Nolan Ryan's Only World Series and His Save of Game 3 in 1969
I’ve always been fascinated by the career of the great Nolan Ryan.
The cornfed Hoss from Alvin, TX is, to me, the greatest pitcher in Major League Baseball history, due to his longevity, toughness, and durability. His “Ryan Express” fastball legitimately might be the greatest there’s ever been.
The all-time MLB leader in strikeouts and walks (5,714 and 2,795 respectively) and in the top 15 in career games started, innings pitched, shoutouts, wins, and wild pitches, Ryan had an incredible twenty-seven year career, spanning four decades. Picking up seven no-hitters along the road to Cooperstown in 1999, you’d think he’d have several World Series Championships under his belt as well.
I was under the assumption that Nolan had been a part of several World Series along his legendary career; however, he was only a part of one, and he only pitched in one game, out of the bullpen no less.
Of course, I’m talking about Game 3 of the 1969 World Series for the New York Mets against the Baltimore Orioles.
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The 1969 New York Mets were, are, and forever will be one of the greatest underdog teams in the history of sports.
The Mets was an expansion franchise in 1962, gaining New York a foothold in the National League for the first time since the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants went West in 1957. After two years in the Polo Grounds in Washington Heights, Manhattan, Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, NY became the official home of the club in 1964.
In the first seven seasons of the club, despite a loyal, passionate, and thriving fan base, the Mets never finished above ninth place. However, in 1968, the tide started to turn. With Johnny Murphy moving his way into becoming General Manager, and, alongside past GM Bing Devine, brought former Brooklyn Dodger great Gil Hodges back to New York to become the fourth Mets manager from the Washington Senators.
With a pitching core of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jim McAndrew, Don Cardwell, and a rookie Gary Gentry, the Miracle Mets had a great 1969 season, took over first place on September 10, 1969 from the Chicago Cubs, and never looked back. Combined with Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones having fantastic years, as well as Jerry Grote behind the plate, the boys from Queens became a national underdog sensation.
Nolan Ryan was a flexible pitcher for the club in ‘69. At the ripe age of 22, in 25 games pitched, he started 10, going 6-3 with a save in 89.1 innings. Although he had 92 strikeouts, he also had a 3.53 ERA and 53 walks. The one flaw in his game, especially in his early years, was his lack of control.
With his range and ability to be placed in any situation needed as the Mets prepared for their first postseason, Ryan was on the active roster for the 1969 National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves.
In Game 3, he would save the day.
With the Mets up two games to none and looking to sweep the series, Ryan came into the game in the third inning to relieve a struggling Gary Gentry, who had gotten off to a 2-0 deficit, thanks to a Hank Aaron home run in the top of the first.
Thankfully, once Nolan came in, the Mets scored seven runs over the next four innings. Ryan even got involved in the offense, hitting two singles and scoring a run following a Wayne Garrett two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth.
Ryan would pitch seven strong innings, giving up two runs off three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. His final out was a Tony Gonzalez soft grounder to Garrett at third. A toss over to first baseman Ed Kranepool later, and the New York Mets won the pennant! They were off to their first World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, who were the heavy favorite to win it all.
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After splitting the first two games at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, the Mets came back to Shea Stadium on October 14, 1969 to play their first ever World Series game at home. In front of 56,335 passionate die-hard fans, the “Amazin’s” took the field with Gary Gentry on the mound.
New York got off to a hot start on Orioles great Jim Palmer, scoring immediately with a Tommie Agee leadoff home run, making it 1-0. Then, in the bottom of the second, Gentry helped out his own cause, driving in two off a double to right center field, scoring Jerry Grote and Bud Harrelson, putting the Mets up 3-0.
With Gentry in cruise control, the Mets found another run in the bottom of the sixth, with the catcher Grote driving in Ken Boswell with an RBI double, making it 4-0.
However, in the top of the seventh, Gentry, who got the first two outs on fly balls to center, walked three straight batters - Mark Belanger, Dave May, and Don Buford - to load the bases. With Gentry losing control on the mound, manager Gil Hodges decided to go to the bullpen, which had both Ryan and lefty Tug McGraw warming up.
A save situation in play, due to the possibility of a grand slam, Gentry vacated to an ovation and in rode in #30 on the bullpen cart.
Side Note: Bring back the bullpen cart!
