Ryan different from young stars

I was happy to read on the front page of the NEWS Thursday nmorning about Nolan Ryan pitching his seventh no-hitter, not because I’m a rabid baseball fan, but because I’m proud to be a member of his generation.

Actually, he’s a member of my generation because I’m five years older. But the fact that a 44-year-old man – playing the game of baseball with individuals young enough to be his sons – continues to set records, is no small accomplishment.

Ryan pitched his seventh career no-hitter Wednesday night as his Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.

Last year, when he pitched his sixth no-hitter, he became the oldest player to accomplish that feat. He’s struck out more batters than any other pitcher and no one is close to his no-hit record. Sandy Koufax (there’s a name from the past) has four.

What I wonder is, will today’s younger pitchers, like Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox, equal the achievements of Nolan Ryan?

Somehow I doubt it. I think the Ryans of this world are a different type of individual than the Clemens of the world.

Nolan Ryan is a gentleman. He is a man who has a job to do, who goes out and does it. Period. He has staying power.

Perhaps it’s because I’m reading a book I should have read earlier (Summer of ’49) that I’m looking at baseball players a little more closely these days.

I’m thinking more about what kind of people they are and, as I’ve learned so far from my reading, baseball players have changed over the years.

We’ve changed them. We’ve changed them from sports heros to entertainment stars. And therein lies the difference between players of Ryan’s generation and players of Clemens’ generation.

I look at Ryan and recognize him as a legitimate sports hero, a legitimate role model for young boys and young girls.

I don’t have quite the same feeling when I look at the younger stars of today.

Unfortunately, the attitude of many of them toward their sport, themselves and their fans, makes me think of them more as stars than heros. And I wish that wasn’t so, because their athletic prowess impresses me greatly. We cannot deny the accomplishments made by the professional athletes of today, male or female.

It’s just that while some of those accomplishments are met by genuine humility and sincere pride, others are met with prideful boasts.

I guess Muhammed Ali started us down the “I’m the greatest” path, but I’m not sure it’s the path we should follow.

I recognize that athletes must believe in themselves, and take pride in what they do. But there is a refined, dignified way to display that pride.

That’s the lesson we learn from genuine sports heros like Nolan Ryan. Linda Hansen of the PVCC came in to apologize (see plant!) for misleading me on the PVCC golf/brunch invitation. It’s open to members of the PVCC only, so I’m running a correction.

TO THE RESCUE: The Penobscot Valley Country Club Women’s Golf Association brunch on May 8 is for association members only, and is not open to the public as I understood and wrote in this column yesterday. PVCC golfing and non-golfing members should make reservations by May 4.