Growing up in the 80’s, my brother Chris would always select Nolan Ryan on Nintendo’s RBI baseball, and for good reason. Nobody threw as hard in a video game or in real life for that matter.
Often overlooked due to his dominant velocity, was the relative ease in which he’d strike out hitters with his curveball which was often just as effective.
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He was the stuff of legends, and on America’s 250th birthday, we sat down with an icon exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes. Here’s the Strikeout King and Hall Of Famer, Nolan Ryan.
Q: Of all the No-Hitters, was one more gratifying than another?
A: My 7th No-Hitter probably was the most gratifying because it came so late in my career.
Q: How often are you asked about Ventura going to the mound, and what do you think about that sequence becoming part of baseball lore? What do you remember most about it?
A: It’s a question that comes up quite often when someone asks about my career, and I find it interesting that it’s still on people’s mind when they talk about baseball.
Q: Who’s a guy pitching today that you’d personally pay to watch?
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A: I enjoy watching Gerrit Cole.
Q: What would have happened in your day if a manager had attempted to put you on a pitch count?
A: Well, I would have to visit with him and see why he thought that, and why that was the best for me and my team.
Q: What’s the most pitches you think you ever threw in a single contest?
A: It was speculated that in an extra innings game against Boston that I threw in the 230s
Q: Favorite teammate?
A: I played for Houston for 9 years, and the nucleus of that ball club was held together. Terry Puhl and Craig Reynolds are two of my best friends from baseball.
Q: Toughest hitter(s) to get out? Was there one guy that you always had difficulty with?
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A: The type of hitter that was most challenging was a left-handed contact hitter who didn’t chase bad pitches. Hitters such as George Brett, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, and Pete Rose were in that category.
