is second among lefties in strikeouts with 4,136. A Long Career Ryan had a long career, spanning from his debut as a 19-year-old with the Mets in 1966 until his retirement after the 1993 season at age 46. That game went 14 innings, equaling the longest in innings in World Series history (at 5:41, it was the longest in time). Ryan, known for throwing his fastballs at over 100 miles per hour was nicknamed the Ryan express, but before all of that he started his career with the New York Mets in 1966 mostly as a relief pitcher and as a spot starter. Alexander was the premier NL pitcher of the teens. (1904-1917) (195W 126L; 1.82 ERA; ERA+ 146; 250 CG/ 57 SHO; 2964 IP/ 2346 H/ 7.1 H/9; 1736 K/ 617 BB/ 2.81 ratio; 1.000 WHIP); (postseason 2-0; 0.60 ERA; 15 IP/ 7 H; 17 K/ 6 BB; 0.857 WHIP). Nolan Ryan's name is synonymous with strikeouts and no-hitters. Born on January 31, 1947, in Refugio, Texas, Lynn Nolan Ryan was the son of Robert Ryan and Martha Lee Hancock Ryan (a descendant of John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence). In 2011 he became the CEO of the Rangers, and two years later he gave up his title of president of the team. Did you know that when The Ryan Express, his nickname, made his big league debut on September 11, 1966, he became the first former Alvin High School (Alvin, TX) student to play in the majors? His 49 shutouts, tied for 21st, are HOF material as well. View Nolan Ryan's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Nolan Ryan - Baseball-Reference.com for 5386 innings pitched. Career Stats. Despite this, he never pitched a perfect game, nor did he ever win a Cy Young Award; both were largely attributed to his high walk rate. (1925-1941) (300W 141L; 3.06 ERA; ERA+148; 298 CG/ 35 SHO; 3940 IP/ 3849 H/ 8.8 H/9; 2266 K/ 1187 BB; 1.91 ratio; 1.278 WHIP); (postseason 4-2; 1.75 ERA; 51 IP/ 46 H; 36 K/ 6 BB; 1.013 WHIP). Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He had 324 wins, 292 losses, an ERA of 3.19 and 5,714 strikeouts. W-L. . He was 13-11 head-to-head with Mathewson. While Ventura was ejected, Ryanwho had barely moved from his spot on the mound in the fracaswas allowed to remain in the game. (1902-1910) (160W 97L; 1.89 ERA; ERA+ 142; 234 CG; 45 SHO; 2327 IP; 1888 H/ 7.3 H/9; 920 K/ 364 BB/ 2.53 ratio; 0.968 WHIP). Ryan was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 11, 1966, with the New York Mets. Nolan Ryan was the second pitcher inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame who had more career strikeouts, than innings pitched. Nolan Ryan was forty-four years young the oldest player in the game at the time on May 1, 1991, when he threw no-hitter number seven, a year he also allowed the fewest hits per 9-innings pitched (5.306) in the American League, a year he also had the most strikeouts per 9-innings pitched (10.561) in the American League, and a year his fielding percentage was a league leading 1.000. "[85][86] Staples, however, lost that race to current Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Houston. (1966, 68-93) (324W 292L; 3.19 ERA; ERA+ 111; 222 CG/ 61 SHO; 5386 IP/ 3923 H/ 6.6 H/9; 5714 K/ 2795 BB/ 2.04 ratio; 1.247 WHIP); (postseason 2-2; 3.07 ERA; 58 IP/ 39 H; 63 K/ 14 BB; 0.903 WHIP). He won 300 games using extraordinary skills. What was Nolan Ryan's earned run average (ERA)? Since the advent of the live-ball era in 1921, only four pitchers have reached 60 shutoutsSpahn, Seaver, Ryan, and Blyleven. His career K/BB ratio of 2.61 is the highest of his era. After ninth grade, Ryan quit playing football after a tackle and fumble caused by future NFL running back Norm Bulaich made him decide to focus on baseball. copyright=new Date(); The Big Unit has blazed his way onto this list with his incredible strikeout ratio, 300 wins, accompanied by a great H/9 ratio, K/BB ratio and WHIP. Skip to . Why Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young Award Nolan Ryan had an ERA of 3.19 in his career. In nine seasons as a pitcher with the Astros (his longest tenure with any team), Ryan compiled a 10694 record in 282 starts, a 3.13 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, with 796 walks and 1,866 