RYAN, LYNN NOLAN, JR.

n.

born Jan. 31, 1947, Refugio, Tex., U.S.

U.S. baseball pitcher.

Ryan was signed to a New York Mets minor league team in 1965. He played for the Mets (1968–71), California Angels (1972–79), Houston Astros (1980–88), and Texas Rangers (1989–93). In 1983 he became the first pitcher to surpass Walter Johnson 's 1927 record of 3,508 career strikeouts, and he retired in 1993 at the advanced age of 46 with an astonishing 5,714. He also set records for most strikeouts in a season (383 in 1973) and most no-hit games (7).