Inside Nolan Ryan's Legendary Fight With Robin Ventura

The fight between the two men became iconic, and it's a common fixture in highlight packages to this day. Ryan retired at the end of the season, but Ventura went on to play until 2004, earning two career All-Star appearances and six Gold Gloves, per Baseball Reference.

According to NBC Sports, future Major Leaguer Paul Konerko was in the stands that day and had even gotten the chance to meet Robin Ventura before the game. Konerko said that Ventura's against-type decision to charge at the legendary — and famously tough — Ryan didn't tarnish his perception of him, it improved it. "That made me think nothing less of him, only more because anybody who's going to charge Nolan Ryan, you gotta have..." Konerko said before taking a second to think. "You gotta have some guts, let's just put it that way."

The moment somehow managed to raise Ryan's already lofty profile. Konerko recalled that every inning the Hall of Fame Pitcher appeared in after that was met with ceaseless "Nolan, Nolan!" chants from the Texas Rangers faithful.

In one final strange coincidence, Robin Ventura went on to become the manager of the Chicago White Sox in 2012. His first game was in Arlington against the Texas Rangers, whose team president at the time was none other than Nolan Ryan.

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