strikeouts in 1,854 innings. Nolan Ryan [1] [2] [3] has the most career strikeouts in Major League Baseball. His father thought baseball a better usage for his arm; therefore, he encouraged Nolan to play the game. He was the final active player from the 1960s to retire from Major League Baseball, outlasting Carlton Fisk (the final active position player) by three months. (1903-1916) (239W 130L; 2.06 ERA; ERA+ 138; 271 CG/ 55 SHO; 3172 IP/ 2708 H/ 7.7 H/9; 1375 K/ 673 BB/ 2.04 ratio; 1.066 WHIP); (postseason 5-4; 2.97 ERA; 57 IP/ 50 H; 35 K/ 13 BB; 1.09 WHIP). They are the best of the best, lacking in no area of measurable greatness. Palmer won 20 games eight of nine seasons, 1970-78. Willis accomplishments are often overlooked. (1898-1910) (249W 205L; 2.63 ERA; ERA+ 118; 388 CG/ 50 SHO; 3996 IP/ 3621 H/ 8.2 H/9; 1651 K/ 1212 BB/ 1.36 ratio; 1.209 WHIP); (postseason - 0 1; 4.76 ERA; 11 IP/ 10 H; 3 K/ 8 BB). Ryan was also known to throw a devastating 126 curveball at exceptional velocity for a breaking ball.[2]. In 1990, Ryan threw his sixth no-hitter on June 11 against the Athletics, and earned his 300th win on July 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Year to year he could be erratic, twice leading the league in losses. [1] On July 4 of that season, at Riverfront Stadium, Ryan recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, the victim being Csar Gernimo of the Cincinnati Reds (Gernimo had also been Bob Gibson's 3,000th strikeout victim, in 1974). Jim Palmer spearheaded one of the great pitching staffs in major league history for the Orioles. His high leg kick preceded any one of a number of pitches, all thrown with pin-point control. He was notorious for the spit ballapplying foreign substances to the baseball. The next group of pitchers is truly the cream of the crop. When was Nolan Ryan drafted? Along the way, he broke Walter Johnsons long-time career strikeout mark of 3,508 and won 300 games. Overall, he was 69 in 1965 with a 4.33 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 120 innings. Ryan . Robin Roberts was the epitome of the endurance pitcher! Nolan Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft from Alvin HS (Alvin, TX). Review the spread and Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. No one else threw two 300K seasons until Sandy Koufax in 65 and 66. vs. SEA 0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 4 BB, 5 ER, L. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1999. He appeared as a TV spokesman for Advil for several years, promoting the pain medication he recommended for his own arm. He didn't become a regular starter, though, until the 1971 season. He had 324 wins, 292 losses, an ERA of 3.19 and 5,714 strikeouts. "[83] He also crossed party lines in 2002 to headline a group of Republicans and Independents supporting a Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Everything about his numbers indicates incredible quality. Ryan got his third taste of postseason play in 1980, but the Astros were stopped one game short of the World Series. He closed in dominating fashion for over three years, saving 154 games. Steve Carlton was the dominant left-handed pitcher of his generation. 324-292 ERA 3.19 SO 5,714 BB 2,795 Career Overview Stats Game Log Splits Bio Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons for 4 teams, including the Astros and Angels. - Jackson, Reggie. Christy Mathewson was the premier pitcher in baseball from 1905-1912. The advancing years seemed to have little effect on Ryan's blazing fastball. [1] Ryan hit his second and final career home run in a 123 win on May 1, 1987, against the Atlanta Braves. Rangers History Today: The Nolan Ryan Era Begins - Sports Illustrated Ryan had 324 wins, 292 losses, an earned run average of 3.19, and 5,714 strikeouts. He played for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. Here are 16 facts and figures that show the immense impact Ryan made during his career. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. In 1956, Score improved on his rookie campaign, going 20-9 with a 2.53 ERA and 263 strikeouts, while reducing the number of walks from 154 to 129, and .