Though I’m not a huge baseball fan, Nolan Ryan is one of my favorite players, especially from his time with the Texas Rangers. I finally watched Facing Nolan, a documentary about the man himself, and jotted down some notes. While I had planned to quickly turn those notes into a highlight-reel blog post, I “benched” it for over a year. What follows is pieced together from those old scribbles, what I remember, and what I know. Better late than never, right? The documentary was top-notch, though, and even as a passive sports fan, I found it engaging and fascinating. Highly recommended.
Facing Nolan
Facing Nolan is a 2022 documentary about Nolan Ryan’s legendary baseball career. It features interviews with teammates, opponents, colleagues, and friends, highlighting notable moments throughout his journey—the untouchable records, strikeout milestones, the seven no-hitters, and of course, his infamous brawl with Robin Ventura. Watching it, I especially enjoyed the vintage footage of Arlington Stadium, as well as the more intimate moments with his family.
Ryan, born in Refugio, Texas, in 1947, grew up in Alvin, near Houston. The youngest of six children, he played Little League as a youth. In high school, where he was voted “most handsome,” he briefly played basketball before returning to baseball. After seeing Sandy Koufax pitch, Koufax became his idol; remarkably, Ryan proceeded to break his records a decade later.
Facing Nolan (2022)
Written and Directed by Bradley Jackson
Ryan originally wanted to be a veterinarian and assumed his baseball career would be brief. Nonetheless, he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1965, spending a year in their minor league farm system. He began his MLB career in 1966 as a relief pitcher because coaches thought he was unpolished and lacked control. The team won the World Series in 1969, surprisingly marking 22-year-old Ryan’s only championship appearance. Despite the success, Ryan had to work an HVAC job in the off-season to make ends meet. He wanted to quit baseball entirely, but his wife, Ruth, convinced him to stick with it.
In 1972, Ryan was traded to the California Angels, finding his stride after refining his form and mechanics. The following season, he notched 383 strikeouts, beating Koufax’s single-season record, which still stands today. He also threw his first two no-hitters. His skill and grit exploded from there. Ryan got better as he aged, later playing for the Houston Astros (1980–1988) and the Texas Rangers (1989–1993). For me, his time with the Rangers was the most fascinating part of the documentary, and I would love to see an in-depth look at just that era.
Ryan threw hard and fast, the ball exploding out of his hand. With 51 Major League records—many considered unbreakable, including 5,714 career strikeouts and seven no-hitters—Ryan’s legacy has reached mythological status. Known for an overpowering fastball and unparalleled longevity driven by grit and rigorous training, he retired in 1993. His 27 years in the league concluded a career that was truly larger than life.
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 07-18-26
Jason S. Sullivan 