High Heat (36 page)
Authors: Tim Wendel
Still, I'm comfortable with my choice. When it comes to the gift of high heat, and what can truly be accomplished with such a boon seemingly handed down from above, none did better than “the Express.”
The Top Twelve
NOLAN RYANâ² Nicknamed â²The Expressâ²
â² Recorded seven no-hitters and 12 one-hitters
â² Struck out a record 383 in 1973
â² Hall of Fame: 1999
â² President of Texas Rangers
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
â² Nicknamed â²White Lightningâ²
â² Never reached the major leagues
â² Was the basis for the character Nuke LaLoosh in the movie
Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
â² Nicknamed â²Rapid Robertâ²
â² Pitched three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters
â² Led the American League in victories six times
â² Hall of Fame: 1962
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
â² Nicknamed â²Barneyâ² and â²The Big Trainâ²
â² Part of the original class in the Hall of Fameâ1936
â² Won 417 games, often with a losing team behind him
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
â² Had four no-hitters in four years, capped by a perfect game in 1965
â² Fanned 18 in a game twice
â² Hall of Fame: 1972
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
â² Knicknamed â²The Kidâ²
â² Played at Ferrum College, where he averaged a record 19.1 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched
â² Randy Johnson taught him how to throw a slider
Photo courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
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