What Record in Sport Will Never Be Broken?

[Spacemans Bong]

Donald Bradman's 99.94 average in Test cricket. If you get 100 in a match, you wave your bat around and people clap you for an exceptional innings. He averaged that, or did until his last Test match, when he had tears in his eyes after the applause and got overwhelmed.
 
If anything, batting now is easier then, and nobody's even near it. 60.97 is the second highest average.

 

[JayMags71]

Even Joe D's hitting streak can be beaten. It is possible.

You really think so? I'm not so sure, since I believe that is also dependent on a certain amount of luck.

 

[TheRooster]

The one from Wilt that certainly won't be broken because it is not possible: he never fouled out of a game.  Can't go lower than zero.

 

[johnmd20]

You really think so? I'm not so sure, since I believe that is also dependent on a certain amount of luck.

 
It's at least possible. It can be done. Some of the other counting stats, like wins and innings pitched and K's for a pitcher cannot be touched b/c it's a completely different game. This isn't to say it is going to happen, there is too much pressure on a guy when he gets to 30 games, let alone 45, but it is possible.

 

[BigMike]

One I never thought would be broken Bob Stanley's 627 games played without ever batting,  although Tome Henke and a couple others came close with one plate appearance in their final season.
 
But Buddy Groom managed to shatter the record with 786 games,  despite playing in the interleague era, and parts of 3 seasons in the National league.    I can't imagine anyone beating that record, but you never know

 

[Plantiers Wart]

I think Maravich's NCAA scoring record can be broken - the total points, not the average.  It would be a lower level D-1 or mid major kid, but with the 3, an extra year of eligibility, and more games in a season, it can be done. 
 
Figure you need to average 917 points per year for 4 years.  Say you play 36 games a season.  That's an average of 25.5 and you beat Pistol Pete.  McDermott got within 500 and only average 14 as a frosh. 
 
I will toss out Jerry Rice's career TD records - sort of like Gretzky's in thatwhile he has scored 208 carrer TDs,  he has 21 more receiving TDs (197) than the next guy has total TDs - Emmet Smith at 175. 
The active player with the most receiving TDs currently (assuming Gonzalez doesn't come back) is Larry Fitzgeral at 87.  He's 31 and needs another 110 just to tie Rice.  Megatron has 66 at age 29.
 
For total TDs, Adrian Peterson at age 29 has 91 TDs.  He needs 118 to pass Rice.  ,

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

Does masturbating to the Revis signing count as a sports record? Pretty sure that one is mine.

 

[Infield Infidel]

Does masturbating to the Revis signing count as a sports record? Pretty sure that one is mine.

 
That depends; did you use Viagra?

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

PED's? Dammit, I feel so Arodish.

 

[SoxJox]

I think Maravich's NCAA scoring record can be broken - the total points, not the average.  It would be a lower level D-1 or mid major kid, but with the 3, an extra year of eligibility, and more games in a season, it can be done. 
 
 

Like I suggested, even a lower level D-1 talent doing that ain't gonna stick around 4 years.  But I will acknowledge the possibility.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Baseball's traditional counting stats seem hard to touch. Young's 511, for the reasons stated. Rose's 4,256 -- it is hard to envision a hitter who's so consistent for so long coming onto the scene, and staying there, and producing and producing. I think of the hitting machines I've seen in my life -- Boggs, Gwynn -- and those guys wouldn't have done it. If only Ichiro came along sooner...but he didn't.

 
But you just said if he did, he would.  And there will be another Boggs, Gwynn, and Ichiro.
 
My record that will never be broken:  Putouts in an inning by a Right Fielder: 3 (held by many)

 

[axx]

One I never thought would be broken Bob Stanley's 627 games played without ever batting,  although Tome Henke and a couple others came close with one plate appearance in their final season.
 
But Buddy Groom managed to shatter the record with 786 games,  despite playing in the interleague era, and parts of 3 seasons in the National league.    I can't imagine anyone beating that record, but you never know

 
bbref has Papelbon at 530 games played and no PA. He probably won't last long enough to get to 786 however.

 

[leithbones]

Bonds' HRs
73 season & 762 career

 

[gaelgirl]

I think 762 can be beaten. I am not sure 73 will be, though. 
 
