Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin
Before Robin Ventura learned the hard way that charging the mound against a 46-year-old Nolan Ryan was like bringing a knife to a gunfight, baseball fans had already witnessed two decades of the Express dominating Major League Baseball. From his first no-hitter in Kansas City to his final 98-mph fastball with a torn ligament, Ryan didn’t just pitch—he redefined what was humanly possible on a mound.
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When He Struck Out 40 Batters in a Ten-Day Span (July 1972)
In July 1972, a young Nolan Ryan went on an absolute tear that had American League hitters questioning their career choices. Over ten days, Ryan struck out 40 batters, with two 16-strikeout games (July 9 and July 18) sandwiched between an eight-K one (July 14). This was the month baseball learned that the kid from Refugio, Texas, wasn’t just another hard thrower—he was something entirely different.
His First No-Hitter Against Kansas City That Started the Legend (May 15, 1973)
At Royals Stadium on a Tuesday night in May, Ryan threw his first no-hitter, striking out 12 Kansas City batters in a 3-0 victory. The crowd of 12,205 witnessed history in the making, though none of them could have predicted they were watching the first of seven no-hitters. Ryan walked three batters that night, but his fastball was so overpowering that Royals hitters looked like they were swinging at invisible baseballs.
When He Threw His Second No-Hitter in Two Months (July 15, 1973)
Just two months after his first no-hitter, Ryan did it again, this time against Detroit at Tiger Stadium. The game was memorable for several reasons. First, Nolan’s first pitch, a curve, broke so sharply it hit home-plate umpire Ron Luciano’s leg. The Ryan Express was so dominant in his 17-strikeout outing that Norm Cash, the last batter, initially came up to the plate with a table leg. A laughing Luciano had Cash toss the illegal “bat” and try to hit with a real one. Cash then ended the game and sealed the no-hitter.
When He Struck Out 383 Batters in 1973 and Rewrote the Record Books
In 1973, Ryan shattered Sandy Koufax’s modern record of 382 strikeouts, finishing with 383 in what many consider the greatest single-season pitching performance in baseball history. He averaged 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings while throwing 326 innings, a workload that would hospitalize modern pitchers. The record still stands as a monument to Ryan’s dominance and the modern MLB single-season strikeout record.
The 235-Pitch Marathon That Broke Every Modern Rule (June 14, 1974)
We live in a time when fans get giddy at seeing an opposing pitcher reaching 100 pitches. That usually means that they will be taken out soon. Nolan Ryan laughs at that. Against Boston at Fenway Park, Ryan threw an unfathomable 235 pitches in a 13-inning game, striking out 19 Red Sox hitters but somehow getting a no-decision. The league should have seen if he secretly had a bionic arm.
The AL Record 19 Strikeouts Against Boston (August 12, 1974)
If you don’t succeed at first, try again. Two months after his first 19-strikeout game, Ryan did it again against the same Boston team, this time getting the win in a 4-2 victory at Anaheim Stadium. Ryan’s fastball that night was described by catchers as “unhittable” and by batters as “invisible.” Boston hitters were likely glad they wouldn’t see him again until ’75.
The Third 19-Strikeout Game in One Season Against Detroit (August 20, 1974)
Just eight days after his second 19-strikeout game, Ryan struck out 19 Detroit Tigers, becoming the first pitcher in modern baseball history to record three 19-strikeout games in a single season. The amazing thing? HE LOST. He went 11 innings against Mickey Lolich, who matched him every frame. Bill Freehan drove in the lone run.
The Angels No-Hitter That Made 11,000 Fans Sound Like 50,000 (September 28, 1974)
Ryan’s third no-hitter came at Anaheim Stadium against the Minnesota Twins on the final weekend of the 1974 season. Despite only 11,000 fans in attendance, the crowd noise was deafening as Ryan struck out 15 Twins hitters en route to a 4-0 victory. The sparse crowd created an intimate atmosphere where every strikeout echoed through the stadium like thunder, and fans could actually hear Ryan’s fastball popping into the catcher’s mitt.
Opening Slay: 12 K’s Against the Royals (April 7, 1975)
Pitchers usually need time to ease into the season after Spring Training. Not Nolan Ryan. He came out of the gate throwing fireballs, going the distance to collect win No. 1 of 14. 12 Royals batters could only go back to the dugout shaking their heads. They probably wished the flamethrowing righty had stayed back in Spring Training. Angels fans had to love what they saw, though.
That Impossible Fourth No-Hitter Against Baltimore (June 1, 1975)
At Anaheim Stadium, Ryan threw his fourth no-hitter, silencing the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 with nine strikeouts. This no-hitter was different from the others—it was a pitcher’s duel between him and Ross Grimsley that featuring pinpoint control rather than overwhelming power. The Orioles, known for their disciplined hitting approach, couldn’t solve Ryan’s combination of fastball and curveball, and the single run came on a sacrifice fly that felt like a grand slam in the tense atmosphere.
