Facing Nolan

I started "Facing Nolan" thinking "this will probably be dumb or boring, but I gotta check it out. It's Nolan Ryan." I did not regret it. It was fun, interesting, and I actually learned several things I never knew.

If you're thinking about checking this movie out, just do it.

If you even like baseball and you haven't seen it, you don't know what you are missing.

Those who have been around a while will appreciate the wonderful history that keeps coming. From Tom Seaver to Bo Jackson and every where in between. The longevity of this man is an anomaly at the least. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to see in person this "anomaly" we were witness to as good as it gets along with the personal character we all hope we can have and instill into our own children. I personally am proud to say I have met Mr. Ryan, and he is just as you see.

Facing Nolan: It's worth every God-damn second of your time!

Just want to clarify as mentioned in the documentary about Nolan Ryan being the only player in any sport to receive a million dollar contract.

Bobby Hull playing hockey on the WHA 1972 had a million dollar contract before NR.

Was a well presented documentary, absolutely mind-boggling how Nolan Ryan did not win a Cy Young award .

I watched Nolan Ryan pitch a few times and it was always an amazing display how hard he can throw that ball.

Nolan Ryan and Ferguson Jenkins are my two favorite pictures of all time.

108 mph fastball is just incredible considering he did not have much training in regards to weight training or coaching.

Congratulations on a great career and Hall of Fame enshrinement.

SXSW 2022 Greetings again from the darkness. Having been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember, I can list the handful of players that I got to see play in person who left me in utter awe of their talent. Lynn Nolan Ryan was definitely one of them, so when I saw Bradley Jackson's documentary listed on the SXSW schedule, I immediately sent my RSVP.

Jackson opens with the numbers: 7 no-hitters, 100.9 mph, 5714 career strikeouts, and 51 Major League Baseball records. Big Tex. The Ryan Express. If he wasn't flesh and blood, Nolan Ryan could be the lead character in a graphic novel. An intimidating player with a Texas drawl borne of his upbringing in tiny Alvin, Texas. We see a fuzzy clip of Nolan pitching in high school, and his wife Ruth drives us by his childhood home. As a long-time fan, I'm relieved to see that Ruth Ryan is finally exposed as a guiding force in his life and career. Their first date is recalled ... watching ROME ADVENTURE (Suzanne Pleshette, Troy Donahue) ... as is their second - a baseball game to see Sandy Koufax pitch. Ruth explains that Nolan had no aspirations of a professional baseball career, and instead was determined to become a veterinarian. It was Mets' scout Red Murff who changed the trajectory of animals and hitters everywhere when he convinced the team to draft Nolan.

Jackson includes interviews with players such as Pete Rose, Randy Johnson, and Jerry Grote (his catcher with the Mets). Rose talked about how difficult it was to face Nolan, while Johnson labels him the most intimidating pitcher of all-time. Others interviewed include Ryan's biographer Rob Goldman and former President George W Bush, who was one of the team owners when Ryan signed with the Texas Rangers.

Some terrific archival footage shows Nolan's World Series contribution to the 1969 Miracle Mets, his subsequent trade to Gene Autry's ("The Singing Cowboy") California Angels, and his early no-hitters and dominance. We learn about the impact of Tom Morgan, his first "real" pitching coach, and later, Ryan's stunning free agent contract with the Houston Astros - making him the first athlete to sign a million-dollar contract. Jackson even includes the replay of the moment in 1973 when Norm Cash came to the plate with a table leg instead of bat to face Ryan during his second career no-hitter.

More footage is shown of Ryan's 5th and 6th no-hitters, including Terry Puhl's running catch. What a fun moment it is when Mr. Puhl proves that, even to this day, he still has the clip of that catch on his iPhone. And yes, it was the Astros' blunder of inviting Nolan to take a 'hometown' pay cut, that drove him to sign with the cross-state rival Texas Rangers and write the final chapter of his storied baseball career. What followed was his 300th win, his 5000th strikeout, and remarkably, his 7th no-hitter. Of course, one of the most famous events of Ryan's career occurred in 1993 when Robin Ventura charged the mound against the 46-year-old Ryan. What's fascinating is how this is tied back to a previous incident with Dave Winfield years ago. Winfield discusses what happened, while Ryan admits to the impact.

The baseball content served up here is enough for any fan, but the real insight comes from the talks with Ruth and Nolan and their family members. Sure, he spent 27 years in the league and delivered a humble Hall of Fame induction speech (which is included here), but at the core of the player is the man with values ... the man Ruth chose so many years ago. The kids and grandkids speak of Nolan and Ruth as role models, and we witness firsthand the difference between the Hall of Fame pitcher and the man fishing on the riverbank or at the head of the table for family meals. We have Red Murff and Tom Morgan to thank for the pitching, Ruth Ryan to thank for the man, and Bradley Jackson to thank for this profile.

Facing Nolan (2022) maintains its integrity and consistently delivers the life and career of Nolan Ryan in a way that keeps even the non-baseball fans intrigued.

This documentary says it take a slight curve of the typical biographical documentary, but its still pretty similar. But as its description implies, Nolan Ryan's life and career is told from the perspective of the "batters" he faced in his life whether they be family setting him up for a challenge, coaches and executives questioning his ability to pitch , or actual baseball players he had gallantly opposed while on the mound. Ryan could not have had his career without these challengers constantly pushing him to improve and compete against his competition.

This is a pretty solid documentary. I liked the narrative , the many interviews (like the many batters he pitched against), and the use and explanation of the numbers fans and enemies use to describe is Hall of Fame career. My only complaint is that it while it remained truthful, this movie could be a little too sentimental making it stray from main narrative. But it always came back eventually.

Give it a watch. Even if you don't like baseball, you will be astonished by Nolan Ryan's career and legacy.