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Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher
To any baseball fan, Nolan Ryan’s name still conjures up images of blistering 100-mile-per-hour fastballs and knee-buckling curveballs. During his 27-year career, “The Ryan Express” was named an eight-time All-Star and amassed seven no-hitters and more than 5,700 strikeouts—more than any other pitcher in major-league history. This comprehensive biography of Nolan Ryan follows the baseball legend’s journey from the start of his professional career in 1965 to his retirement in 1993. Hall of Famers, journeymen, clubhouse workers, coaches, and trainers offer their own unique take on Ryan in this book filled with never-before-told anecdotes and personal recollections and peppered with eyewitness accounts of his greatest games. In the pages of this history, readers will discover what made Nolan Ryan one of the most revered and respected athletes and citizens of his time.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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July 30, 2019
I have always had a wild imagination. It’s the type that forbids me from watching scary movies past 3 in the afternoon. I used to think Darth Vader was coming for me in the shower among other things. Yet, what stands out is a recurring nightmare that I had through my adolescent years. I would be in a tunnel that was fast filling with water and a shark was out to get me until the great Nolan Ryan quickly pulled me to safety through a door on the side. I would be gasping for breath in the comforts of a baseball stadium and Ryan would save the day yet again, this time on the mound. Why, I ask, Nolan Ryan, if I am a Cubs fan to the core and greatest Chicago athlete when I was growing up was Michael Jordan? I still question this nightmare but I do remember watching Ryan’s final no hitter on ESPN and vaguely remember him pitching for the Houston Astros when I first started following baseball during the mid 1980s. When my baseball book buddies decided to read Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher, I was on board to join them if only to deconstruct the man who has been among the best to ever put on a baseball uniform.
The Ryan family were among the earliest settlers of Texas when the Republic fought for its independence from Mexico. The Ryans had originally immigrated to the colonies as early as 1760 to escape Irish brutality at the hands of the British. Following the war for independence in 1776, the Ryans eventually settled in Mississippi and later played a role in the battle of the Alamo, settling on farm land near Bexar that they dubbed Old Ryan’s Hill. By the time Nolan Ryan was born in 1945, the youngest of six children to Nolan, Sr and Martha, the Ryan family had been in Texas for one hundred years and were products of the so called Texas mystique. Nolan Sr and Martha would settle in the small farming community of Alvin and along the way pass on a strong work ethic and family values to their children. Although their youngest enjoyed farming and cattle, little did they know that his arm and ability to throw a baseball upwards of 95 miles an hour would have him destined toward fame.
In Alvin, the best entertainment was a movie, a night at the legion hall, or an ice cream at the Dairy Barn. Nolan took his future wife Ruthie on a date to these town staples for the first time when he was sixteen and she a mere fifteen. The chemistry was instant and the couple was promised to each other from that moment on. Nolan already possessed a strong arm and would drive to Houston if the Dodgers were in town to watch his idol Sandy Koufax pitch. Little did either man know that one day Nolan would surpass all of Koufax’s numbers. By the time Koufax retired following the 1966 season, Nolan would sign with the New York Mets. Scouts and management envisioned him as a cog of a young pitching staff that included future Hall of famer Tom Seaver. Nolan would rise meteorically and join the Mets by the end of 1967 but was sparsely used. He credits management’s inability to use him with extending his career as long it did because he logged so few innings at the beginning. In the 1967 offseason Nolan and Ruthie were married and he reported immediately to spring training. It was Ruth’s presence in New York and her insistence that he stay the course that kept him grounded in an otherwise poor relationship with Mets management. Ruth has been a part of all of Nolan’s baseball decisions since and has been a rock for him at every stop of his baseball journey, twice convincing him not to give up when he had a bright future ahead of him.
