hop icons. The group’s popularity also brought rap
and hip-hop into the cultural mainstream, one of
Run-D.M.C.’s greatest accomplishments.
Further Reading
McDaniels, Darryl, with Bruce Haring.King of Rock:
Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-D.M.C.
New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001.
Ro, Ronin.Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemp-
tion of Run-D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay.New York:
Amistad, 2005.
Matthew Schmitz
See also African Americans; Hip-hop and rap;
MTV; Music; Music videos; Public Enemy.
Ryan, Nolan
Identification Professional baseball player
Born January 31, 1947; Refugio, Texas
Because of his record-breaking accomplishments as a base-
ball player, Ryan is recognized as one of the greatest pitchers
in the histor y of Major League Baseball.
After graduating from high school
in 1965, Nolan Ryan signed a con-
tract to pitch for the New York
Mets. After pitching for the Mets
from 1966 to 1971, he played for
the California Angels from 1972 to
- He pitched two no-hitters in
1973 and two more in 1974. Ryan
became the first professional base-
ball player to sign a million-dollar
contract when he joined the Hous-
ton Astros in 1980. Ryan, whose
fastballs often exceeded 100 miles
per hour, was dubbed the “Ryan
Express” by the media and other
players.
In 1981, Ryan led the National
League with a 1.69 earned run av-
erage, and he set the Major League
Baseball (MLB) record for no-
hitters when he pitched his fifth on
September 26, 1981. He registered
his second career postseason win
with a victory over the Los Angeles
Dodgers and Fernando Valenzuela in the National
League division series. On April 27, 1983, Ryan es-
tablished the MLB career record for strikeouts when
he recorded number 3,509, surpassing the mark
long held by Walter Johnson. After battling injuries
during two frustrating seasons in 1984 and 1985,
Ryan returned to top form in 1986 and struck out
194 batters in 178 innings. He earned his 250th ca-
reer victory on August 27, 1986. Although he had a
poor 8-16 record in 1987, he struck out 270 hitters in
212 innings and became the only pitcher in MLB his-
tory to register 2,000 strikeouts in each of the Ameri-
can and National Leagues.
At the end of the 1988 season, Ryan signed a con-
tract to play for the Texas Rangers. On June 3, 1989,
he pitched his eleventh career one-hitter. He be-
came the only pitcher in MLB history with 5,000
strikeouts when he struck out Rickey Henderson on
August 22, 1989. During the 1989 campaign, he re-
corded 301 strikeouts, which was the sixth time that
he had more than 300 strikeouts in one season.
While playing for the Rangers, Ryan pitched his
sixth no-hitter in 1990 and recorded number seven
in 1991.The Eighties in America Ryan, Nolan 839
Houston Astro Nolan Ryan pitches against the Chicago Cubs on August 23, 1984.
Ryan struck out twelve batters during the game.(AP/Wide World Photos)