The day Nolan Ryan took Robin Ventura to the woodshed
One of the most iconic moments from the 90's was the Ryan/Ventura fight. The outcome would solidify the legend of Ryan. The "Don't Mess With Texas" vibe from the video was so popular it was featured regularly on the video board at Texas Rangers games & would send the crowd into a frenzy. Unfortunately for the fans the showing of the video ceased in 2012 when Ventura became manager of the Chicago White Sox.
It was in August of 1993. The 46 year old Ryan was in his last season as a player. The bad blood between the White Sox & Rangers didn't start with the fight. It all started in 1991 during a game between the two teams.
Ryan beaned Ventura in the back in a late season game in 1991. Ventura was taught to crowd the plate to gain an advantage of the outside corner. To Ryan, the outside of the plate was his property and if you encroach on his property you were going to pay.
Fast forward to two days before the fight. Rangers pitcher Roger Pavlik hit the catcher for the Sox Ron Karovice. By the end of the game, Chicago would get revenge by hitting Dean Palmer & Mario Diaz.
"We had a lot of going back and forth that season. Guys were getting hit regularly, and it was just one of those things where something was going to eventually happen." says Ventura.
Two days later, White Sox starter Alex Fernandez would bean one of Texas best player Jaun Gonzalez. Ryan responded by hitting the 26 year old Ventura with the first pitch in the back the very next inning.
Ventura would grimace for a second and take a couple steps towards first until he got the bright idea of V-lining it to the mound in an effort to teach Ryan a lesson.
Ryan immediately put the young Ventura in a headlock as if he was a steer ready for branding. What followed was five roundhouse blows to Venturas head.
The benches cleared and eventually the scrum was broken up with Ventura getting ejected. Ryan surprisingly was not ejected from the game and worked seven innings in the Rangers 5-2 win.
George W. Bush, part owner of the Rangers at the time was sitting in a box seat near the dugout of the time and said he considered running out to the field during the brawl also.
“I thought about it, but then I saw Bo coming out and decided to stay where I was,” said Bush. Refering to Bo Jackson, the very strong and intimidting two sport athlete who payed for the Sox at the time.
