Records in Baseball that will Never be Broken
They say that records are made to be broken, that if you set a record today, you're only paving the way for someone else to achieve for a higher state of excellence. If you're one of them, you need to take a look at these baseball giants that carved out feats of greatness, such that no one even thinks of getting to where they are.
They say that records are made to be broken, that if you set a record today, you're only paving the way for someone else to achieve for a higher state of excellence. If you're one of them, you need to take a look at these baseball giants that carved out feats of greatness, such that no one even thinks of getting to where they are.
Through the passing of time, man will always, every once in a
while, reach pinnacles at such heights that even the most seasoned
professionals don't dare to wander over there. The records that are
found in the game of baseball are among them, career highs etched
permanently in stone. Whether it's for the perfect pitch or punching
holes in the clouds with their exceptional baseball batting, here are
eleven of the records that will carry on, seemingly to the end of time.
Unbreakable Baseball Records
#11. Matt Kilroy - Most Batters Struck Out in a Season
The number? 513. That is one record that will never be broken. Starting 68 games and completing 66 of them, Matthew Aloysius Kilroy, the left-handed pitcher for the Major League Baseball (MLB) team Baltimore Orioles had pitched a total of 583 innings. The thing is, apart from the unbelievable number that you see, the other reason the record stays is because of the major change in rules that today's baseball has from the time Matt played. But it still doesn't take anything away from the legend, who was a rookie at that time.
#10. Joe Sewell - Least Strikeouts
A .300 hitter over 14 seasons, Joe has struck-out 114 times in 7132 at-bats. That's one strike-out for every 63 at-bats, more than what most can even hope for. He massed his record up in 1932, getting 513 at-bats in the season and striking out just three times.
#9. Cal Ripken - Most Consecutive Games Played
His nickname is "Iron Man". That's all you need to know how people felt when he was around. He played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981-2001. On his 2,131st consecutive game, he had beaten Lou Gehrig's record that stood for 56 years. But he didn't just beat it, he took it home with him and placed a new number for the world to see; 2,632 games played consecutively in his career. You just can't beat that.
#8. Johnny Vander Meer - Most Consecutive No-Hitters
Nolan Ryan had 7 no-hitters in his career, but what makes a record stand out is if it happens in succession. That's exactly what happened in the case of Johnny Vander Meer, who pitched a no-hitter to the Braves and then the Dodgers four days later. Two no-hitters in a row, part of the 9-game winning streak during the 1938 season should be enough to make sure the record stands tall for a long, long time.
#7. Walter Johnson - Most Shutouts
There's only one person that comes to my mind when you say shutout in baseball, and that's Walter Johnson. With 110 shutouts in his 21-year career, nobody is going to come close to that.
#6. Charles Radbourn - Most Pitching Wins in One Season
Charles was the reason for the 59-12 pitching wins for the Providence Grays. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
#5. Mickey Mantle - Most World Series Home Runs
Hitting 18 home runs in the World Series in no joke. Playing for the Yankees from 1951 to 1958, Mickey had a roller coaster type of career. He was famous for what he did and was injured for the rest of the time. But whatever his critics say, the 18 that he hit out of the park will never be forgotten.
#4. Herman Long - Most Errors Committed
Just goes to show that not all records are about reaching for the sky. No one can dig a hole deeper than Herman Long. He played shortstop for a number of teams through his 17 years as a fielder and a shortstop, making a ghastly 1,094 errors in the time, of which 1,070 errors go into his place as shortstop.
#3. Joe DiMaggio - Longest Hitting Streak
Joe was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1955, further brightening his life that had 3-time MVP winner and 13-time All-Star written on it. The best part is, he played for 13 years, which means he got elected as an All-Star for every single season he played. Nobody has done that except him. And that's not even the record that he claims as untouchable! His 56-game,1941 hitting streak is what stands alone and far from all other streaks, the closest one being a 44-game streak by Pete Rose in 1978.
#2. Ty Cobb - Highest Batting Average
Widely accepted as one of the best players of all time, Ty Cobb. This was proved when he won most votes in the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, getting 222 out of 226 votes. Throughout his life, Ty set records and sometimes breaking them himself, stopping finally at a total of 90 MLB records. He will always be famous for his mammoth career batting average of .366, one of his records that no one can beat, even today.