If someone starts their career exceptionally early, like 18 or 19, and they stay healthy and consistent over a 20-year career, I think it could happen. They'd need to throw in several seasons where they get 50 homeruns, but it's possible. Bryce Harper has 43 homeruns in two seasons. If he has a good five-year stretch from say 25-30 where he gets 50-55 HRs each year... well, it could happen. I'm not saying it's likely that Harper or anyone else breaks it, but it's definitely possible. Especially if they play at a hitter-friendly park that suits their strengths. I think as conditioning and medical treatments advance, players will have longer, healthier careers, too. It might be another 50 years before someone breaks the Bonds record, but it can happen. 
 
However, 73 in a season may not be possible. Well, it's possible. I think if an excellent power hitter went up to every at-bat with the specific purpose to hit a homerun, they might have a chance to break it. They would be hampered, though, in that I think that approach would result in a LOT of failure. That guy might hit 74 HRs, but he might also have a .200 average. So, he'd be fighting being benched and being detrimental to his team as much as the difficulty of hitting 74 homeruns. 
 
I think at least some of Michael Phelps' Olympic medals records will ever be broken (he has records for total medals, total gold medals, most gold medals at a single Olympics, most gold medals in individual events, most medals of any color in individual events). This is especially true if he actually manages to win a couple more in Rio. He has 22 medals now, breaking the total medals record by four. But 18 of his 22 medals are golds -- the next-highest is 9. He won 11 of his golds, plus two of other colors, in individual events. If someone were to ever break his records, it could only come in a few sports that have a lot of different medal events and by an athlete that can maintain elite status for 12-16 years. I don't think it can be done. 

 

[coremiller]

If Bonds has a record that will never be broken, it's the 120 intentional walks in one season and 688 in his career.  The next best anyone else has done is 45 (McCovey) and 293 (Aaron).  
 
The 73 home runs could fall.  After all McGwire got 70 and 65, and Sosa got 66.  What's amazing about Bonds' 73 is that AT&T Park's park factor for left-handed home runs in 2002-04 (can't find 01 data) was 87.  If Bonds had played in a neutral park he would have had a good run at 80.

 

[Seabass]

Now that MLB has replay, Bobby Cox's 158 ejections record should stand forever.

 

[gaelgirl]

If Bonds has a record that will never be broken, it's the 120 intentional walks in one season and 688 in his career.  The next best anyone else has done is 45 (McCovey) and 293 (Aaron).  
 
The 73 home runs could fall.  After all McGwire got 70 and 65, and Sosa got 66.  What's amazing about Bonds' 73 is that AT&T Park's park factor for left-handed home runs in 2002-04 (can't find 01 data) was 87.  If Bonds had played in a neutral park he would have had a good run at 80.

Well, the thing that also connects Bonds, McGwire and Sosa is that they were all using PEDs. If you assume that a PED user in this era will eventually be caught (thus discouraging players from aggressively using like it appears those three did), it's difficult to see someone getting 73 home runs. However, I don't think it's impossible. It would require an extremely talented, smart hitter in his prime, likely matched with a park that plays precisely to his strengths and on a team with good enough hitters that opposing pitchers don't just walk or pitch around him. Bonds was uncanny in his ability to hit the few good pitches he saw. 
 
The walks records are a good call, though. Not sure those will be beaten. 

 

[SumnerH]

Well, the thing that also connects Bonds, McGwire and Sosa is that they were all using PEDs. If you assume that a PED user in this era will eventually be caught (thus discouraging players from aggressively using like it appears those three did), it's difficult to see someone getting 73 home runs. However, I don't think it's impossible. It would require an extremely talented, smart hitter in his prime, likely matched with a park that plays precisely to his strengths and on a team with good enough hitters that opposing pitchers don't just walk or pitch around him. Bonds was uncanny in his ability to hit the few good pitches he saw. 
 
The walks records are a good call, though. Not sure those will be beaten. 

I think it's unlikely that both:
A) there won't be a PED that's largely undetectable for long enough to put up another season like those; and
B.) People won't keep getting stronger, odd parks keep being built, weird wind/altitude/etc patterns keep causing bizarre park effects, and things like those

To the point that the HR record will never fall.

