That respect wound up being a big deal, as Ventura would manage Konerko over the last few years of his career.
So, there you have it. A young Paul Konerko was in the stands the night Robin Ventura attempted to take on Nolan Ryan. Ventura earned Konerko’s respect, and wound up being his major-league manager for a few seasons. That’s a fun coincidence.
To his credit, Ventura does seem to have a sense of humor about the whole thing.
Robin Ventura on Nolan Ryan: “I don’t know if it’s a state holiday in Texas … Do people get the day off for it?”