Nolan Ryan would move to the upper echelon of baseball pitchers while a member of the California Angels during the 1970s. Playing away from the bright lights of New York and on a team largely out of contention, Ryan came into his own as a pitcher. With the team he would throw four no hitters, strike out 383 batters in one season, and one year lead the league in strikeouts, wins, and earned run average. The achievements and accolades started to pile up, yet Ryan never envisioned himself as a top pitcher. He worked hard because his father, a product of the Depression, worked hard, and Nolan sought to earn a living to support his family. During the off seasons, he would return to Texas and take up cattle ranching, developing a lucrative business that over time would include four ranches and his own brand of beefsteak. If Nolan, known in baseball as the Ryan Express, had chosen to retire during this earlier portion of his career, he knew that he had a Texas sized empire of ranching to fall back on.
Ryan would pitch the last fourteen years of his career for the two teams in Texas, the Astros and the Rangers, in order to be closer to his home in Alvin. Both he and Ruth were family oriented people and the chance to live at home while competing at the highest levels of athleticism was a tantalizing prospect. Ryan credits Dr Gene Coleman of the Astros and pitching coach Tom House of the Rangers for using technological innovations to help prolong his career. Using cutting edge training methods as well as the budding use of computer technology to chart Ryan’s pitch delivery and use of various pitches, Coleman and House kept Ryan on the top of his game well into his forties, at a time when most professional athletes had long called it quits. During years meant to be the twilight’s of his career, Ryan pitched three more no hitters, including one at age forty four. As pitchers become more specialized and fail to pitch deep into games, his records of seven no hitters and 5714 strikeouts with twenty seven years in the major leagues will probably never be broken.
Through it all, Ryan stayed grounded. He and Ruth are still happily married and could teach a lesson or two to the athletic and celebrity couples of today’s generation. The author Goldman was a bat boy for the Angels during Ryan’s tenure there and got to know the family off the field, becoming like another child for them. It is from this close relationship that Goldman was able to provide a window into Ryan’s life on and off of the field, where he was able to separate from being a Texas gentleman and fierce competitor who instilled fear in the eyes of his opponents. As a ten year old, Ryan is the athlete who I chose to lead me to safety from my nightmares. As an ace pitcher who was grounded in his values and his family, Ryan was probably a perfect choice. His Ryan Express fast ball most likely would have also instilled as much fear in the shark of my nightmares as it did in his opponents across two generations of ball players, as well as today’s ball players who still revere him as an ace hurler.
4 stars
The Ryan family were among the earliest settlers of Texas when the Republic fought for its independence from Mexico. The Ryans had originally immigrated to the colonies as early as 1760 to escape Irish brutality at the hands of the British. Following the war for independence in 1776, the Ryans eventually settled in Mississippi and later played a role in the battle of the Alamo, settling on farm land near Bexar that they dubbed Old Ryan’s Hill. By the time Nolan Ryan was born in 1945, the youngest of six children to Nolan, Sr and Martha, the Ryan family had been in Texas for one hundred years and were products of the so called Texas mystique. Nolan Sr and Martha would settle in the small farming community of Alvin and along the way pass on a strong work ethic and family values to their children. Although their youngest enjoyed farming and cattle, little did they know that his arm and ability to throw a baseball upwards of 95 miles an hour would have him destined toward fame.
In Alvin, the best entertainment was a movie, a night at the legion hall, or an ice cream at the Dairy Barn. Nolan took his future wife Ruthie on a date to these town staples for the first time when he was sixteen and she a mere fifteen. The chemistry was instant and the couple was promised to each other from that moment on. Nolan already possessed a strong arm and would drive to Houston if the Dodgers were in town to watch his idol Sandy Koufax pitch. Little did either man know that one day Nolan would surpass all of Koufax’s numbers. By the time Koufax retired following the 1966 season, Nolan would sign with the New York Mets. Scouts and management envisioned him as a cog of a young pitching staff that included future Hall of famer Tom Seaver. Nolan would rise meteorically and join the Mets by the end of 1967 but was sparsely used. He credits management’s inability to use him with extending his career as long it did because he logged so few innings at the beginning. In the 1967 offseason Nolan and Ruthie were married and he reported immediately to spring training. It was Ruth’s presence in New York and her insistence that he stay the course that kept him grounded in an otherwise poor relationship with Mets management. Ruth has been a part of all of Nolan’s baseball decisions since and has been a rock for him at every stop of his baseball journey, twice convincing him not to give up when he had a bright future ahead of him.
