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Nolan Ryan's epic beatdown of Robin Ventura was 24 years ago today
WFAA ^ | 08/04/2017 | Landon Haaf

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 ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: anniversary; athletes; mlb; nolanryan; rangers; robinventura; ryan; sports; ventura; whitesox
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To: dfwgator
1967 and 1968 were both great, both went seven games, the Cards beat the Sox in '67, lost to Detroit in '68. I agree with 1975. And1985, another one involving the Cardinals (even though Game 7 was a blow-up by the Cards and a blowout by the Royals). But '86 was a great postseason, and '91 when the Twins beat the Braves was another great one. And 2011, when the Rangers - who are the start of this thread - blew it against the Cardinals in Game 6 and then lost the Series in seven.

Sorry, I could talk about baseball all evening....

61 posted on 08/04/2017 5:13:10 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: dfwgator
1967 and 1968 were both great, both went seven games, the Cards beat the Sox in '67, lost to Detroit in '68. I agree with 1975. And1985, another one involving the Cardinals (even though Game 7 was a blow-up by the Cards and a blowout by the Royals). But '86 was a great postseason, and '91 when the Twins beat the Braves was another great one. And 2011, when the Rangers - who are the start of this thread - blew it against the Cardinals in Game 6 and then lost the Series in seven.

Sorry, I could talk about baseball all evening....

62 posted on 08/04/2017 5:13:10 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan
And 2011, when the Rangers - who are the start of this thread - blew it against the Cardinals in Game 6 and then lost the Series in seven.

I still haven't gotten over it.

63 posted on 08/04/2017 5:14:59 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator
Sorry about that. I just figured out the dfw in your name....
64 posted on 08/04/2017 5:17:36 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan

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.


65 posted on 08/04/2017 5:20:09 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

I’m two miles from Camden Yards where there Os are playing the Tigers as I type this. Verlander is pitching.


66 posted on 08/04/2017 5:21:16 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: dfwgator

I’m two miles from Camden Yards where there Os are playing the Tigers as I type this. Verlander is pitching.


67 posted on 08/04/2017 5:21:16 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan

Say “Hi” to Kate for me.


68 posted on 08/04/2017 5:21:53 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: DFG

There is a good reason it’s called a battery.

5.56mm


69 posted on 08/04/2017 5:30:07 PM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: Rummyfan

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.


70 posted on 08/04/2017 5:34:20 PM PDT by ro_dreaming (Chesterton, 'Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It's been found hard and not tried')
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To: Bedford Forrest

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


71 posted on 08/04/2017 5:36:39 PM PDT by Redwood71
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To: dangus

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/23-interesting-facts-about-the-nolan-ryan-robin-ventura-brawl-on-23rd-anniversary/

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


72 posted on 08/04/2017 5:56:56 PM PDT by Redwood71
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To: Rummyfan

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!


73 posted on 08/04/2017 6:12:54 PM PDT by KyCats
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To: Redwood71

Apparently, there was bad blood after the previous game Ryan pitched.


74 posted on 08/04/2017 6:27:59 PM PDT by dangus
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To: KyCats

I’ll take in a game in person soon.


75 posted on 08/04/2017 6:35:03 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: KyCats

I’ll take in a game in person soon.


76 posted on 08/04/2017 6:35:03 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: dfwgator

Ballad of Ten Cent Beer Night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dh2g0TUKgc


77 posted on 08/04/2017 7:17:14 PM PDT by ADemocratNoMore (The Fourth Estate is now the Fifth Column)
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To: dangus

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


78 posted on 08/04/2017 10:12:27 PM PDT by Redwood71
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To: dfwgator

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.


79 posted on 08/04/2017 10:33:13 PM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: ADemocratNoMore

Classic!

“Hey Brohamer, I’m hammered, too!”


80 posted on 08/04/2017 10:35:30 PM PDT by dfwgator
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