Throughout the Ages, Nolan Ryan Never Ceases to Amaze

Who would have known about Nolan Ryan?

Jack McKeon didn’t.

“He was coming off the rubber on every pitch, and I was griping all night long to the umpires,” said McKeon, who lives in San Diego on money being paid to him by the Padres, who fired him as manager and vice president a year ago.

“I knew he was a young guy and I thought he might get rattled,” said McKeon, who was managing the Kansas City Royals when Ryan made them his first no-hit victim, 3-0, on May 15, 1973. “Who knew?”

That night in Kansas City, McKeon grew steadily irate and, in the third inning, announced the Royals were playing the game under protest.

“Then, about the sixth inning, I said to myself ‘Hey, this guy’s got something going,’ ” McKeon said Wednesday. “I didn’t gripe anymore. As a matter of fact, after the game I was the first guy to congratulate him.”

Still, he had seen no-hitters. He didn’t know. Who knew?

It was the no-hitter “that placed him with Clyde Wright and Bo Belinsky as Angel no-hit pitchers,” wrote Times’ writer Ron Rapoport after Ken Berry had ranged back to the warning track in right field to flag down Amos Otis’ fly ball for the final out.

Who knew? Nolan Ryan didn’t.

“I never honestly felt I was the type of pitcher to pitch a no-hitter,” he told reporters after he had done just that. “My curveball isn’t overpowering, and later when you’ve gone through the lineup once or twice, the hitters can get on the fastball better. A lot of that’s timing. I don’t have the type of fastball that really moves. A lot of guys have that explosive type of fastball that really moves.”

Two months later in Detroit, he struck out 17 Tigers in a 6-0 no-hit victory. Clyde Wright and Bo Belinsky? Ryan had entered the eighth inning with 16 strikeouts, two behind Bob Feller’s American League record for a game.

“I wasn’t concentrating on strikeouts,” Ryan said. “I didn’t want that to get in the way of the no-hitter. I think I’ll have another shot at the record, but I may not have another chance at a no-hitter.”

He did at age 27.

In his final start of 1974, Ryan told catcher Tom Egan: “I think I’ll let it all hang out. What have I got to lose?”

He was wild that night, Sept. 28, walking eight in beating the Twins, 4-0. Perhaps effectively wild. He struck out 15, including Eric Soderholm for the game’s final out.

It was Ryan’s third no-hitter. Only Feller had thrown as many in the American League. Only Sandy Koufax, with four, had thrown more in any league.

Less than a year later, June 1, 1975, Ryan no-hit Baltimore, 1-0, striking out nine. It was his 100th victory, ending when he struck out Bobby Grich on a changeup.

“You knew anytime he went out there he could throw a no-hitter,” McKeon said. “I mean, I didn’t know when he threw his first one, but after that you knew.”

At 34 he was in the National League, with Houston, which had been willing to pay him $1 million a year when the Angels wouldn’t. It was Sept. 26, 1981, and Ryan struck out 11 Dodgers in a 5-0 no-hit victory.

Comparisons came quickly.

“That brings back memories of when Sandy Koufax was pitching, when a foul ball was a moral victory,” said Don Sutton, a Ryan teammate with the Astros and formerly a Dodger with Koufax.

Ryan retired the last 19 Dodgers in order, using 48 pitches over the last five innings. The final one, by Dusty Baker, came on a groundout to third baseman Art Howe.

By now, he knew. Everybody knew. “I’m quite excited,” Ryan said. “This is what I have wanted to do ever since I threw the fourth one, since I was the only one who was going to have the opportunity. Probably when I look back, this is the one I’ll favor most.”

How could there be another?

Who pitches at 43, much less throws a no-hitter? Who knew?

Reese Ryan knew. It was June 11, 1990. He was 14 and nervous. His dad had a sore back, but the A’s had no hits. “Reese was on his side, looking up at him, patting him on the leg and rubbing his back,” said Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine, who had played center field in Ryan’s first no-hitter. “It was a Norman Rockwell scene.”

After eight innings, Reese told his father, “We only need three more.”

The last was Willie Randolph, retired on a fly ball in a 5-0 victory.

Who could know there would be one more? Jack McKeon knew.

“I was watching it on the television set,” he said of No. 7. “We’re talking about Christy Mathewson, Sandy Koufax--the guys who were at the top of the game when they played. He’s there with them.”

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Date Team Opponent, Site Score Last Batter May 15, 1973 Angels Royals at Kansas 3-0 Amos Otis City July 15, 1973 Angels Tigers at Detroit 6-0 Norm Cash Sept. 28, 1974 Angels Twins at Anaheim 4-0 Eric Soderholm June 1, 1975 Angels Orioles at Anaheim 1-0 Bobby Grich Sept. 26, 1981 Astros Dodgers at Houston 5-0 Dusty Baker June 11, 1990 Rangers Athletics at Oakland 5-0 Willie Randolph May 1, 1991 Rangers Blue Jays at Texas 3-0 Roberto Alomar

Date Out May 15, 1973 Fly ball July 15, 1973 Popup Sept. 28, 1974 Strikeout June 1, 1975 Strikeout Sept. 26, 1981 Groundout June 11, 1990 Fly ball May 1, 1991 Strikeout