Ryan in hospital with chest pains

HOUSTON â€“ Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan is back in the hospital after having chest pains on a recent business trip.<br><br>The 53-year-old strikeout king underwent double-coronary bypass surgery in

Tuesday, October 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HOUSTON â€“ Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan is back in the hospital after having chest pains on a recent business trip.

The 53-year-old strikeout king underwent double-coronary bypass surgery in April. He was admitted to St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital on Monday.

"He is doing fine. He is resting," hospital supervisor Consuelo DeCarlos told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Doctors determined Ryan did not have a heart attack and that he will be released in a few days, hospital spokeswoman Sandra Warner said in Tuesday's Houston Chronicle. The former pitcher was receiving further tests.

Warner said Ryan was looking forward to watching the World Series with his family.

Ryan, who had 5,714 career strikeouts and pitched a record seven no-hitters, underwent emergency heart surgery on April 23 at the Heart Hospital of Austin. Tests then showed he had substantial blockage in a main coronary artery, but did not have a heart attack at that time, either.

After the April operation, Ryan planned to cut back on travel and personal appearances but make few changes in business ventures, including a bank, a ranch and a minor league baseball team in which he is part-owner.

Physicians who treated Ryan in April said they expected him to make a complete recovery, but noted he would have been in danger of a life-threatening heart attack if he had not immediately addressed his symptoms.

Ryan, who lives in Alvin, spent 27 years in the majors, including nine with the Houston Astros (1980-88) and six with the Texas Rangers (1989-94). He also pitched for the New York Mets and California Angels.

Ryan, who won 324 games, was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.