A first-ballot Hall of Famer, Nolan Ryan amassed 5,714 career strikeouts to go with his 324 wins. In the collection is an endorsement questionnaire asking the eight-time All Star if he currently has any licensing contracts or product endorsements. At the time the contract was signed in 1974, even the game’s superstars were thin on money-making away from the diamond.

Nolan Ryan played in a Major League record 27 seasons from 1966-1993. During that time he made started 773 games, topped only by the 815 made by legendary hurler Cy Young. When Ryan made his 700^th start on August 28, 1990, he joined an exclusive club of only five members, the aforementioned Young, Don Sutton (756), Phil Niekro (716), Steve Carlton (709), and Tommy John (exactly 700). Since Ryan’s retirement Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens have joined the club with 740 and 707 respectively.

In the collection is the lineup card from the dugout on the day Ryan made career start #700. The Ryan Express went the distance against the Angels that night in Anaheim twirling a tidy 3-hitter while striking out 11. Ryan’s only hiccup occurred in the 3^rd inning. Aided by a walk, a wild pitch, the Halos put together a run on a groundout and another on a throwing error. It was enough to hand Ryan the loss.

Interestingly, on the night he joined just five other pitching greats in the 700-start club, his loss total reached 270, a total reached by five other Hall of Fame hurlers – Cy Young (315), Pud Galvin (310), Walter Johnson (279), and Phil Niekro (274).

Shown here are two autographed baseball cards, a 1986 Donruss card and a 1982 Topps highlight. Ryan led the league in stikeouts 11 times and posted 300 or more in five seasons. Interestingly, Ryan is Major League Baseball’s all-time career leader in both walks and strikeouts.