Nolan Ryan would move to the upper echelon of baseball pitchers while a member of the California Angels during the 1970s. Playing away from the bright lights of New York and on a team largely out of contention, Ryan came into his own as a pitcher. With the team he would throw four no hitters, strike out 383 batters in one season, and one year lead the league in strikeouts, wins, and earned run average. The achievements and accolades started to pile up, yet Ryan never envisioned himself as a top pitcher. He worked hard because his father, a product of the Depression, worked hard, and Nolan sought to earn a living to support his family. During the off seasons, he would return to Texas and take up cattle ranching, developing a lucrative business that over time would include four ranches and his own brand of beefsteak. If Nolan, known in baseball as the Ryan Express, had chosen to retire during this earlier portion of his career, he knew that he had a Texas sized empire of ranching to fall back on.
Ryan would pitch the last fourteen years of his career for the two teams in Texas, the Astros and the Rangers, in order to be closer to his home in Alvin. Both he and Ruth were family oriented people and the chance to live at home while competing at the highest levels of athleticism was a tantalizing prospect. Ryan credits Dr Gene Coleman of the Astros and pitching coach Tom House of the Rangers for using technological innovations to help prolong his career. Using cutting edge training methods as well as the budding use of computer technology to chart Ryan’s pitch delivery and use of various pitches, Coleman and House kept Ryan on the top of his game well into his forties, at a time when most professional athletes had long called it quits. During years meant to be the twilight’s of his career, Ryan pitched three more no hitters, including one at age forty four. As pitchers become more specialized and fail to pitch deep into games, his records of seven no hitters and 5714 strikeouts with twenty seven years in the major leagues will probably never be broken.
Through it all, Ryan stayed grounded. He and Ruth are still happily married and could teach a lesson or two to the athletic and celebrity couples of today’s generation. The author Goldman was a bat boy for the Angels during Ryan’s tenure there and got to know the family off the field, becoming like another child for them. It is from this close relationship that Goldman was able to provide a window into Ryan’s life on and off of the field, where he was able to separate from being a Texas gentleman and fierce competitor who instilled fear in the eyes of his opponents. As a ten year old, Ryan is the athlete who I chose to lead me to safety from my nightmares. As an ace pitcher who was grounded in his values and his family, Ryan was probably a perfect choice. His Ryan Express fast ball most likely would have also instilled as much fear in the shark of my nightmares as it did in his opponents across two generations of ball players, as well as today’s ball players who still revere him as an ace hurler.
4 stars
August 1, 2019
Thoughts soon.
August 1, 2019
Very good biography of a legendary pitcher
while Nolan Ryan's baseball career was one of success and durability, there hasn't been !ugh written about his pitching career until this book by Rob Goldman was published. It covers Ryan's entire career and his early life as well. This latter aspect is best reflected early in the book when he began dating his future wife Ruth and in those early chapters it is clear to the reader that the two are a.loyal, devoted couple and the family values they place.on their home life.and instill in their children is quite evident.
The baseball portion of Ryan's life is cover fairly extensively with one notable observation. Ryan pitched for four major league teams in his career - the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. The reader will learn much about Ryan's successes and struggles with pitching and injuries for three of these teams - the Mets, Angels and Rangers. However, the amount of time spent discussing his Astros career is surprisingly much shorter than any of the other three teams. That is very surprising when one considers that during his time in Houston, it was the closest that Ryan would come to pitching in the World Series and also when he surpassed Walter Johnson and Steve Carlton to become the all-time leader in strikeouts.
