Great do entary. I really didn't know much about him before he made it to the Astros and then Rangers. Very well done.
The footage alone is worth the watch. I forgot how great his curve ball was. And it doesn't sugarcoat his career. It mentions the "good" records...strikeouts, no-hitters, etc. But it also mentions most hit batters, most grand slams against...etc.
Yep, loved it. Brought back great memories watching him as a kid. Unfortunately never saw him pitch live... My dad took me to a game at the Astrodome in 1988 that he was supposed to pitch but he was pulled last minute and Joaquin Andujar started instead. And I don't think I ever really realized how legitimately good he was the first few years with the Rangers. He wasn't just limping his way to career milestones.
Same. Never saw him live and never realized how good he was when he was on. One of my biggest sports heartbreaks was when the Astros lost in 1980. They were pretty stacked in both pitching and position players. J.R. Richard was dominant at that point. I can't remember the exact stats but it was mind boggling that in one season, Ryan had the best ERA in the league but still had a losing record.
Have a family friend who coached him. 7 no-hitters is unreal, as well at being able to hit 100+ mph back in the 70s. Went to Cooperstown in 99 to see him get inducted into the hall and I think I got my photo in the Dallas Morning News when I was standing in front of the entrance to hall waiting for it to open in my Nolan Ryan Rangers jersey. Went up to Arlington to see his first chance at 300 wins but I think he got a no decision and couldn't make the trip to Milwaukee to see him get #300 but listened intently on the radio. No battery I'd rather have in Game 7 of a World Series than Nolan on the mound and Pudge behind the plate. Too bad the rest of the team wasn't as great as those two.
The doc mentioned the speed on his fastball and also said that modern technology clocked him at 107 which is insane. Not sure how accurate that adjustment is.
Also, iirc, Pudge's throws were also clocked at around 100 mph.
Cool story though...going to Cooperstown to see the induction.
As to the Rangers, they were pretty loaded from an offensive standpoint. Pudge, Palmeiro, Franco, Gonzalez, Sierra. Dean Palmer, Buc e. They should have done more with that. At age 44, Ryan still had a 2.91 ERA. Damn.
Did you pay the $5.99 rental fee on prime ?
I think it was $4.99. But yes.
I bought it for $19.99 the day before it was available to rent, oops. But I expect I'll watch it again.
I almost did that but they were reviewing it on local radio and mentioned it would available to rent the next day.
Actually yeah it was two days before because I heard the same thing on the radio the day after I bought it. Ticket?
Yep. Ticket.
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