Hall-of-Famers as Seen Through Player Won-Lost Records: Nolan Ryan

• Nolan Ryan led his league in strikeouts eleven times. He also led the league in the fewest hits allowed per nine innings eleven times. He led the league in ERA, shutouts, and WHIP (fewest walks plus hits allowed per nine innings) twice each.


• Ryan holds career records in strikeouts (5,714) and fewest hits per nine innings (6.555). He also holds the career record for walks (2,795). He is second in major-league history in games started (773, #1 is Cy Young), fifth in career innings pitched (5,386), and seventh in career shutouts (61).


• In addition to his major-league record 7 no-hitters, Nolan Ryan also threw 12 career one-hitters, tied with Bob Feller for the most in major-league history. Nolan Ryan threw 37 complete games in his career allowing 2 hits or fewer, more than twice as many as any other pitcher in major-league history: Jim Palmer and Jim Maloney had 17 such games apiece.


• Nolan Ryan was the oldest player in the American League in each of his last four seasons, 1990 through 1993. In 1990, at the age of 43, Nolan Ryan led the American League in age, strikeouts (232), WHIP (1.034), hits per nine innings (5.3), threw his sixth no-hitter, and earned his 300th pitcher win. In 1991, at the age of 44, Ryan led the league in age, WHIP (1.006), hits per nine innings (5.3), and strikeouts per nine innings (10.6), while throwing his seventh and final no-hitter.


• The four teams for whom Nolan Ryan played in his major-league career were the first four expansion teams in major-league history: the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers (who debuted as the Washington Senators).