Nonetheless, any reader who wants to learn more about thia.legendary pitcher will.do well to pick up this book. Full of many stories from his family, his friends and his teammates, it is sure to please the reader who has fond.memories of the "Ryan Express."
while Nolan Ryan's baseball career was one of success and durability, there hasn't been !ugh written about his pitching career until this book by Rob Goldman was published. It covers Ryan's entire career and his early life as well. This latter aspect is best reflected early in the book when he began dating his future wife Ruth and in those early chapters it is clear to the reader that the two are a.loyal, devoted couple and the family values they place.on their home life.and instill in their children is quite evident.
The baseball portion of Ryan's life is cover fairly extensively with one notable observation. Ryan pitched for four major league teams in his career - the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. The reader will learn much about Ryan's successes and struggles with pitching and injuries for three of these teams - the Mets, Angels and Rangers. However, the amount of time spent discussing his Astros career is surprisingly much shorter than any of the other three teams. That is very surprising when one considers that during his time in Houston, it was the closest that Ryan would come to pitching in the World Series and also when he surpassed Walter Johnson and Steve Carlton to become the all-time leader in strikeouts.
Nonetheless, any reader who wants to learn more about thia.legendary pitcher will.do well to pick up this book. Full of many stories from his family, his friends and his teammates, it is sure to please the reader who has fond.memories of the "Ryan Express."
April 15, 2016
Nolan Ryan was definitely on the back end of his career when I started becoming the avid baseball fan that I was as a kid. I knew he was a strikeout beast and could produce his fair share of walks as well. Of course, one of my favorite moments was the beat-down he gave to Robin Ventura.
This book definitely filled in a lot of blanks for me, in regards to Ryan's career. It never ceases to amaze me how many careers hang on a "right place at the right time" experience. I had little knowledge of Nolan's time with the Mets and can't help but wonder if he would have progressed the same had he stayed with them.
The book does a fair job, I believe of presenting both sides of the debate in regards to his dominance, his "wildness," and his place in regards to the great pitchers of all time. Of course, there is a tend towards pro-Ryan bias, but it is his biography after all.
Mostly I think the book did a good job of presenting Ryan the player and Ryan the person. Looks into his family life balance with looks at each season and you get a complete picture of the man.
Definitely a worthwhile read for any baseball enthusiast.
This book definitely filled in a lot of blanks for me, in regards to Ryan's career. It never ceases to amaze me how many careers hang on a "right place at the right time" experience. I had little knowledge of Nolan's time with the Mets and can't help but wonder if he would have progressed the same had he stayed with them.
The book does a fair job, I believe of presenting both sides of the debate in regards to his dominance, his "wildness," and his place in regards to the great pitchers of all time. Of course, there is a tend towards pro-Ryan bias, but it is his biography after all.
Mostly I think the book did a good job of presenting Ryan the player and Ryan the person. Looks into his family life balance with looks at each season and you get a complete picture of the man.
Definitely a worthwhile read for any baseball enthusiast.
June 30, 2020
By the time I was born, Nolan Ryan was already the strikeout leader. When I finally became a little leaguer, Nolan Ryan was nearing the sunset of his career, but to me he was this domineering legend. He was gruff, 40+ year Texan that could still throw the high heat. He was easily my favorite (non-Dodger) player.
Nolan Ryan’s career has been very polarizing. You either think he is the greatest of all time or you think he is one of the most overrated pitchers. But the one thing you cannot deny is his numbers: 7 no-hitters, 12 one-hitters, 18 two-hitters, and of course, 5714 career strikeouts. Any way you slice them, those are dominant numbers.
Yes, Ryan came from a different era of baseball. In fact, you can say Ryan pitched in multiple eras seeing that he pitched in four different decades.
