7-31-90 . . . Nolan Ryan became the twentieth pitcher in major-league history to win 300 games. He did it this evening in Milwaukee, where the Texas Rangers defeated the Brewers, 11-3. Some will say that it was only a matter of time before Ryan reached the coveted goal—that winning 300 games is more a function of longevity than ability or skill. While there is some truth to this, it misses the point. It takes ability to win even one game at the major-league level. To win 300, one must win consistently over a period of many years (in Ryan’s case, twenty-three and counting). As I watched this evening’s game on television, I hoped that Ryan would have enough energy to complete nine innings. It would have been a great sight to see him strike out the final Brewer and be mobbed by his teammates. But alas, Julio Franco made two errors in the eighth inning, allowing a couple of Brewer runs to score and cut the Ranger lead to 5-3. Bobby Valentine, the Ranger manager, had to preserve the victory, so Ryan left the game to watch—and hope—from the dugout. Franco redeemed himself with a grand-slam home run in the ninth, and shortly thereafter the Brewers were retired. Ryan leapt from the dugout to congratulate and be congratulated by his teammates. It was a moving scene. And lest anyone think that Ryan backed his way into the 300 Club, recall that he pitched a no-hitter on 11 June, only fifty days ago. The man is amazing. 7-31-90 . . . Nolan Ryan became the twentieth pitcher in major-league history to win 300 games. He did it this evening in Milwaukee, where the Texas Rangers defeated the Brewers, 11-3. Some will say that it was only a matter of time before Ryan reached the coveted goal—that winning 300 games is more a function of longevity than ability or skill. While there is some truth to this, it misses the point. It takes ability to win even one game at the major-league level. To win 300, one must win consistently over a period of many years (in Ryan’s case, twenty-three and counting). As I watched this evening’s game on television, I hoped that Ryan would have enough energy to complete nine innings. It would have been a great sight to see him strike out the final Brewer and be mobbed by his teammates. But alas, Julio Franco made two errors in the eighth inning, allowing a couple of Brewer runs to score and cut the Ranger lead to 5-3. Bobby Valentine, the Ranger manager, had to preserve the victory, so Ryan left the game to watch—and hope—from the dugout. Franco redeemed himself with a grand-slam home run in the ninth, and shortly thereafter the Brewers were retired. Ryan leapt from the dugout to congratulate and be congratulated by his teammates. It was a moving scene. And lest anyone think that Ryan backed his way into the 300 Club, recall that he pitched a no-hitter on 11 June, only fifty days ago. The man is amazing.Twenty Years Ago
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Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 