Serenity Now

Once every few days I will be spotlighting a member of the baseball Hall of Fame. To start things off, it is The Ryan Express.




QUICK CAREER NUMBERS

Years: 27
Games Started: 773
Wins: 324
Losses: 292
K's: 5,714
Walks: 2,795
IP: 5,386
ERA: 3.19
Shutouts: 61
Complete Games: 22








NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 7 career no-hitters
  
  
• Holds single season strikeout record at 383.
  
  
• Struck out 100 or more batters in 24 of his 27 seasons.
  
  
• Struck out 300 or more batters in a season 6 times.
  
  
• Struck out 8 batters in a row during a single game twice.
  
  
• Lead the league in strikeouts 11 times.
  
  
• Struck out 10 or more batters in a single game 23 times in 1973.
  
  
• Struck out 329 batters or more for 3 straight seasons.
  
  
• Lead the league in ERA 2 times.
  
  
• 8 time All-Star
  
  
• Ryan batted a career .110 (94/852) with 2 HRs and 36 RBI.
  
  
• Inducted into the MLB HOF in 1999 with 98.2%.

FAST FACTS

• 10th round draft pick by the New York Mets in 1965.
  
  
• Spent 1967 in the United States Military.
  
  
• Appeared in 5 League Championship Series and 1 World Series.
  
  
• Between 1973 and 1975, Ryan achieved 4 no-hitters. Two of those coming within two months of each other in May and July of 1973.
  
  
• The closest Nolan would get to a Cy Young award was in 1972 when he came in 2nd to Jim Palmer. He would place in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting 8 times.
  
  
• In 1987, Ryan compiled a 8-16 record while posting a 2.76 ERA with 270 K's. He finished 5th in the NL Cy Young voting that same year.
  
  
• Ryan is the only pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitched balls in both the National League (April 19, 1968) and the American League (July 9, 1972).
  
  
• His jersey has been retired by the Angels, Astros and Rangers.
  
  
• Currently serves at the President of the Texas Rangers.

HOF Strikeout Victims

• Hank Aaron
• Luis Aparicio
• Ernie Banks
• Roberto Clemente
• Al Kaline
• Harmon Killebrew
• Eddie Matthews
• Willie McCovey
• Joe Morgan
• Brooks Robinson
• Billy Williams
• Carl Yastrzemski
• Dave Winfield
• Rickey Henderson
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Paul Molitor
• Tony Gywnn