Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan is the all-time strikeout king in Major League Baseball with 5,714 strikeouts and the holder of seven no-hitters -- records that are considered unbreakable. His 27-year playing career spanned from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s, making him one of the longest-tenured players in baseball history. His career earnings from baseball were modest by modern standards (the mega-contract era had not yet arrived), but his post-career business ventures have generated substantial wealth.

Ryan served as CEO and part-owner of the Texas Rangers, where he oversaw the team's operation and was involved in their 2010 and 2011 World Series runs. He also owns a cattle ranch in Texas that spans thousands of acres and has invested in banking (serving on the board of Express Employment Professionals) and beef production. Nolan Ryan Beef, his branded meat company, is distributed in supermarkets across the southern United States.

Ryan's endorsement partners have included Advil (famously pitching through pain), Justin Boots, and Rawlings. His net worth of $60 million reflects a career that predated the modern salary explosion but was supplemented by smart business ownership in ranching, banking, and sports management.