On May 1, 1991, Nolan Ryan—one of the greatest pitchers of all time—threw his seventh career no-hitter. It was a historic night for baseball at Arlington Stadium, one that fans and the record books will never forget. Not only was Ryan, at age 44, the oldest player to throw a no-hitter, but he also extended his lead over Sandy Koufax, who ranks second on the all-time list with four.
Though this was Ryan’s second no-hitter for the Texas Rangers—and only the fourth in franchise history—it was his first at Arlington Stadium, on what was aptly Arlington Appreciation Night. Approximately 33,439 fans were on hand to watch the Rangers win 3-0 over the Toronto Blue Jays, one of the best hitting teams in the league that season.
Ironically, Ryan wasn’t feeling up to par before the game; he was dealing with a stiff back, sore bones, and even a bloody finger on his pitching hand acquired during warm-ups. Given the aches and pains, Ryan wasn’t expected to finish the game, and a no-hitter was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. Nonetheless, Ryan took care of business by hurling 122 pitches—83 of them strikes—and racking up 16 strikeouts.
After the historic win, Rangers manager Bobby Valentine popped the cork on a special bottle of champagne. Though it was being saved for a future World Series celebration, Valentine couldn’t resist a toast in Ryan’s honor. The performance remains one of the most memorable moments in the history of Arlington Stadium.
Pitching legend is picture-perfect
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – May 2, 1991
Newspapers.com
On May 1, 2022, to honor the achievement’s anniversary and the man himself, the Texas Rangers hosted a screening of Facing Nolan at Globe Life Field, a documentary detailing the legendary pitcher’s career.
Ryan’s MLB career spanned 27 seasons from 1966 to 1993. He joined the Texas Rangers in 1989 and remains one of the most popular and iconic players in franchise history. He holds over 50 MLB records, many of which—especially those seven no-hitters—will likely never be broken.
There have been only 326 no-hitters in Major League Baseball since 1876.
Nolan Ryan’s Career No-Hitters:
- May 15, 1973 (California Angels)
- July 15, 1973 (California Angels)
- September 28, 1974 (California Angels)
- June 1, 1975 (California Angels)
- September 26, 1981 (Houston Astros)
- June 11, 1990 (Texas Rangers)
- May 1, 1991 (Texas Rangers)
Nolan Ryan poster
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – May 3, 1991
Newspapers.com
Ryan acknowledges crowd after his seventh no-hitter
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – May 3, 1991
Newspapers.com
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 05-01-26
Jason S. Sullivan 