Nolan Ryan Parts Ways With Texas Rangers

Nolan Ryan is parting ways with the Texas Rangers effective at the end of October. The Hall of Famer also sold his ownership stake in the club to co-chairmen of the board Bob Simpson and Ray Davis.

Ryan left the door open for a possible return to the game, but said he won’t be CEO again. One of Ryan’s sons, Reid, is the president of the Houston Astros, but for now the Hall of Famer plans to spend time with his grandkids and work on his ranch in Texas.

ESPN reports that the Rangers announced Ryan’s retirement earlier on Thursday. Afterward, the Rangers’ CEO appeared at a news conference in Arlington about his future, saying:

“Will I be the CEO of another major league ballclub? No, I won’t. But I’m not going to sit here today and tell you that I don’t know what a year from now might bring.”

Nolan Ryan went on to say, “This might be the final chapter of my baseball career. If there was something else I did, it certainly wouldn’t be in the role I had with the Rangers.”

ABC News notes that Ryan became president of the Texas Rangers in February 2008 and added the title of CEO three years later. He was also part of the ownership group that purchased the team in August 2010, months before it won its first World Series.

There are no plans to name a new Rangers CEO. Instead, executive vice president of ballpark and event operations Rob Matwick will have added responsibilities. Davis will represent the club at MLB meetings and he and Simpson will rotate that job every two to three years.

Commissioner Bud Selig commented on Ryan’s retirement, saying, “Nolan’s unique perspective as a legendary player and an accomplished executive has been invaluable to the Rangers franchise.”

Nolan Ryan’s name has been synonymous with the Texas Rangers for decades.

[Image by Chuck Andersen via WIkimedia Commons]