#1. Cy Young - Most Victories
The man is a legend. Anyone onto baseball history will tell you he was not a mere mortal. Cy boasts of a 22-year career in baseball, holding his spot as the top pitcher in five teams. He was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. The records he holds are old, strong and undeniable. His strongest records have stood for over a century! So which one honors him to hold top slot in the list of unbeatable records? This one has to be his number of wins; slotted 511 victories in his career. The only number that comes close is still 94 games short (Walter Johnson). Cy Young has to be the single most decorated baseball player in history. He also holds other records, like most career innings pitched (7,355) as well as most games completed (749).
So stand the records that may never be broken. People may justify this by saying the situation then was different from what it is now. I say that we now have more things than Cy Young or Ty Cobb ever had; better training, better food. All we need is the will to go out and write our names down in the history books.
Unbreakable Baseball Records
#11. Matt Kilroy - Most Batters Struck Out in a Season
The number? 513. That is one record that will never be broken. Starting 68 games and completing 66 of them, Matthew Aloysius Kilroy, the left-handed pitcher for the Major League Baseball (MLB) team Baltimore Orioles had pitched a total of 583 innings. The thing is, apart from the unbelievable number that you see, the other reason the record stays is because of the major change in rules that today's baseball has from the time Matt played. But it still doesn't take anything away from the legend, who was a rookie at that time.
#10. Joe Sewell - Least Strikeouts
A .300 hitter over 14 seasons, Joe has struck-out 114 times in 7132 at-bats. That's one strike-out for every 63 at-bats, more than what most can even hope for. He massed his record up in 1932, getting 513 at-bats in the season and striking out just three times.
#9. Cal Ripken - Most Consecutive Games Played
His nickname is "Iron Man". That's all you need to know how people felt when he was around. He played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981-2001. On his 2,131st consecutive game, he had beaten Lou Gehrig's record that stood for 56 years. But he didn't just beat it, he took it home with him and placed a new number for the world to see; 2,632 games played consecutively in his career. You just can't beat that.
#8. Johnny Vander Meer - Most Consecutive No-Hitters
Nolan Ryan had 7 no-hitters in his career, but what makes a record stand out is if it happens in succession. That's exactly what happened in the case of Johnny Vander Meer, who pitched a no-hitter to the Braves and then the Dodgers four days later. Two no-hitters in a row, part of the 9-game winning streak during the 1938 season should be enough to make sure the record stands tall for a long, long time.
#7. Walter Johnson - Most Shutouts
There's only one person that comes to my mind when you say shutout in baseball, and that's Walter Johnson. With 110 shutouts in his 21-year career, nobody is going to come close to that.
#6. Charles Radbourn - Most Pitching Wins in One Season
Charles was the reason for the 59-12 pitching wins for the Providence Grays. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
#5. Mickey Mantle - Most World Series Home Runs
Hitting 18 home runs in the World Series in no joke. Playing for the Yankees from 1951 to 1958, Mickey had a roller coaster type of career. He was famous for what he did and was injured for the rest of the time. But whatever his critics say, the 18 that he hit out of the park will never be forgotten.
#4. Herman Long - Most Errors Committed
Just goes to show that not all records are about reaching for the sky. No one can dig a hole deeper than Herman Long. He played shortstop for a number of teams through his 17 years as a fielder and a shortstop, making a ghastly 1,094 errors in the time, of which 1,070 errors go into his place as shortstop.
#3. Joe DiMaggio - Longest Hitting Streak
Joe was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1955, further brightening his life that had 3-time MVP winner and 13-time All-Star written on it. The best part is, he played for 13 years, which means he got elected as an All-Star for every single season he played. Nobody has done that except him. And that's not even the record that he claims as untouchable! His 56-game,1941 hitting streak is what stands alone and far from all other streaks, the closest one being a 44-game streak by Pete Rose in 1978.
#2. Ty Cobb - Highest Batting Average
Widely accepted as one of the best players of all time, Ty Cobb. This was proved when he won most votes in the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, getting 222 out of 226 votes. Throughout his life, Ty set records and sometimes breaking them himself, stopping finally at a total of 90 MLB records. He will always be famous for his mammoth career batting average of .366, one of his records that no one can beat, even today.
