The most unbreakable sports records still being chased: Jerry Rice, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky stand out

Arguing essentially the most spectacular sports activities information is a troublesome job: Does longevity matter? What a few one-game or one-season outburst that is stood the check of time? Are information which can be older routinely higher? How will we think about adjustments which have dramatically altered a number of sports activities?

Think about going again 30 years and watching NBA gamers pull up for a 3-pointer on a two-on-one quick break with regularity. Then again, think about sitting down for a sport tonight and seeing a baseball participant enjoying his 2,000th consecutive sport or making an attempt to steal a base almost each time he bought on.

It simply did not — or now would not — occur.

There are many information that can by no means be damaged as a result of persons are now not making an attempt to interrupt them. From Could 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998, Cal Ripken Jr. performed 2,632 consecutive video games. It is a completely foolish report: greater than 500 video games longer than Lou Gehrig’s second-place streak and roughly 2,400 video games longer than the longest lively streak, which belongs to Matt Olson. That’s merely a report gamers aren’t chasing any extra. Identical with Rickey Henderson’s 1,406 stolen bases, almost 500 greater than second-place Lou Brock and over 1,000 greater than lively chief Dee Unusual-Gordon (336). Baseball has modified massively with smarter practices relating to gamers’ well being, the rise of superior statistics and analytics and extra.

It isn’t restricted to baseball, both.

This isn’t to say that Ripken Jr.’s and Henderson’s information aren’t spectacular. They’re extraordinarily spectacular. Laborious to even comprehend. Frankly, they’re unbreakable, even when folks had been nonetheless making an attempt to interrupt them. However the standards for this checklist contains two issues: spectacular and nonetheless making an attempt to be damaged.

Let me repeat it so everybody is evident: Cal Ripken Jr. and Rickey Henderson personal unbelievable information. They will not be on this checklist.

NFL

LaDainian Tomlinson’s single-season touchdowns

In his 2006 MVP marketing campaign, Tomlinson rushed for 28 touchdowns (a report) and scored 31 complete touchdowns (additionally a report).

The 28 dashing touchdowns is the report by only one: Each Priest Holmes (2003) and Shaun Alexander (2005) had a season with 27. However since 2006, nobody has topped a relatively meager 18, by DeAngelo Williams (2008), Adrian Peterson (2009), LeGarrette Blount (2016) and Jonathan Taylor (2021).

The 31 touchdowns scored, in the meantime, are three greater than Alexander’s 28 in 2005. However since then, nobody has topped 23, executed by Randy Moss in 2007.

Think about this: In 2006, Tomlinson had 38 goal-to-go rushes. In 2021, solely 12 groups had at the least 38 goal-to-go rushes. Even the true three-down operating backs who get a ton of goal-to-go work have not replicated Tomlinson’s effectivity. In 2006, Tomlinson scored on half (19 of 38) of his goal-to-go carries. Final 12 months, Taylor scored on 13 of 39, simply 33%. There are superb seasons — after which there’s an enormous hole — after which there’s 2006 LaDainian Tomlinson.

Jerry Rice’s profession receiving yards and receiving touchdowns

Rice’s profession has no parallel, however two information stand out specifically: 22,895 profession receiving yards (essentially the most by over 5,000 yards) and 197 receiving touchdowns (essentially the most by 41).

Cooper Kupp must replicate his 2021 season — arguably the best receiving season ever — 9 extra instances to move Rice in yards and 10 extra instances to move him in touchdowns. 

What a few youthful participant, you ask? Justin Jefferson’s 3,016 profession receiving yards are most ever by a participant by means of two seasons. He’ll solely must maintain this tempo up 14 extra seasons to move Rice in yards. Rice additionally owns the report for profession receptions (1,549) and 1,000-yard receiving seasons (14), however there are gamers who’ve come considerably near these two, so we cannot embody them for now.

Jim Brown’s eight dashing titles

We’ll make this fast. Brown performed 9 NFL seasons. He gained eight dashing titles. Nobody else has greater than 4 (completed by Steve Van Buren, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders). The sturdiness, the constant excellence, absolutely the dominance at his place… they’re unbelievable spectacular.

Each operating again desires to be the league’s finest. Nobody has come near proudly owning that title as totally over an extended time frame as Jim Brown.

MLB

Nolan Ryan’s profession strikeouts

Like Rice, that is one the place the sheer magnitude is jaw-dropping. Ryan’s 5,714 profession strikeouts are almost 900 greater than second-place Randy Johnson and roughly 2,600 greater than lively chief Justin Verlander, who’s 39.

Johnny Vander Meer’s consecutive no-hitters

This one wants little clarification. On June 11, 1938, he no-hit the Boston Bees. 4 days later, he no-hit the Brooklyn Dodgers. Nobody is getting three in a row.

Barry Bonds’ single-season .609 OBP

In 2004, Bonds reached base safely 376 instances (135 hits, 232 walks, 9 hit by pitches). He solely registered 373 at bats. The end result? A mind-boggling .609 OBP, a report that probably will not be touched.

Bonds’ 688 profession intentional walks

How a lot did opposing pitchers concern Bonds? His 688 intentional walks are greater than double second-place Albert Pujols’ 316. (Notice: This stat has been saved since 1955.)

Ichiro Suzuki’s 262-hit season

Seven gamers have reached the 250-hit membership in a season. Six of these seasons occurred within the Twenties or Nineteen Thirties. The opposite was Ichiro Suzuki’s report 262 hits… in 2004. It is a really outstanding accomplishment given the adjustments within the sport, and it is unlikely to be surpassed. Since 2004, essentially the most hits in a season by a participant not named Ichiro Suzuki is 225 by Jose Altuve in 2014.

