ANAHEIM, Calif. – Maybe Texas left-hander Robbie Ross should have gotten some advice from team president Nolan Ryan on how to milk a cow.
He could have used it.
Ross was the Rangers' participant in a cow-milking contest before Friday's game at Angel Stadium as part of Dairy Night in Anaheim. Ross, who was dressed in his typical pregame cowboy hat and vest, was pitted against another rookie in Los Angeles outfielder Kole Calhoun.
It wasn't much of a contest. Despite getting encouragement from teammates Joe Nathan, Mark Lowe, Derek Holland and pitching coach Mike Maddux, he was no match for Calhoun.
Each player milked a cow for two minutes before switching to the other's cow. By the time it was over, Ross had 1/4 pound of milk to two pounds for Calhoun.
Before the contest, Ross – a Kentucky native – said he had never milked a cow, though he did milk a goat as a kid.
If Ross goes on to have the same kind of career as Ryan, maybe Friday will be the key. When he was with the New York Mets, Ryan squared off against Pittsburgh's Willie Stargell in a milking contest of future Hall of Famers.
Ryan said that when he played contests like this were common. There were also egg-throwing contests and cow-chip throwing contests as several teams had farm days.
As for his matchup against Stargell? It was no contest.
"I blew him away," said Ryan, who didn't do any more milking contests after the one against Stargell because it made his forearm sore. "It was embarrassing how little he had in his pail. I don't think I won anything but bragging rights. I'm still bragging."
Unfortunately for Ross, he'll have nothing to brag about after Friday.
