Nolan Ryan Drafted by the New York
Mets
One of Nolan Ryan's life changing
events was being drafted by the New York Mets. He
became a pitcher, but after a poor start, he was
sent down to their farm team in Jacksonville,
Florida. After a season with the Mets minor league
team, he went back to the majors. Ryan was soon
traded to the California Angels for infielder Jim
Fregosi. He was glad to get out of New York because
the people were too unfriendly and never noticed
him. Despite another bad start in 1972, he managed
to make the Angels' pitching rotation and made his
first start in mid May. He later led the league in
strikeouts with 329 and shutouts with 9.
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Ryan Elected to the Baseball Hall
Of Fame
Another one of Nolan Ryan's life
changing events was being elected into the Baseball
Hall of Fame. After many seasons with the New York
Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and the
Texas Rangers, he was elected into the Hall of Fame
in: 1999, with 491 votes of 497 ballots cast:
98.79%. With a 100 mph fastball , Ryan dominated
hitters for 27 seasons on his way to an all time
record 5,714 strikeouts. During four decades, he
totaled 324 victories. Only the best ballplayers
are inducted at Cooperstown, New York and Nolan
Ryan was one of the greatest pitchers ever to play
professional baseball.
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Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan, perhaps the best pitcher in the
history of baseball, was born January 13, 1947, in Refugio,
Texas. He helped his father deliver newspapers when he was
young. People say he developed his great throwing arm by
tossing the newspapers out of the car window and onto the
porches of houses. Nolan Ryan began to play baseball when he
was 9 in the Alvin little league and played there until he
was 13. When Ryan went to high school he played both
baseball and basketball. Ryan was 6 foot 2 inches and he
played center for the school's team. Nolan even thought
about playing basketball in college. Later, he was drafted
by the Mets. After a few seasons in New York; he was traded
to the California Angels. Ryan had an awful spring training,
but he soon earned his position at starting pitcher. Nolan
was traded again to the Houston Astros and was glad to be
back in Texas playing for a team that he used to listen to
on the radio. Nolan Ryan had some great seasons with the
Astros, but once again, he was traded, this time to the
Texas Rangers. He went on to throw several no-hitters with
the Rangers and in 1993, he retired from baseball. Six years
later he was elected into the Hall of Fame as an outstanding
pitcher. He also influenced many of today's greatest
pitchers like Roger Clemens of the New York Yankees and
Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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