 

[SoxJox]

I think it's unlikely that both:
A) there won't be a PED that's largely undetectable for long enough to put up another season like those; and
B.) People won't keep getting stronger, odd parks keep being built, weird wind/altitude/etc patterns keep causing bizarre park effects, and things like those

To the point that the HR record will never fall.

I'll leave the PED issue alone - at least as you've couched it.
 
But the Part B introduces, to my mind's eye, marginal caveats.  These types of things are and always have been in play.
 
We just witnessed Puljos collecting his 500th at the 3rd youngest age.  None of the claims of Part A have been brought to bear on him.  I'm not saying that he will break the record, but he could.

 

[DanoooME]

Cael Sanderson's 4 NCAA titles can never be broken (only tied - and no one's done it yet)
 
159-0 is going to be tough to beat too.

 

[Year of Yaz]

Florence Griffith Joyner's 100 and 200 meter sprint records. Probably PED enhanced as there was plenty of circumstantial evidence which included a spike in performane, change in physique and an abrupt retirement prior to the implementation of random testing. On the other hand, she was tested numerous times during the 1988 Olympics and no sleazy doctor has ever come forward to implicate her.

 

[SumnerH]

Cael Sanderson's 4 NCAA titles can never be broken (only tied - and no one's done it yet)
 

 
Jesse Owens has 8 NCAA titles, including 4 in one year.

 

[SumnerH]

I like the wrestling thought, though: Aleksandr Karelin's 13 year undefeated stretch is pretty incredible, as is the 6 years without giving up a point.

 

[Leather]

One to consider:
 
The Dolphins 20 consecutive victories against the same team (the Bills) (NFL record).  
 
The Patriots came close, with 15 in a row against the Bills, but lost in 2011. 

 

[coremiller]

One to consider:
 
The Dolphins 20 consecutive victories against the same team (the Bills) (NFL record).  
 
The Patriots came close, with 15 in a row against the Bills, but lost in 2011. 

 
Washington beat Detroit 18 straight.  The 49ers beat the Rams 17 straight in the 90s.  This one could certainly fall in the right circumstances.

 

[mjm3773]

Yeah but that was bullshit.  You could bunt the ball foul and it get to first and you'd be safe.

Actually it wasn't. The fair-foul bunt rule was eliminated after 1876. But the pitchers's box ( where they pitched from 50 feet away from the plate) was eliminated prior to the 1893 season and the rubber moved back to its current 60'6".

The 1890s were just a high-offense era in history, like the 1930s or the "steroiid era." The original Billy Hamilton, whose career spanned from 1888-1901, averaged over a run per game for his career. The entire 1894 Phillies outfield (Hamilton, Ed Delahanty and Sam Thompson all hit over .400 that season).

 

[Leather]

 
Washington beat Detroit 18 straight.  The 49ers beat the Rams 17 straight in the 90s.  This one could certainly fall in the right circumstances.

 
It would require the elimination of the salary cap (with no similar parity-mechanism put in its place), combined with a run of sustained dominance (and luck) that has never been seen, and really only approached 2-3 times before in NFL history.  I think the combination of both of those things happening are close to nil.
 
Obviously, it COULD happen, but the aligning of the stars that would allow for it seem to be very, very, very, very, unlikely.

 

[coremiller]

 
It would require the elimination of the salary cap (with no similar parity-mechanism put in its place), combined with a run of sustained dominance (and luck) that has never been seen, and really only approached 2-3 times before in NFL history.  I think the combination of both of those things happening are close to nil.
 
Obviously, it COULD happen, but the aligning of the stars that would allow for it seem to be very, very, very, very, unlikely.

 
Well in the salary cap era, as you alluded to, New England beat Buffalo 15 straight and 20 of 21, and lost the one game by 3 points after blowing a 21-0 lead.  You certainly need to be a great team for a long time and have a mismanaged doormat in your division, and you need some luck (I think the Pats squeaked out several close wins in their streak), but it's not thaaat improbable.  I certainly wouldn't compare it to (say) Cy Young's 511 wins, which changes in the structure of the game have made totally impossible to break unless the game radically changes again.

 

[SoxJox]

And with Michael Phelps mulling a return to Olympic competition, can he add to his seemingly insurmountable 18 Gold Medals? Or 22 total-medal count?  I doubt any individual Gold Medals, but it is certainly possible that 3-4 medals are within reach - especially as a member of a medaling relay team.