#1. Cy Young - Most Victories
The man is a legend. Anyone onto baseball history will tell you he was not a mere mortal. Cy boasts of a 22-year career in baseball, holding his spot as the top pitcher in five teams. He was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. The records he holds are old, strong and undeniable. His strongest records have stood for over a century! So which one honors him to hold top slot in the list of unbeatable records? This one has to be his number of wins; slotted 511 victories in his career. The only number that comes close is still 94 games short (Walter Johnson). Cy Young has to be the single most decorated baseball player in history. He also holds other records, like most career innings pitched (7,355) as well as most games completed (749).
So stand the records that may never be broken. People may justify this by saying the situation then was different from what it is now. I say that we now have more things than Cy Young or Ty Cobb ever had; better training, better food. All we need is the will to go out and write our names down in the history books.
Facts about Baseball
That you are new to baseball can be the only excuse for not knowing what's special about June 19, 1846. If that's actually the case with you, here are a few interesting facts about the sport, which will help you realize what all you have missed by not following it.
That you are new to baseball can be the only excuse for not knowing what's special about June 19, 1846. If that's actually the case with you, here are a few interesting facts about the sport, which will help you realize what all you have missed by not following it.
June 19, 1846
It was the day when the first officially recorded baseball game with codified rules was played in the history; a contest between the New York Nine and Knickerbockers, which was played in Hoboken, New Jersey.
While that game turned out to be a one-sided contest with the Nines defeating the Knickerbockers 23-1 in four innings, it did lay the foundation of a glorious future of baseball. Such was the craze in the United States, that baseball was declared the 'national pastime' of the nation; albeit unofficially. One cannot deny the fact that baseball is one of the most renowned sports, not just in the United States, but in many parts of the world. But then, one also has to admit that it shares a special bond with millions of Americans who follow it religiously.
Some Interesting Baseball Facts
We all know that the distance between the bases is exactly 90 feet in the Major League Baseball (MLB), distance from the pitcher's mound to the home plate is 60 feet and 8 inches, a baseball is used only once in a Major League Baseball game, and other such general facts about the sport. And so, we decided to compile some interesting facts about it for you.
It's a herculean task to narrow down to the exact date of the origin of baseball, but it is widely believed that the game originated somewhere between the mid-1700s and early 1800s in the United States.
In what is now considered one of the most popular basketball myths of all time, Abner Doubleday was credited as the inventor of baseball. The myth, which is known as the Doubleday myth, was debunked in 1939, and 14 years later, Alexander Cartwright was officially declared the inventor of modern baseball on June 3, 1953.
The first professional baseball league came into being in 1871. Such was the popularity of the sport that most of the big cities in the eastern parts of United States had a professional team representing them by the beginning of 20th century.
The rules of baseball have been changed literally every year, right from 1877 when the first rule book was issued for the National League. Interestingly, the National League happens to be the older of the two leagues that together form the Major League Baseball, and hence, is also called the Senior Circuit at times.
On June 12, 1880, John Lee Richmond became the first pitcher to pitch a 'perfect game' in the history of baseball. Since then, the feat has been pulled off 23 times in the Major League history.
On May 30, 1894, Bobby Lowe became the first to hit four home runs in a single game. Since then, as many as 16 players have accomplished this feat.
Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner" was adopted as the national anthem on March 3, 1931. While most of the people would be aware of that, very few people know that 13 years earlier, it was played during the 1918 World Series game between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1935, the Chicago Cubs made a record of the longest winning streak in MLB history (without a tie) by winning 21 games in a row. If ties are considered, the record is held by the New York Giants who won 26 games―with one tie in between―in 1916.
On May 24, 1935, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in a Major League game played at the Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. Interestingly, this was the first night game in the history of Major League Baseball, and came almost nine decades after the first professional game ever played.
On May 17, 1939, the Princeton University Tigers defeated the Columbia University Lions at the latter's home field, Baker Field. The game went down the history as the first ever to be televised. Three months later, the Brooklyn Dodgers took on the Cincinnati Reds at the Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, which became the first ever Major League Baseball game to be televised.
Before 1859, the umpires used to sit in padded chairs behind the home plate.
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, which was opened in 1912, is considered the oldest Major League Baseball stadium in use. The first baseball stadium built in the United States though, was the Forbes Field built in Pittsburgh in 1909.
