Q&A: Ryan on the art of the strikeout

Nolan Ryan pitched a record seven no-hitters and struck out a record 5,714 batters in a big league career that covered 27 seasons. He led a league in strikeouts 11 times, including four times after the age of 40.

Claudell Washington was his most common strikeout victim, going down 39 times in 102 plate appearances. Rod Carew, a fellow Hall of Famer, and his teammate briefly with the Angels, tied with Larry Hisle for fourth on the strikeout list with 29.

But it was pitcher Pat Jarvis who became the 19-year-old Ryan’s first big-league strikeout 50 years ago on Sunday. Jarvis, in fact, struck out in four of the six times he faced Ryan during his career.

Ryan is the subject of this week’s Q&A:

MLB.com: That debut in 1966, what do you remember?

Ryan: I came on in relief that first game against the Braves. I had to face Hank Aaron, Eddie Matthews, Felipe Alou, Joe Torre, some bigtime hitters. I had no clue about being in the big leagues. I’m 19 and spent the summer at the low-A level, made three starts at Double-A and there I was in the big leagues, the year after being drafted and signed. The first batter I faced was the Braves pitcher, Pat Jarvis. I don’t remember much about facing him. There was a lot going on in my mind.

MLB.com: Then came your first start, against the Astros.

Ryan: It was a week later and it was awful. One inning, four runs. I faced all nine batters in the lineup. I’m a year and a half out of high school and I’m starting at home (in Houston). I was overthrowing like crazy. I had given up a walk, two singles and a double before I got the first out, a strikeout of Rusty Staub. All three outs were …

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