 

[Year of Yaz]

And with Michael Phelps mulling a return to Olympic competition, can he add to his seemingly insurmountable 18 Gold Medals? Or 22 total-medal count?  I doubt any individual Gold Medals, but it is certainly possible that 3-4 medals are within reach - especially as a member of a medaling relay team.

Swimming is the only Summer Olympic sport that provides multiple medal opportunities. If someone is good in both the freestyle and butterfly there are seven chances and since Phelps is at least passable in the breaststroke and backstroke he can add the medleys as well. Since swimming is weightless little recovery time is needed between heats and finals. Track medals, on the other hand, are typi ally won by specialists. The only realistic three medal opportunity is the 100, 200 and 4×100. Carl Lewis was a freak of nature that could win the long jump as well. Therefore, Phelp's medal tallies can only be compared to other swimmers. Mark Spitz could have possibly won as many medals but in his day he had to compete as an amateur.

 

[Bozo Texino]

Gretzky has more career assists than anyone else has career points. You could take away all of Gretzky's goals and still nobody would reach him.

 
Holy cow.
 
I love little facts like that.

 

[SumnerH]

Swimming is the only Summer Olympic sport that provides multiple medal opportunities.

 
There are at least 15 Summer Olympics sports in which an athlete has won multiple medals (Swimming, Athletics, Gymnastics, Shooting, Fencing, Archery, Cycling, Badminton, Canoeing, Diving, Equestrian, Judo, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Wrestling).  In most of them that opportunity still exists.  Phelps got 8 in swimming (twice); people have gotten 7 medals in one year in gymnastics and shooting, and 6 in archery and athletics.
 
After Phelps, the next two most-medalled summer Olympians are both in gymnastics (Larisa Latynina had 18, which is the closest to Phelps' 22).  The next 7 are in events other than swimming.

 

[Year of Yaz]

There are at least 15 Summer Olympics sports in which an athlete has won multiple medals (Swimming, Athletics, Gymnastics, Shooting, Fencing, Archery, Cycling, Badminton, Canoeing, Diving, Equestrian, Judo, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Wrestling).  In most of them that opportunity still exists.  Phelps got 8 in swimming (twice); people have gotten 7 medals in one year in gymnastics and shooting, and 6 in archery and athletics.
 
After Phelps, the next two most-medalled summer Olympians are both in gymnastics (Larisa Latynina had 18, which is the closest to Phelps' 22).  The next 7 are in events other than swimming.

My remarks are directed to high participation sports. Probably fewer than 1% of the population have ever competed in some of the sports you referred to. I've only met a few people that seriously competed in gymnastics.

 

[SoxJox]

My remarks are directed to high participation sports. Probably fewer than 1% of the population have ever competed in some of the sports you referred to. I've only met a few people that seriously competed in gymnastics.

I think SumnerH's point was that there ARE more sports than just swimming in which multiple medals are possible, which is independent of "high participation" sports.  In the Olympics, it's a binary outcome.  Possible, or not possible.  
 
Has nothing to do with how many athletes are involved in a particular sport and what their personal, individual chances of medaling multiple times might be.  
 
It's more about how many Olympic opportunities exist for whatever population of athletes there are who qualify to compete in  the first place.
 
So the question is: IF the opportunity exists, what are the chances?

 

[SoxJox]

Now, having said that, I'll admit that it might be appropriate to break out individual Olympic sports or events because, again as SumnerH suggests, or at least implies, not all Olympic sports are created equal.

 

[mabrowndog]

Jesse Owens has 8 NCAA titles, including 4 in one year.

 
Owens also set or tied 4 world records in different events at the 1935 Big Ten track & field meet -- in less than an hour. They included new marks in the 220-yard dash (20.3 seconds), 220-yard low hurdles (22.6 sec) and long jump (26' 8"), and a tie for the record in the 100-yard dash (9.4).
 
In 2002 Sports Illustrated named it the most impressive college sports feat ever, edging out Sanderson's insane wrestling career. Love this footnote:
 

 
Owens's day was so monumental that in some newspapers it trumped that day's other big sports story: Babe Ruth's 712th, 713th and 714th home runs.