Texas Rangers: The Curse of Nolan Ryan. Real or Myth?

Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Remember Robert Redford’s bat, Wonderboy, in The Natural? How about 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner’s rise to fame as the Chicago Cubs ace pitcher in Rookie of the Year? Heck, you don’t even have to look at baseball movies to see how laced with superstition baseball is (no pun intended).

Detroit Tiger’s star Justin Verlander eats Taco Bell before every start. No, seriously.

Atlanta Braves closer Jason Grilli used to put baseball cards in his shoes so he could “absorb their power.” Some players avoid the freshly chalked foul line as they take the field, while others intentionally step on it.

And, of course, there was the 86 year “Curse of the Bambino,” in which the Boston Red Sox failed to win a title after selling Hall of Famer Babe Ruth to the Yankees. So, should the Texas Rangers and their fans fear the so-called “Curse of Nolan Ryan?” History says yes.

Let’s look at this from a historical perspective first. If we’re even going to talk about a “curse”, much less the “Curse of Nolan Ryan”, we need something to compare it to. So, even though the Rangers haven’t experienced an 86 year title drought, they are one of only seven teams in Major League Baseball to never win a World Series. For the sake of time, and my argument, let’s compare this to the Curse of the Bambino.

Next: Rangers Take the Place of Red Sox