According to the Rule 3.01(c) of the Major League Baseball, the umpires have to rub down 6 dozen balls with the Baseball Rubbing Mud and remove their slick shine before the commencement of a game. As for each baseball, it has an average life of 8 days.
In 1997, the teams from the American League were allowed to play in the National League, thus bringing to an end one of the oldest traditions of the game. The first interleague game was played on June 12, 1997.
Only the hits that cleared the outfield were considered home runs initially. Today, however, the hits have to clear the ballpark and that too, without leaning towards the foul areas in order to be considered home runs.
A day before the MLB All-Star Game and a day after are the only two days of the year when no professional games are played in the United States.
The World Series, wherein the two major league champions take on each other, was started back in 1903. That year, the Boston Americans took on the Pittsburgh Pirates and defeated them 5-3 in the nine-game series.
Talking of superstitions in baseball, legendary player, Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his cap while playing, which he changed after every two innings.
Nolan Ryan, hailing from Texas, became the first player in Major League Baseball to sign as a free agent for a salary of $1 million when he signed for Houston Astros in 1979. Interestingly, he is the only player in MLB to have his jersey number retired by three different teams (Astros, California Angels, and Texas Rangers).
Cal Ripken, Jr., a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, holds the record for longest consecutive games played. Ripken played 2,632 consecutive games over a period of 16 years. He surpassed Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record of 2,130 consecutive games on September 6, 1995.
At 6 feet 11 inches, Jon Rauch, a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, is the tallest player to play in the Major League Baseball. On the other hand, Eddie Gaedel―standing at 3 feet 7 inches―who put up his lone appearance for the St. Louis Browns doubleheader on August 19, 1951, is considered the shortest player in the Major League history.
Talking of individual records and accomplishments, Cal Hubbard is the only person who features in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) and the Baseball Hall of Fame (1976).
The longest game in the history of Major League Baseball was played between the Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robins on May 1, 1920. The 26-inning game, which was called off as a draw at the leveled scores of 1-1, actually went on for 8 hours, 22 minutes. In contrast, the longest game in professional baseball history was a 33-inning game played between the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings, which lasted for 8 hours, 25 minutes.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum based at Cooperstown, New York, was opened on June 12, 1939. Seven decades down the lane, the museum has more than 38,000 three-dimensional artifacts alongside thousands of photographs, documents, and books to its credit.
While all the feats we spoke of above were quite interesting in themselves, here's one which is a lot more interesting. On June 23, 1963, Jimmy Piersall celebrated his 100th home run by running the bases backwards. This was not the first time Piersall had pulled off an amusing feat of this sort though. He dared to walk up to bat wearing a Beatles wig, and was once seen talking to the monument of Babe Ruth at the Yankee Stadium before the 100th home run of his career.
It was the day when the first officially recorded baseball game with codified rules was played in the history; a contest between the New York Nine and Knickerbockers, which was played in Hoboken, New Jersey.
While that game turned out to be a one-sided contest with the Nines defeating the Knickerbockers 23-1 in four innings, it did lay the foundation of a glorious future of baseball. Such was the craze in the United States, that baseball was declared the 'national pastime' of the nation; albeit unofficially. One cannot deny the fact that baseball is one of the most renowned sports, not just in the United States, but in many parts of the world. But then, one also has to admit that it shares a special bond with millions of Americans who follow it religiously.
Some Interesting Baseball Facts
We all know that the distance between the bases is exactly 90 feet in the Major League Baseball (MLB), distance from the pitcher's mound to the home plate is 60 feet and 8 inches, a baseball is used only once in a Major League Baseball game, and other such general facts about the sport. And so, we decided to compile some interesting facts about it for you.
It's a herculean task to narrow down to the exact date of the origin of baseball, but it is widely believed that the game originated somewhere between the mid-1700s and early 1800s in the United States.
In what is now considered one of the most popular basketball myths of all time, Abner Doubleday was credited as the inventor of baseball. The myth, which is known as the Doubleday myth, was debunked in 1939, and 14 years later, Alexander Cartwright was officially declared the inventor of modern baseball on June 3, 1953.
The first professional baseball league came into being in 1871. Such was the popularity of the sport that most of the big cities in the eastern parts of United States had a professional team representing them by the beginning of 20th century.