The 3,000th Strikeout That Silenced Cincinnati (July 4, 1980)
On Independence Day 1980 at Riverfront Stadium, Ryan became the fourth pitcher in baseball history to reach 3,000 strikeouts when he fanned Cesar Geronimo in the sixth inning. The Cincinnati crowd, despite rooting for the home team, gave Ryan a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. Even Reds players tipped their caps from the dugout, acknowledging they had witnessed baseball history. Then again, they had no idea that the Ryan Express would chug along for another 13 years.
Breaking Walter Johnson’s Strikeout Record After 55 Years (April 27, 1983)
At the Astrodome, Ryan struck out Brad Mills of the Montreal Expos to break Walter Johnson’s all-time strikeout record of 3,509, a mark that had stood since 1927. The crowd of 32,000 erupted as Ryan raised his arms in triumph, and the game was stopped for several minutes while Ryan acknowledged the standing ovation. At 36 years old, Ryan had surpassed the greatest power pitcher in baseball history, yet he was still ten years away from his final strikeout.
The 4,000th Strikeout That Made History in New York (July 11, 1985)
The Astrodome was packed and the frenzied crowd watched Ryan become the first pitcher in baseball history to reach 4,000 career strikeouts. He fanned the Mets’ Danny Heep with a blazing fastball in the sixth inning. At 38 years old, Ryan had reached a milestone that seemed impossible just a generation earlier, when 3,000 strikeouts was considered the ultimate achievement for a power pitcher.
When the Astros Offered Him a Pay Cut and Lost a Legend to the Rangers (1988)
After leading the National League in strikeouts in 1988, the Houston Astros insulted 41-year-old Ryan by offering him a pay cut, believing his best days were behind him. Ryan signed with the cross-state rival Texas Rangers instead, where he proceeded to throw two more no-hitters, win his 300th game, and pitch effectively until age 46. The Astros’ penny-pinching decision became one of the most regrettable moves in franchise history, as they watched their legend dominate while wearing the uniform of their geographic rival.
The 5,000th Strikeout That Made Rickey Henderson Part of History (August 22, 1989)
At Arlington Stadium, Ryan became the first pitcher in baseball history to reach 5,000 strikeouts when he fanned Oakland’s Rickey Henderson with a 96-mph fastball. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone that Henderson, the greatest leadoff hitter and base stealer of all time, became the victim of Ryan’s historic milestone. After the strikeout, Henderson actually smiled and pointed to Ryan, acknowledging that he was honored to be part of baseball history, even as the victim. The speedster knew all about breaking records, after all.
The 300th Win That Had 51,000 Brewers Fans Cheering for the Enemy (July 31, 1990)
At County Stadium in Milwaukee, Ryan earned his 300th career victory in an 11-3 Rangers win, and the crowd of 51,000 Brewers fans showed the legend their appreciation. The surreal scene of an entire stadium cheering for the visiting team demonstrated Ryan’s transcendent appeal and the respect he commanded throughout baseball. Even Brewers players came out of their dugout to applaud, recognizing they had witnessed one of the game’s immortals reach a milestone achieved by only 20 pitchers in history at the time.
The Seventh No-Hitter That Made History at Age 44 (May 1, 1991)
At Arlington Stadium, 44-year-old Ryan threw his seventh and final no-hitter, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 and extending his own record for career no-hitters. The performance was vintage Ryan—16 strikeouts, two walks, and a fastball that still touched 98 mph in the ninth inning. At an age when most pitchers have been retired for years, Ryan was still throwing no-hitters and making Hall of Fame hitters look like amateurs.
Striking Out 12 A’s at the Age of 45 (August 6, 1992)
Ryan had a hard-luck loss against the A’s here. He faced a lineup that featured both Jose Canseco (before his shocking trade to Texas that made him a teammate) and Mark McGwire. The Rangers couldn’t solve Kelly Downs and Dennis Eckersley got a save. Still, that was impressive for a 45-year-old.
The Final Career Win Against the Yankees at Age 46 (August 15, 1993)
At Arlington Stadium, Ryan earned his 324th and final career victory, defeating the New York Yankees 5-4. The 46-year-old Ryan pitched six innings, allowing four runs while striking out five Yankees hitters who had grown up watching him pitch. While it was against a Bronx Bomber team that was waiting for Derek Jeter and others, a win is a win. The W came just over a month before Ryan would suffer the elbow injury that ended his career, making it a bittersweet capstone to an impossible career.
The Final Pitch at 98 MPH with a Torn UCL at Age 46 (September 22, 1993)
It was a tough sight to see. Ryan clearly didn’t have his best stuff going against the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome. Finally, he threw a pitch and walked around the mound. Even the game announcer went “Uh Oh.” The trainer came out and Ryan handed the ball to the umpire as he walked off the mound for the final time. The crowd, sensing that the legend’s time was finally up, gave him a standing ovation. True to form, his final pitch was clocked at 98 mph, even though it was thrown with a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The people who got to see the Ryan Express pitch live knew he was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of athlete.