Nolan Ryan's Rangers Contract Up for Auction
Nolan Ryan’s final contract with the Texas Rangers is up for auction through Dec. 16 through an online auction at Huggins & Scott Auctions.
The significance of the contract is that it features the signatures of both Ryan and then-Rangers managing general partner George W. Bush, who went on to become the governor of Texas and the 43rd President of the United States.
The auction began at $5,000, and as of Dec. 7, there was one bid.
Nolan Ryan's final Major League contract with the Texas Rangers
Courtesy of Huggins & Scott Auctions
Because of the nature of the contract, three different documents are included, with seven Ryan signatures and one Bush signature. Then-Rangers general manager Tom Grieve’s signatures are also included, along with a letter of authenticity.
One document is what is called the 1989 Uniform Player’s Contract, which is what Ryan signed after his agreement with the Rangers at the 1988 winter meetings. That document also features the signature of then-American League president Bobby Brown. The document outlines his base salary ($1.6 million) and bonus structure for the season. It served as the base agreement for his five seasons with the Rangers.
The second is the 1990 addendum. This was the Rangers’ option to keep Ryan on through 1991 and came with a $3 million base salary. Ryan signed the document on April 9, 1990..
The third is the 1991 addendum, and this is the document that features both Ryan’s and Bush’s signatures. Signed on Aug. 11, 1991, it extended Ryan’s contract through the end of his career.
The 'Ryan Express' joined the Rangers for the 1989 season, and finished fifth in Cy Young voting after going 16-10 and led the American League in strikeouts at age 42. While with Texas, he recorded his 5,000th career strikeout, his 300th career win and threw his sixth and seventh career no-hitters. During his time with the Rangers, Ryan went 51-39 with a 3.43 ERA and 939 strikeouts.
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