Options
The most amazing sports records
doubledragon
Posts: 22,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
I need a project to work in, so I'm going to do a thread about amazing sports records.
0
doubledragon
Posts: 22,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
doubledragon
Posts: 22,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
Comments
Bob Beamon's long jump record in the 1968 Olympics was impressive.
Below is the long jump records from 1960 forward. Beamon's jump was almost 2 feet farther than the previous best; and when Beamon's jump was surpassed by Mike Powell in1991, Powell's jump was only 2 inches farther than Beamon's.
8.21 m (26 ft 11 in) 0.0 Ralph Boston (USA) Walnut, United States 12 August 1960[1]
8.24 m (27 ft 1⁄4 in) 1.8 Ralph Boston (USA) Modesto, United States 27 May 1961[1]
8.28 m (27 ft 1+3⁄4 in) 1.2 Ralph Boston (USA) Moscow, Soviet Union 16 July 1961[1]
8.31 m (27 ft 3 in) A −0.1 Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS) Yerevan, Soviet Union 10 June 1962[1]
8.33 m (27 ft 3+3⁄4 in)[2] Phil Shinnick (USA) Modesto, United States 25 May 1963[3]
8.34 m (27 ft 4+1⁄4 in) 1.0 Ralph Boston (USA) Los Angeles, United States 12 September 1964[1]
8.35 m (27 ft 4+1⁄2 in)[4] 0.0 Ralph Boston (USA) Modesto, United States 29 May 1965[1][5]
8.35 m (27 ft 4+1⁄2 in) A 0.0 Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS) Mexico City, Mexico 19 October 1967[1]
8.90 m (29 ft 2+1⁄4 in) A 2.0 Bob Beamon (USA) Mexico City, Mexico 18 October 1968[1]
8.95 m (29 ft 4+1⁄4 in) 0.3 Mike Powell (USA) Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan 30 August 1991[1]
Cy Young's 749 complete games.
Cy Young holds the MLB record for complete games with 749. During a 22-year career, Young pitched 7,356 innings, also a record. Young also holds records for wins, losses, starts, hits allowed and earned runs allowed.
Babe Ruth's 587 foot home run.
MLB Statcast has only been used in this century, but baseball fans have always been enamored with tape-measure home runs. In 1919, media reported that Babe Ruth swatted a 587-foot homer at Tampa’s Plant Field. Some historians have speculated the home run was closer to 550 feet, but it remains a monstrous feat regardless and is earmarked with a historical marker at the current site of Plant Field.
The longest MLB game ever.
On May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played 26 innings before it was called due to darkness, with the score tied, 1-1.
Hack Wilson's 191 RBI's
During Hack Wilson’s RBI tear in 1930, he did not hit one grand slam. Still, Wilson’s 191 runs batted in remain the best single-season mark in MLB history; Lou Gehrig’s 184 RBI the following year is the closest anyone’s come to hacking Wilson off the top spot.
The biggest blowout in NFL history.
The 1940 Washington Redskins were riding high with a 9-2 record and earned the right to host the NFL Championship Game. Their opponent, the Chicago Bears, went 8-3, including a loss to the Redskins a few weeks earlier. In the rematch, the Bears recorded the biggest blowout in NFL history, stomping Washington, 73-0.
Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak.
Joe DiMaggio’s box score for the New York Yankees’ game on May 15, 1941, was nothing special: 1-for-4, 1 RBI. But that lone hit was the beginning of one of baseball’s most revered records, a 56-game hitting streak that stands today. Pete Rose came the closest to DiMaggio’s record, recording at least one hit in 44 consecutive games in 1978.
Red Barrett's 58-pitch complete game.
Today, baseball pitch counts heavily dictate a pitcher’s career longevity. In 1944, relief pitchers were an anomaly, and starters tossed well over 100 pitches per outing. Charley “Red” Barrett only needed about half that many pitches when he took the mound on Aug. 10, as he threw a 58-pitch complete game, which remains the fewest number of pitches ever needed for a complete game.
Jim Hardy throws 8 interceptions in one game.
The Chicago Cardinals’ 1950 game against the Philadelphia Eagles was one to forget for Jim Hardy. The Cardinals quarterback threw eight interceptions in a 45-7 loss. Hardy bounced back, though, and was named to the Pro Bowl team at season’s end.
Oklahoma Sooners win 47 straight games.
The Oklahoma Sooners were unbeatable on the gridiron for the better part of five seasons during the mid-1950s. Oklahoma, led by coach Bud Wilkinson, won 47 straight games. Notre Dame ended the streak in 1957. Toledo’s 35 wins in 1969-1971 have come the closest since that reign of Sooner dominance.
Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a game.
On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game for the Philadelphia Warriors. Chamberlain took 63 shots and made 28 of 32 free-throw attempts. The “track meet” was a rare 300-point game, with the Warriors beating the New York Knicks, 169-147.
The coldest game in NFL history.
The kickoff temperature for the 1967 NFL Championship Game in Green Bay was minus-13 degrees. Later, the temperature dropped to minus-18, prompting the battle between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys to be dubbed “The Ice Bowl.” The Packers went on to win what is believed to be the coldest game in NFL history.
