Ryan and run support

[cardsagain74]

Most people talk about Ryan as if he's always been considered a mythical figure, but he wasn't really the toast of the town (especially his card values) until those final years in Texas. The no-hitter in '81 caught everyone's attention. But for the rest of the '80s he was somewhat forgotten for a long time.

So for the first half of the junk wax boom, his cards weren't a key in every pre 1980 set or highly sought after. He was just another HOF level pitcher to many.

But getting that 5000th strikeout, the last two no-hitters, Robin Ventura noogies, and putting up great numbers for someone in their mid-40s changed everything, and for good reason. Plus he always had the shiny thing factor of throwing a million mph going for him.

So even though his lifetime effectiveness wasn't at the elite level that his strongest pundits believe, it's easy to understand the lore behind his legacy.

[brian1961]

John, you are quite right; Nolan's cards did not explode until the early 90s. However, at that point in time, before the wretched strike, the baseball card hobby was extremely hot and Nolan Ryan cards were EXTRA HOT. In particular, his 1968 Topps rookie card. --- Brian Powell