But with good comes the bad, he leads with 2795 walks, 277 wild pitches, and he was never honored with the Cy Young Award.
All that said, if you love baseball and love the legend that is Nolan Ryan, you will love this book. The book, like Ryan, is not fancy. It does not try to do anything but share the story of Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr.
And, he named his son Reid, so that’s a plus in my book.
Nolan Ryan’s career has been very polarizing. You either think he is the greatest of all time or you think he is one of the most overrated pitchers. But the one thing you cannot deny is his numbers: 7 no-hitters, 12 one-hitters, 18 two-hitters, and of course, 5714 career strikeouts. Any way you slice them, those are dominant numbers.
Yes, Ryan came from a different era of baseball. In fact, you can say Ryan pitched in multiple eras seeing that he pitched in four different decades.
But with good comes the bad, he leads with 2795 walks, 277 wild pitches, and he was never honored with the Cy Young Award.
All that said, if you love baseball and love the legend that is Nolan Ryan, you will love this book. The book, like Ryan, is not fancy. It does not try to do anything but share the story of Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr.
And, he named his son Reid, so that’s a plus in my book.
July 20, 2021
The time has finally arrived that the story of baseball’s longest tenured pitcher - 27 total seasons in the professional ranks - is told, as established in “Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher.” Penned by longtime acquaintance and a former Angels batboy, Rob Goldman, each of Ryan’s years in the majors is narrated, with specific attention aptly given to each of his legendary 7 no-hitters. At times it feels that a chapter or statement isn’t fleshed out enough to drive the point home, at least on an emotional level. Honestly, this book is mostly made of bland prose and only offers the bare minimum to communicate the author's viewpoint. However, as this appears to be the most critically acclaimed biography on The Ryan Express yet published, the positives mostly outweigh my desire for additional sentimental payoffs.
August 15, 2017
This book was enjoyable at times, particularly his time with the Rangers. You know, how in the world does someone throw a n0-hitter and strike out 16 at age 43?
If I had a complaint, it would be the writer went overboard on the quotes from other ball players. Some brought a lot of insight, but others made it too much of a quote-dump.
But it's an enjoyable read.
If I had a complaint, it would be the writer went overboard on the quotes from other ball players. Some brought a lot of insight, but others made it too much of a quote-dump.
But it's an enjoyable read.
November 2, 2019
Contextual information as interesting as Ryan
A fascinating history and how he led many of the conditioning, biomechanics etc., before other pitchers etc. Only criticism, written through too rose-coloured glasses.
A fascinating history and how he led many of the conditioning, biomechanics etc., before other pitchers etc. Only criticism, written through too rose-coloured glasses.
September 10, 2018
Good sports biography. I learned a lot about what a great player, but often unreadable man, often thought about many things. Good insights.
February 8, 2021
I love learning about Nolan Ryan and how became the strikeout leader of all time.
October 16, 2022
Truly a great biography
July 4, 2024
A well written and fun book about a legend. The pace is great, the details are solid and the overall coverage is well laid out.
January 2, 2025
A good read for baseball fans
April 18, 2018
I had the opportunity to meet Rob Goldman during spring training this year in Surprise. Finding out a bit about him made the reading of Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher more delightful. I have grown to appreciate even more the journey these top athletes go on when they attempt to become professionals. Nolan Ryan became a star without losing touch with his roots and the people who made life meaningful after the blaze of glory ended. Delightful reading for anyone with baseball in their blood.
July 28, 2014
I saw this book and decided to read it on a whim. It's been many years since I've been a true diehard baseball fan, but Ryan's tenure with the Astros marked the years I first became a big fan. So reading this at least took me back to days of listening to the games I couldn't watch, to days of knowing all the players on the roster, and yes the days of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. This biography filled in for me the years before and after Ryan was an Astro but aside from that didn't offer much insight into what made him the pitching legend at which a young girl marveled. I enjoyed the book on a pure nostalgic level but it was not very well written and would really have benefited from more actual game/player stories.
