
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 700th 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 3rd 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).