It Was Merely Another Out to No. 1 : Ryan’s First Victim Doesn’t Recall Striking Out in ’66

Pat Jarvis, a former pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and now a sheriff in suburban Atlanta, was Nolan Ryan’s first strikeout victim in the major leagues--but didn’t think much about it.

Ryan, 42, of the Texas Rangers struck out 13 Tuesday night to become the first pitcher to reach 5,000 strikeouts, in a 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics. He now has 5,007.

Jarvis, sheriff of DeKalb County for the last 13 years, pitched in the major leagues for eight years, with Atlanta and Montreal. Jarvis, who had a .121 lifetime average as a hitter, doesn’t recall that time at bat on Sept. 11, 1966, against Ryan.

“I really don’t remember,” Jarvis, 48, said. “I’ve been getting calls from all over the country and I tell everyone the same thing: ‘I can’t remember.’ ”

Jarvis, called up from triple-A Richmond by the Braves in September of 1966, batted 22 times that season but didn’t get a hit. He struck out against the 19-year-old Ryan.

“Everybody knew of him, but he was so wild no one wanted to dig in on this guy,” Jarvis said. “I’m sure I was standing way in back of the box and giving him the whole plate.”

Ryan, who also was recalled from the minors late in the 1966 season, by the New York Mets, pitched only three innings that season, but struck out six. He spent 1967 in the minor leagues before returning to the majors in 1968.

“I didn’t know from Adam’s housecat who Nolan Ryan was,” Jarvis said. “But I’ll be associated with him any day of the week.”