With the bases loaded, Ryan showcased his trademark Texas stoicism. His first pitch to the talented Blair was a fastball for strike one. Then, “the Ryan Express” blew by a swinging Blair for strike two.
On 0-2, Blair swung on a pitch that was outside and chipped it pretty deep to the right center field gap. However, thanks to an absolutely breathtaking sliding catch by the speedy Agee, the inning was over and the crisis was miraculously averted. Agee’s unreal grab saved a minimum of two runs.
Since Ryan entered with the game on the line, he was set-up for the save if the Mets wanted to keep him in.
Thankfully, they did.
Following a scoreless bottom of the seventh, Ryan came on to face the heart of the Orioles lineup: Frank Robinson, Boog Powell (the two runners-up for MVP in 1969 behind Harmon Killebrew from the Twins), and Brooks Robinson.
The ever-tough Frank worked Ryan up to a full-count. On Ryan’s eighth pitch to Robinson, the Orioles slugger took Nolan deep to left center field. Just in front of the wall, Agee made a perfect catch, just barely beating Cleon Jones to the spot, which allowed breath to enter the Mets fans lungs.
The next batter, Powell, had a pretty tough round against the Express. After going 0-2, including a swing-and-a-miss on a heater, Ryan went up and in on the stocky left handed batter, brushing him back and knocking him down in the batter’s box. Nolan, in firm control, threw another heater on the outside corner. Powell tried to hold his swing, but it was a strike regardless. Boog Powell went down looking.
Third-baseman Brooks Robinson was the next batter. After fouling off four balls, Ryan was worked to a full count, with ball three looking questionable after a fantastic curveball letter high on the inside corner. Finally, Ryan unleashed the Express upstairs, and the right-handed swinging Brooks swung and missed. A second straight strikeout from Ryan ended the inning.
After Ed Kranepool hit a solo homer off of Dave Leonhard with one out in the bottom of the eighth to make it 5-0, the Mets had a little more breathing room heading into the top of the ninth.
Ryan went to work quickly, getting Elrod Hendricks and Davey Johnson to fly out to right fielder Rod Gaspar, who replaced Art Shamsky in the top of the eighth. Then, a little drama ensued.
First, Mark Belanger walked. Then, pinch hitter Clay Dalrymple got a base hit, advancing Belanger to second. After Dalrymple was pinch-run for by Chico Salmon, Ryan walked Don Buford, loading the bases for Paul Blair.
With McGraw and righty Ron Taylor warming up in the bullpen, manager Gil Hodges strolled his way out to the mound to have a conversation with Ryan. In a show of faith, the former Brooklyn Dodger great showed immense confidence in the 22 year old and left him in.
Ryan began the at-bat against Blair with a fastball down the pipeline for strike one. Then, Ryan unleashed another Express, but Blair fouled it back for the second strike.
With an 0-2 count, Nolan Ryan was one strike away from getting out of trouble and ending the ballgame. Ryan, working quickly, wound up and threw a frozen rope - a 12-6 curveball that locked Blair in place.
STRIKE THREE. The Mets won Game 3 of the World Series 5-0.
From my perspective, it is the greatest curveball I’ve ever seen, just in front of Adam Wainwright’s fantastic pitch on Carlos Beltran in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. Truly, it was a thing of beauty. MLB.com, in an article from January 31, 2022, stated that “[it] may have been the most famous offspeed pitch Ryan ever threw.”
Ryan went 2 ⅓ innings, giving up one hit, two walks, and three strikeouts, earning the Save.
It was the only World Series game he pitched in for his entire career.
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The Mets wound up winning the World Series in five games, pulling off the most improbable victory of all time. To this day, it still ranks as one of the greatest underdog stories of all time.
The performance by Nolan Ryan in Game 3 of the 1969 Series showed the shades of dominance that was to come. His fastball was blazing and his curveball was on point. To a national audience, the future was bright.
After an inconsistent 1970 and 1971, the Mets traded Ryan to the California Angels before the 1972 season. The epic run of the Ryan Express would truly begin then.
Regardless, it’s amazing to me that 1969 was the only year in Nolan’s illustrious career that he pitched in a World Series. He made it to the American League Championship Series from 1979-1981 and the NLCS in 1986 for Houston against the Mets, but never made it back to the Series.
At least we have the Summer (and Fall) of ‘69. Nolan Ryan had a save to remember.
Bankie Bruce
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