Posted on 08/04/2017 12:48:28 PM PDT by DFG
Hall of Fame hurler Nolan Ryan left a lasting impression on the state of Texas and on Major League Baseball with an illustrious 27-year career.
His 5,714 strikeouts, 324 wins and seven no-hitters cemented his legacy as one of the greats.
But it was 24 years ago Friday that the Ryan Express immortalized himself -- and it didn’t have much to do with his pitching that day.
On August 4, 1993, the 46-year-old Ryan drilled Chicago White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura in the elbow with a fastball. Ventura then made a decision he undoubtedly regrets to this day.
He charged the mound, was put in a headlock and delivered a flurry of punches to the head.
(Excerpt) Read more at wfaa.com ...
Sorry, I could talk about baseball all evening....
Sorry, I could talk about baseball all evening....
I still haven't gotten over it.
The Tigers are my boyhood team, but I did adopt the Rangers after I moved here. I root for both. It’s tough though, when they meet in the playoffs.
I’m two miles from Camden Yards where there Os are playing the Tigers as I type this. Verlander is pitching.
I’m two miles from Camden Yards where there Os are playing the Tigers as I type this. Verlander is pitching.
Say “Hi” to Kate for me.
There is a good reason it’s called a battery.
5.56mm
Sure wish the Astros had made a move to get him, or someone to bolster the pitchers... Good God, the bullpen has been overworked... I sure hope McCullers and Keichel get their groove back ASAP.
Duran made his career out of being just wild enough to scare batters. He wore those bottle bottom glasses to make batter thing he couldn’t see. He actually could see very well. He furthered the hype by normally hitting the backstop with the first warm up pitch or two.
He was a short reliever with a high 90’s fastball. Batters never dug in with him. Fear factor.
rwood
This was the only tape I could find that showed the actual contact points of Ryan’s “punches.” By getting a reverse angle from most other tapes that came from behind the plate area. This shot came from center field. If you’ll notice, like I mentioned, he was hitting him in the top of the head while holding him in a position that protected his face. And pictures after the actual contact showed no marks on Ventura’s face or any damage at all.
But, please, I would like you to tell me why Ryan would head hunt him? His only anything with Ryan is that he got a single off him earlier in the game. So what? That happened before in 27 years. Big deal. They scored two more runs on three hits during the remainer of the game. No one was buzzed. And Ventura was the only batter Ryan hit that year.
But to make matters comical, Craig Grebeck came off the bench to replace Ventura after he had been tossed. Grebeck took over as a pinch-runner at first base and Ryan immediately picked him off.
Ryan was going through arm troubles that season, his last. Ryan threw only 66 1/3 innings and faced 291 batters during that 1993 season. Well below his norms. He blew out the arm after two more wins and retired.
rwood
LOL.
And my house is less than a mile from Great American Ballpark (directly across the Ohio river) where the Cardinals are playing the Reds right now!
Apparently, there was bad blood after the previous game Ryan pitched.
I’ll take in a game in person soon.
I’ll take in a game in person soon.
To my knowledge, there had been some bad blood between the teams for a number of years. But why Ventura, and why Ryan. Ryan hadn’t hit anybody all year and had no reason to try to hurt Ventura.
Pudge Rodriguez made a satement about it after the game quoted on “The Postgame,”Nolan Ryan didn’t try to hit him,” says Rodriguez. “He just tried to pitch in like everybody else, and it just got away. It was a very intense game. Robin Ventura had hit Ryan hard in the first inning, and [Ryan] was trying to keep him off the plate.”
So, was he head hunting like the media is trying to insinuate? I don’t think so. Just pitching inside to protect the plate. Got away like Pudge said. It happens.
rwood
OMG.....lol........our son lives in the Ft. Worth area and he plays those bits for me when I visit. That guy has Nolan down pat and I laugh my head off every time I hear them. Thanks dfwgator.......I needed a laugh.
Classic!
“Hey Brohamer, I’m hammered, too!”
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