I put together a little thing for an email list I’m on when I feel like doing so, but today’s is such a special one, and such a vivid memory from my childhood, that I wanted to share it with you all. So, without further ado…
August 4, 1993: In the 3rd inning on a hot Texas afternoon, Nolan Ryan hits 26 year old Robin Ventura with a pitch. In what must have seemed like a great idea at the time, Ventura charges the mound. The result is captured in the immortal image below:
Ah, memories...
It was a scene that was broadcast nationwide and replayed at least umpty-billion times. The 46 year old Ryan (that’s a 20 year gap for those of you keeping score at home), in a move he later claimed to have learned as a youth to subdue cattle on his Texas ranch, proceeded to put Ventura in a headlock and beat the absolute living shit out of him. This is the only video I can find of it right now and it doesn’t really do it justice, but I remember being 12 and watching this on the Sunday Game of the Week. It was merciless. It was like something from a middle school hallway. Robin Ventura bled, a lot, and was probably lucky to not get his nose broken.
So anyway, this goes on for some little while, until one of Ryan’s teammates (a young Pudge Rodriguez) pulls Ryan back, obviously pitying Ventura for being utterly unmanned on national television. Ventura would go on to play professional ball for thirteen years, get elected to the All Star Team twice, win six Gold Gloves and hit 294 home runs. But he would always and forever be remembered as the man Nolan Ryan beat the piss out of. This here is an object lesson in the price of fame, kids.
To add even more insult to already sufficient injury, Ventura and Sox manager Gene Lamont were ejected from the game. Ryan was not even warned, as he had never left the mound. Ryan did not allow another hit for the remainder of the game.
There’s a lesson to be learned here. And that lesson is this: Nolan Ryan will totally kick your ass, and when he’s done he will tell you to get the fuck off his lawn, son.
Have a great Monday, everyone.
-p.