February 6, 2015
First a disclaimer: I became a Nolan Ryan fan when he came to the then California Angels. I've admired his work ethic, his personal discipline, and humility. This book, written by a former Angel bat boy, give new insight into Ryan. It tells of his struggles and successes both on and off the field, and his commitment to his family and the teams he played for. It also gets into his post playing and his success with the Texas Rangers and helping make them a winning franchise. And then, being dumped by the team's owner. For Nolan Ryan fans, it will bring back some memories and explain some things that happened during his days with the Angels. For those who aren't fans, it will help them appreciate this phenomenal pitcher and his career.
November 7, 2014
This is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about Nolan Ryan's entire career. The author, who is personal friends with Ryan since his seasons with the Angels, lays out the foundation of what made Nolan Ryan become one of the greatest pitchers. Life circumstances, his wife Ruth, and many trusted trainers, coaches and teammates. I highly recommend this book for an inside peek into Nolan Ryan's life not just on the mound, but off.
I also wrote a review for NolanWritin.com if you would like to read more:
http://nolanwritin.com/2014/10/21/nol...
I also wrote a review for NolanWritin.com if you would like to read more:
http://nolanwritin.com/2014/10/21/nol...
August 4, 2017
He out-worked the rest
I had no idea about the work ethic of Nolan Ryan. That was what allowed him to pitch for 27 seasons and it is brought forth in this enlightening biography. The book is quite long at about 360 pages but I never found myself bored. That may have been because the book, and Ryan's career, divide so well into stages based on the four teams he pitched on. While the book is generally positive toward its subject, the author also a knowledges criticism about Ryan. Still, what comes through most is the hardworking nature of the man who was the hardest thrower in baseball history.
I had no idea about the work ethic of Nolan Ryan. That was what allowed him to pitch for 27 seasons and it is brought forth in this enlightening biography. The book is quite long at about 360 pages but I never found myself bored. That may have been because the book, and Ryan's career, divide so well into stages based on the four teams he pitched on. While the book is generally positive toward its subject, the author also a knowledges criticism about Ryan. Still, what comes through most is the hardworking nature of the man who was the hardest thrower in baseball history.
April 17, 2016
I read this book because I lost a bet on a football game. After slogging through the first half, I truly enjoyed the majority of the second half. That is my opinion from a reader/writer perspective.
As to baseball and my opinion of the story of Nolan Ryan (let it be known I enjoy baseball and my favorite baseball players have always been Rod Carew and my three sons) I found his career a fascinating read. I admire his dedication to work ethic, conditioning, and his wife and family. He and his wife were truly a team. Enjoyed it.
As to baseball and my opinion of the story of Nolan Ryan (let it be known I enjoy baseball and my favorite baseball players have always been Rod Carew and my three sons) I found his career a fascinating read. I admire his dedication to work ethic, conditioning, and his wife and family. He and his wife were truly a team. Enjoyed it.
May 26, 2015
Astros Fan
As a Houston Astros fan, I relished the times I was able to see Nolan Ryan pitch. This book only confrmed what I already knew about Nolan - that he was a tremendous role model and pioneer in the game of baseball.
As a Houston Astros fan, I relished the times I was able to see Nolan Ryan pitch. This book only confrmed what I already knew about Nolan - that he was a tremendous role model and pioneer in the game of baseball.
January 27, 2016
The Ryan Express... the story behind the legendary career
This was beyond epic...a record 27 year career in the majors....the unbeatable all time strikeout record... This is a must read for any sports fan....PERIOD
This was beyond epic...a record 27 year career in the majors....the unbeatable all time strikeout record... This is a must read for any sports fan....PERIOD
February 4, 2017
This book gives a detailed description of Nolan Ryan's life from childhood to the pros. The author uses a good mix of story telling and descriptions to give the book interesting and informative.
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