Nolan Ryan's 383 strikeout season.
In 1973, young flamethrower Nolan Ryan took aim at Sandy Koufax’s record of 382 strikeouts in a season. Ryan topped Koufax by one K during his last start of the year; Ryan pitched 11 innings and struck out 16 Minnesota Twins in that game.
De LaSalle High School in Concord, Cal. won 151 straight football games from 1992 through 2003, against some of the best high school football teams in the USA.
What did Wilt's teammates say all throughout the game ?
"Hey Wilt ! I'm open !!!"
What did the coach of the other team say at the end of the game ?
'Ok, who had Wilt ? '
Congratulations on your first LOL!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-game losing streak.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began play in 1976 and lost their first 26 NFL games. The Bucs finally won by defeating the New Orleans Saints, 33-14, in December 1977. During the 26-game losing streak, the Buccaneers were shut out 11 times, and the 26 losses were by an average of 16 points. The second-worst NFL losing streak belongs to the Detroit Lions, with 19 straight in 2007-2009, a team that also lost 12 straight through mid-November 2021.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar's 6 MVPs.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record-breaking sixth MVP season came as the writing on the wall signaled a new heir apparent. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents with his magnificent play, and when Abdul-Jabbar went down with an injury in the 1980 NBA Finals, Johnson stepped in at center and won Finals MVP honors. Michael Jordan, with five, has come closest to matching Kareem’s six-pack of MVP trophies.
Eric Dickerson's 2,105 yard rushing season.
Eric Dickerson thought he’d break O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record in the final game of the 1984 season. Instead, in the season’s penultimate game against the Houston Oilers, Dickerson jumped ahead of schedule to top Simpson’s 2,003 yards one week early with a 215-yard game. The player to come closest to the LA Rams star’s record is Adrian Peterson, whose 2,097 yards in 2012 missed it by eight yards.
Richard Petty's 200 NASCAR wins.
Richard Petty is known as The King of racing for good reason. On July 4, 1984, in his final triumph, Petty won his 200th NASCAR race at the Firecracker 400. That’s nearly double the number of wins by the career runner-up (and Petty’s contemporary), David Pearson, with 105 wins. President Ronald Reagan was in attendance for the monumental victory and later had a meal of Kentucky Fried Chicken with Petty and other racers.
Wayne Gretzky wins 8 Hart trophies in a row.
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky has won nine Hart trophies (NHL MVP) including 8 in a row. That gives him the most Harts, passing Gordie Howe. Gretzky finished his career with nine MVP awards. Only Howe (six) and 1930s star Eddie Shore (four) have won more than three.
Orel Hershiser's 59 consecutive scoreless innings.
On Aug. 30, 1988, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser pitched a complete game, ending with four-plus scoreless innings, to close out the win. Over his next six starts, he did not allow an earned run. In fact, no team scored a run against him in a regular-season game until the 1989 season. In all, Hershiser pitched 59 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest such streak in MLB history, to top Dodgers predecessor Don Drysdale’s 58 straight in 1968.
You know something I just noticed that is hilarious, whenever Hydrant and me are the only ones on the forum, and you look at the bottom of the page at our avatars, Mustache Jerry Jones and the little Hydrantette are staring at each other. 😂😂😂😂
Derrick Thomas has 7 sacks in one game.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg did not have a good day at the office on Nov. 11, 1990. Kansas City Chiefs pass-rusher Derrick Thomas sent Krieg to the turf seven times that afternoon, a new NFL record for sacks in one game. There have only been four six-sack games, and Thomas has one of those too.
Jim Ryan, the first American High School'er to run a sub 4 minute mile!
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
There are some pretty incredible achievements in this thread. One I think has the possibility to be broken is Dickerson's single-season rushing record, especially since there is now a 17th regular season NFL game. But then we get into the proverbial asterisk situation that plagued Roger Maris for decades.
Rickey's 1406 swipes, Will never be broken.
Cael Sanderson goes 159-0 in NCAA wrestling.
No NCAA wrestler has had a career like Cael Sanderson’s. The Iowa State star went a perfect 159-0 in college, and he was the second wrestler to win four NCAA titles. Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith accomplished the four-peat a decade earlier but lost five matches.
I was at the game when he set the record. It was in San Diego. I think the Dodgers lost the game in extra innings. I don't remember when Hershiser came out of the game but when he came off the mound and headed for the dugout, Don Drysdale came out to meet him. Drysdale had the record until Hershiser broke it. BIG D. Oh, man.....he had a sidearm delivery that was very intimidating to the right handed batters!
I went to that game in San Diego with a childhood friend of mine and his wife. We played baseball together from when we were 5 years old and through High School. We played catch until after the sun went down. Always. Could never get enough. We loved baseball and we loved the Dodgers!!!!.........Anyway, on the way to that game in San Diego, his car overheated. I told him that if we kept going his engine was toast. We were 60 miles from San Diego. He wouldn't stop. HE HAD TO GET TO THAT GAME! Well, we made it. But we left his car at Jack Murphy Stadium. I don't remember how we got home. He didn't care. Dodger fanatic. He was then and still is. Oh, his poor wife!.....Always playing second fiddle to The Boys In Blue.
