This is photographic evidence that Nolan Ryan was a badass. How can you not love this dude?
Here are three young guys on the Miracle Mets of 1969, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Nolan Ryan.
Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan in 1969
Source: Getty Images & ESPN
Here is Nolan at spring training in 1973 with the California Angels. This was the year he would break the single season strikeout record, fanning 383 unfortunate and helpless American League hitters.
Angels hurler Nolan Ryan pitches from the Angels Stadium mound in Palm Springs, 1973. Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, Young Research Library, UCLA. Used under a Creative Commons license.
Here he is warming up in the Astrodome for a game against the San Francisco Giants.
Nolan Ryan warms up for the 1986 season opener at the Astrodome against the Giants
Source: AP File Photo
His last team was the Texas Rangers and below is a photo of him on the mound about to deliver a blazing fastball.
Nolan Ryan with the Texas Rangers
Below is the famous Robin Ventura charging the mound, getting headlocked and pounded by Nolan Ryan, 20 years older than him. This was in August of 1993, the year Ryan would retire.
Nolan Ryan pounds on Robin Ventura (Ivan Rodriguez is the catcher)
