Nolan Ryan Astros Baseball Card All-Time Leader 1990 Upper Deck No 14/18

Nolan Ryan Astros Baseball Card All-Time Leader 1990 Upper Deck No 14/18 - Mint condition, see photos ... Includes FREE SHIPPING. Note sports memorabilia market hit $15 billion in 2024. Projections indicate it will reach $35 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 8% or so during the forecast period (2024-2032). 

Nolan Ryan's nine-season tenure with the Houston Astros (1980–1988) marked a pivotal era where "The Ryan Express" cemented his legacy as baseball’s strikeout king while leading his hometown team to new competitive heights. Signing baseball’s first million-dollar contract to return to Texas, Ryan delivered immediate impact, helping the Astros capture their first division title in 1980. His time in Houston was defined by historic milestones, most notably surpassing Walter Johnson’s all-time strikeout record in 1983 and throwing his fifth career no-hitter against the Dodgers in 1981—a feat that broke Sandy Koufax’s long-standing record. Despite frequently suffering from poor run support (famously leading the league in ERA and strikeouts in 1987 while finishing with an 8-16 record), Ryan remained a dominant force, amassing 1,866 strikeouts and a 3.13 ERA over 282 starts in an Astros uniform, a period that saw the franchise transition from perennial also-rans to serious contenders in the National League West.