NBA

Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point sport

There was nobody like Wilt Chamberlain. Let’s begin with the checklist for many factors in a sport:

That is loads of Wilt Chamberlain, however what we’re involved with is that quantity on the prime. Within the 60 years since that report was set, Kobe Bryant’s dazzling 81 factors in 2006 towards the Raptors is the closest that anybody has come to breaking it.

And, with all due respect to that Bryant efficiency, it isn’t even that shut.

Chamberlain performed each minute of his record-breaking sport. That was the norm: He averaged 48.5 minutes per sport in 1961-62. He tried 63 discipline targets — nonetheless an NBA report — and 32 free throws. For comparability’s sake, Bryant tried 46 discipline targets and 20 free throws in his 81-pointer.

There’s one main caveat right here: Roughly midway by means of the fourth quarter, the groups began fouling incessantly — the Knicks to stop Chamberlain from reaching 100, the Warriors to get the ball again and move to Chamberlain. A profession 51% free-throw shooter, Chamberlain went 28-for-32 from the stripe.

One might argue the popularization of the 3-point line makes this report breakable. I might argue the other. Soar shooters on the whole are much less prone to rating in different methods — notably free throws. When Klay Thompson set the NBA report with 14 threes in a sport, he completed with “simply” 52 factors and shot solely two free throws. There are 29 examples of a participant making greater than 10 threes in a sport. The best-scoring sport of these is Damian Lillard with 61.

John Stockton being the all-time chief in assists and steals

It is laborious to fathom holding the all-time report in two main statistical classes, however that is precisely what Stockton has: 15,806 profession assists (almost 4,000 greater than second place) and three,265 profession steals (almost 600 greater than second place).

Stephen Curry’s 3,117 profession 3-pointers

Curry handed Ray Allen for many profession 3-pointers in NBA historical past final season, and the NBA Finals reminded us Curry is not even near executed. At 34, Curry has loads of time to increase his report.

NHL

Just about each Wayne Gretzky profession complete

If Gretzky had by no means scored a single objective, he’d nonetheless have essentially the most factors in NHL historical past. That is proper: Gretzky’s 1,963 profession assists are greater than anybody else’s profession targets plus assists (Jaromir Jagr had 1,921 profession factors, second all-time). Add in 894 targets and Gretzky’s factors report of two,857 is absurd. A number of different notes about The Nice One…

• Gretzky had 575 multi-assist video games. Mario Lemieux is second with… 282.
• Gretzky had 824 multi-point video games. Jagr is second all-time… with 540.
• Gretzky had 50 profession hat-tricks; the lively chief is Alex Ovechkin… with 28.

Talking of Ovechkin, he represents the best risk to one in every of Gretzky’s breakable information: He has 780 targets, and Gretzky had 894.

Tennis

Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Opens

This text was partly impressed by Nadal’s 14th profession French Open title in June. Bjorn Borg is subsequent with six. In actual fact, the second-most titles at a single main for a person is Novak Djokovic’s 9 on the Australian Open. Nadal and the clay of Roland Garros kind a pair like no different — and he is not executed but.

Horse racing

Secretariat’s 1973 Kentucky Derby

In 1973, Secretariat coated the 1.25 miles at Churchill Downs in 1:59.4, nonetheless the report almost 50 years later. Just one horse since — Monarchos in 2001 — got here in underneath 2 minutes. Yearly, Secretariat’s report run will get extra spectacular.

Secretariat’s 1973 Belmont Stakes

After successful the Derby and the Preakness, Secretariat completed up the Triple Crown in fashion, successful the Belmont Stakes by an astonishing 31 lengths in a still-standing report time of two:24 which isn’t solely the very best Belmont run ever, however it’s nonetheless the quickest time ever run within the U.S. over a mile and a half on grime.

Golf

Jack Nicklaus top-two finishes in majors

Each golf fan is aware of that Nicklaus’ 18 main wins is the gold normal and that Tiger Woods is second at 15. What is not precisely widespread data is that Nicklaus completed runner-up in a serious an astounding 19 instances. The 37 top-two finishes at majors are by far essentially the most of anybody. Woods is second with 22.

Tiger Woods’ weeks atop the Official World Golf Rankings

Woods probably will not catch Nicklaus for majors and not using a miracle, however his reign of dominance reveals simply how nice he was on the peak of his powers. Woods has spent 683 weeks atop the OWGR; subsequent is Greg Norman at… 331.

NASCAR

Richard Petty’s 1967 season

Petty’s 200 profession NASCAR Cup Sequence wins are almost double anybody else. There is a purpose he is known as “The King.” However his 1967 season was notably unbelievable: 27 wins, together with 10 in a row. Nobody will contact the 27 wins — particularly since NASCAR shortened its season in 1972 because it ushered within the “Fashionable Period.” However what concerning the 10 straight wins, which is mathematically barely extra attainable? By no means thoughts, it will not be replicated both.

Olympics

Michael Phelps’ medals

Phelps claimed 28 medals — together with 23 golds — in his super profession. The height, after all, got here in 2008, when he gained eight golds in Beijing to interrupt Mark Spitz’s report from 1972. However he additionally gained six golds (and two bronzes) in 2004, 4 golds (and two silvers) in 2012 and 5 golds (and a silver) in 2016.

Sue Hen’s and Diana Taurasi’s 5 gold medals

Sue Hen and Diana Taurasi are testaments to longevity and superstardom, and their standing as the one basketball gamers — man or girl — with 5 Olympic gold medals reveals as a lot. These two icons have lengthy been the faces of the game each in worldwide competitors and within the WNBA, and whereas this is only one of a lot of their accomplishments, it is arguably their most spectacular.