Largest Super Bowl comeback.
28-3
Great thread. Andre Agassi. The only player in history to win every Big title.
Agassi won them all - They call it "The Super slam"
All four slams
ATP Finals
1000 masters
Olympics
Terry Bradshaw was AMAZING!!
Ignore list -Basebal21
I am not nor have ever been into track and field, but Usain Bolt's raw speed smashing the 100 meter dash record made me a fan of the man. Might not seem too impressive seeing the the split second differences in records on paper but then again if you really break it down that from the 100th fastest time recorded to the 2nd fastest currently is only .27 seconds and then the difference in time between 2nd and Bolt's record is .11 seconds faster I think even people who never have seen replays can comprehend how quick that really is.
As for the Kareem's 6 MVP awards, their is always the argument that Bill Russell Would have nearly doubled those 6 in his career if they had an MVP award to give out. And Agassi was a beast but can't talk tennis without bringing up Federer and his 23 straight grand slam semi finals. Great thread, I love sports history.
Yes, I think Usain Bolt's 9.58 100m will stand for a long time, he also holds the record for the 200m.
In less time than it takes to reheat chicken, Usain Bolt broke his own world record at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The six-foot-five sprinter’s 9.58-second 100-meter run required only 41 steps. Five days later during the Worlds, Bolt also broke the 200m world record in a stunning 19.19. Both times are still world records.
An 11 hour Wimbledon marathon.
In 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played a match at Wimbledon over three days that lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes, and went 183 games. Isner ended up winning the longest match in tour history. The match only had three service breaks, and the fifth set alone (70-68 final) lasted over eight hours.
The ironman of the NFL - Brett Favre's 297 consecutive starts.
While not as high as Cal Ripken’s 2,632-game iron-man streak, Brett Favre’s record of 297 consecutive starts is not too shabby (the NFL only plays 16 games per season, too). Favre’s streak spanned 19 seasons (two more than Ripken) and included several broken bones, but a damaged shoulder forced him to sit out a 2010 game against the New York Giants. After Favre missed the game, his website sold commemorative footballs honoring the streak.
Sam Groth's 163-mph serve.
Aussie Sam Groth, then ranked 340th in the world, became #1 in one regard in 2012. Groth served one point at 163 mph in a South Korea match, the fastest recorded serve in an ATP event. The previous record was around 156 mph by Ivo Karlovic.
Pete Rose's 4,256 career hits.
I don't think anyone will ever be able to touch Barry Sanders 1988 college football season.
Sanders didn't just rewrite the NCAA record book in 1988, he took a flamethrower to it. Sanders set 34 NCAA records that season on his way to capturing the Heisman Trophy. He also rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns, while adding two special-teams scores. The NCAA didn't begin including bowl game statistics until 2002, but with 222 yards and five touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl against Wyoming, he totaled 2,850 yards and 44 touchdowns. No player since has come close to touching either mark.
and the Seahawks won the game !!!!!!!!!! a 25 yard Td pass from Krieg as time expired !!!!!!!!
Before Kareem went to the league (as Lew Alcindor):
In three years on Varsity at UCLA his teams were 88-2, won three NCAA championships, and he was the NCAA Tourney Most Outstanding Player and National Player of the Year all three years. Not going to top those marks, either.
Back then, you could only play on Varsity for three years. Lew's first game at UCLA was leading the freshman team to an exhibition game victory over the two-time defending NCAA champion varsity team, in what was the first game ever contested in Pauley Pavillion.
....
Great additional nugget @paulb71 . It is amazing how, sometimes, the most awesome individual feats will not equal out to a win.
Yes, A team sport indeed.
Hicham El Guerrouj ran a 3:43:13 mile run in 1999, a world record that still stands.
If you're new to running, you might run one mile in closer to 12 to 15 minutes as you build up endurance. Elite marathon runners average a mile in around 4 to 5 minutes. The current world record for one mile is 3:43.13, set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999.
Simpson broke 2000 yards in a 14 game season.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
He sat behind Thurman Thomas as a junior
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
“When asked about the execution of his players, he replied, “I’m all for it.”
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
While mountain climbing is not an official sport,
The guy who climbed El Capitan with just hand holds has my vote. 3,000' shear granite face and no safety equipment. Crazy or confident? He planned every step.
Also, playing the game the day after his Father died. Dedication there.
First time I watched that Documentary on that guy and saw him free climb that I was stunned. He was just so cool and collected. The part where he is about 2,000 feet up on a ledge maybe 6 inches and he just stopped and tells the camera man, in the calmest, almost bored sounding voice, how he is freaking out and just needed a minute to finish. I mean the balls on that dude pure titanium forget steel.
Amazing record? Unlikely to be broken?
Check and check…
18 World Series Home Runs
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
This record will NEVER be broken.
https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july-3-1966-braves-pitcher-tony-cloninger-clouts-two-grand-slams/