We live in an era in which major-league pitchers are routinely clocking 99 mph on their fastballs. A kid in Tennessee recently set the college record by clocking 105.5 mph, and the average fastball in the majors has a velocity of nearly 94 mph. But when we talk about the pitcher who threw hardest over the longest period of time, we’re talking about Nolan Ryan.
As we’re reminded in the consistently entertaining and old-fashioned documentary “Facing Nolan,” the unassuming but fiercely competitive down-home Texan started his career facing Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, et al., and wrapped it up 27 seasons later going up against Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas and Juan Gonzalez — when he was still throwing darts at 46. Ryan’s per-inning strikeout average was actually at its highest when he was between 39 and 46! Amazing.