The rules of baseball have been changed literally every year, right from 1877 when the first rule book was issued for the National League. Interestingly, the National League happens to be the older of the two leagues that together form the Major League Baseball, and hence, is also called the Senior Circuit at times.
On June 12, 1880, John Lee Richmond became the first pitcher to pitch a 'perfect game' in the history of baseball. Since then, the feat has been pulled off 23 times in the Major League history.
On May 30, 1894, Bobby Lowe became the first to hit four home runs in a single game. Since then, as many as 16 players have accomplished this feat.
Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner" was adopted as the national anthem on March 3, 1931. While most of the people would be aware of that, very few people know that 13 years earlier, it was played during the 1918 World Series game between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1935, the Chicago Cubs made a record of the longest winning streak in MLB history (without a tie) by winning 21 games in a row. If ties are considered, the record is held by the New York Giants who won 26 games―with one tie in between―in 1916.
On May 24, 1935, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in a Major League game played at the Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. Interestingly, this was the first night game in the history of Major League Baseball, and came almost nine decades after the first professional game ever played.
On May 17, 1939, the Princeton University Tigers defeated the Columbia University Lions at the latter's home field, Baker Field. The game went down the history as the first ever to be televised. Three months later, the Brooklyn Dodgers took on the Cincinnati Reds at the Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, which became the first ever Major League Baseball game to be televised.
Before 1859, the umpires used to sit in padded chairs behind the home plate.
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, which was opened in 1912, is considered the oldest Major League Baseball stadium in use. The first baseball stadium built in the United States though, was the Forbes Field built in Pittsburgh in 1909.
According to the Rule 3.01(c) of the Major League Baseball, the umpires have to rub down 6 dozen balls with the Baseball Rubbing Mud and remove their slick shine before the commencement of a game. As for each baseball, it has an average life of 8 days.
In 1997, the teams from the American League were allowed to play in the National League, thus bringing to an end one of the oldest traditions of the game. The first interleague game was played on June 12, 1997.
Only the hits that cleared the outfield were considered home runs initially. Today, however, the hits have to clear the ballpark and that too, without leaning towards the foul areas in order to be considered home runs.
A day before the MLB All-Star Game and a day after are the only two days of the year when no professional games are played in the United States.
The World Series, wherein the two major league champions take on each other, was started back in 1903. That year, the Boston Americans took on the Pittsburgh Pirates and defeated them 5-3 in the nine-game series.
Talking of superstitions in baseball, legendary player, Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his cap while playing, which he changed after every two innings.
Nolan Ryan, hailing from Texas, became the first player in Major League Baseball to sign as a free agent for a salary of $1 million when he signed for Houston Astros in 1979. Interestingly, he is the only player in MLB to have his jersey number retired by three different teams (Astros, California Angels, and Texas Rangers).
Cal Ripken, Jr., a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, holds the record for longest consecutive games played. Ripken played 2,632 consecutive games over a period of 16 years. He surpassed Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record of 2,130 consecutive games on September 6, 1995.
At 6 feet 11 inches, Jon Rauch, a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, is the tallest player to play in the Major League Baseball. On the other hand, Eddie Gaedel―standing at 3 feet 7 inches―who put up his lone appearance for the St. Louis Browns doubleheader on August 19, 1951, is considered the shortest player in the Major League history.
Talking of individual records and accomplishments, Cal Hubbard is the only person who features in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) and the Baseball Hall of Fame (1976).
The longest game in the history of Major League Baseball was played between the Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robins on May 1, 1920. The 26-inning game, which was called off as a draw at the leveled scores of 1-1, actually went on for 8 hours, 22 minutes. In contrast, the longest game in professional baseball history was a 33-inning game played between the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings, which lasted for 8 hours, 25 minutes.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum based at Cooperstown, New York, was opened on June 12, 1939. Seven decades down the lane, the museum has more than 38,000 three-dimensional artifacts alongside thousands of photographs, documents, and books to its credit.
While all the feats we spoke of above were quite interesting in themselves, here's one which is a lot more interesting. On June 23, 1963, Jimmy Piersall celebrated his 100th home run by running the bases backwards. This was not the first time Piersall had pulled off an amusing feat of this sort though. He dared to walk up to bat wearing a Beatles wig, and was once seen talking to the monument of Babe Ruth at the Yankee Stadium before the 100th home run of his career.
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