Here's a provocative page straight from the 2007 World Almanac and Book of Facts: our "Editor's Picks" of sports records least likely to be broken, in football, baseball, basketball, and a grab-bag of miscellaneous sports.
The idea for this came to us late in the process of working on the new edition, but it's turned out to be one of the most talked-about features in our interviews about The World Almanac 2007. It's not just the fact that every sports fan wants to weigh in about records that should be on the list, or records that they think may actually be broken—it's also that this list raises some interesting questions about how professional sports of all kinds have changed over the years.
In some cases, the overall level of skill and competition in a given sport has increased so dramatically, it's nearly impossible for individual players of the present to surpass these exceptional accomplishments. Other records are likely to stand simply because the playing seasons in some sports—and the careers of most athletes—are significantly shorter than they were decades ago.
So let's open this one up for discussion. Which of your favorite record-holders did we omit? Which active athletes are most likely to set "unbreakable" records of their own? And what are the odds of a future U.S. President breaking into this list? Get the complete list—and find out which former President made the cut—after the jump.
National Football League Records
Longest streak of throwing at least 1 touchdown pass per game: Johnny Unitas, 47 games (12/9/56-12/4/60)Most career receiving yards: Jerry Rice, 22,895 (1985-2004)
Most seasons leading the NFL in rushing yards: Jim Brown, 8 (1957-61, 1963-65)
Most career rushing yards: Emmitt Smith, 18,355 (1990-2004)
Most consecutive games played by a non-kicker: Jim Marshall, 282 (1960-79)
Perfect season and post season: Miami Dolphins, 17-0 (1972)
Most consecutive games won: New England Patriots, 18 (2003-04)
Most interceptions in a season: Dick “Night Train” Lane, 14 (1952)
Most sacks in a single game: Derrick Thomas, 7.0 (Nov. 11, 1990)
Most touchdown passes thrown in a season: Peyton Manning, 49 (2004)
National Basketball Association Records
Best regular-season team winning percentage: Chicago Bulls, 72-10, .878 (1995-96)Most regular season games played, career: Robert Parish, 1,611 (1976-97)
Most NBA championships, player: Bill Russell, 11 (1957, 1959-66, 1968-69)
Most career assists: John Stockton, 15,806 (1984-2003)
Most career 3-point field goals: Reggie Miller, 2,560 (1987-2005)
Most seasons leading the league in scoring: Michael Jordan, 10 (1987-93, 1996-98)
Highest scoring average, single season: Wilt Chamberlain, 50.4 (1961-62)
Most points, single game: Wilt Chamberlain, 100 (March 2, 1962)
Most rebounds single game: Wilt Chamberlain, 55 (Nov. 24, 1960)
Most career points scored: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38,387 (1969-89)
Major League Baseball Records
Most career wins: Cy Young, 511 (1890-1911)Most career strikeouts: Nolan Ryan, 5,714 (1966, 1968-93)
Most career stolen bases: Rickey Henderson, 1,406 (1979-2003)
Most runs batted in (season): Lewis Robert “Hack” Wilson, 191 (1930)
Most career shutouts: Walter Johnson, 110 (1907-27)
Longest hitting streak: Joe DiMaggio, 56 games (May 15-July 16, 1941)
Highest season batting average (after modern era began, 1901): Nap Lajoie, .426 (1901)
Most career hits: Pete Rose, 4,256 (1963-86)
Back-to-back no hitters: Johnny Vander Meer (June 11 & June 15, 1938)
Most consecutive games played: Cal Ripken, 2,632 (May 30, 1982-Sept. 19, 1998)
Miscellaneous Sports Record Holders
UCLA Bruins: 7 consecutive NCAA basketball titles (1967-73)
Wayne Gretzky: 2,857 NHL career points (1979-99)
Martina Navratilova: 167 career tennis singles titles (1974-94)
Lance Armstrong: 7 consecutive Tour de France titles (1999-2005)
Oklahoma Sooners: 47 consecutive NCAA Division 1-A football victories (Oct. 10, 1953–Nov. 9, 1957)
Byron Nelson: 11 consecutive PGA tour victories (1945)
Sadaharu Oh: 868 career home runs in Japanese Pro Baseball (1959-80)
Just Fontaine: 13 goals for France in one FIFA World Cup finals tournament (June 8-28, 1958)
Oscar Swahn: Oldest person to win an Olympic Medal (72), (Sweden) taking silver in the running deer double-shot team event at the 1920 Antwerp Games
Montreal Canadiens: 10 straight Stanley Cup Finals (1951-60, w/ 5 straight wins 1956-60)
Richard Petty: Winning 27 NASCAR races in one season (1967)
Rocky Marciano: Undefeated streak, retiring as heavyweight champ, 49-0 (Mar. 17, 1947-Sept. 21, 1955)
Margaret Smith Court: 62 Grand Slam wins in tennis (singles, doubles, mixed double) (1960-75)
UNC Women’s Soccer: 103 consecutive games without a loss (Sept. 30, 1986-Sept. 17, 1990)
Gerald Ford: Most NFL contracts declined by a future President: 2 (Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers)
Know a sports fan who'd love this list, plus thousands of other facts and statistics in sports, history, politics, science, and practically any other topic you can think of? Grab a copy of the 2007 World Almanac wherever books are sold—or take advantage of the links below to e-mail a copy of the list or add it to your favorite social-bookmarking service.
Previously: The World At A Glance: Number Ones
Image from Stephanie Asher's Flickr stream (CC)
Comments (21)
The most "Unbreakable" record in MLB is not any of those; it is Cy Young's career complete game record of 749.
In these days, when four complete games is a good year, a player would have to play for more than 185 years to contest this record.
Posted by Marshall Clow | January 7, 2007 6:27 PM
Posted on January 7, 2007 18:27
How about Wayne Gretzky's 50 goals in 39 games. The NHL is lucky to have 4 50 goal scorers in 82 games. Or what about Wayne Gretzky most goals in a season 92.
Doug Jarvis 964 consecutive NHL games played. The streak lasted from 1975-1987.
Posted by Myers | January 8, 2007 10:42 AM
Posted on January 8, 2007 10:42
how about jack chesbro's 41 wins in one season?
Posted by voodoo face | January 8, 2007 12:43 PM
Posted on January 8, 2007 12:43
Here's another unbreakable baseball record: Babe Ruth's 119 extra base hits in one season, 1921. To put that number into perspective, if someone today hit 50 doubles, 15 triples and 50 home runs in one season, they'd still be 4 extra base hits short of Ruth's record.
Posted by carist | January 17, 2007 11:30 AM
Posted on January 17, 2007 11:30
Here is one that will never be matched:
Joe Gibbs won THREE superbowls with THREE different quarterbacks.
Posted by skinsfan | January 17, 2007 2:43 PM
Posted on January 17, 2007 14:43
The Boston Celtics' record of 8 straight championships - that's the most in any professional sport.
Posted by Tim Templeton | January 17, 2007 5:34 PM
Posted on January 17, 2007 17:34
You have neglected a record that ranks with Ripken's and Joe D's - Woody Stehens' five consecutive Belmont wins.
Posted by mike madary | January 17, 2007 9:58 PM
Posted on January 17, 2007 21:58
I love your website and Emmitt is awesome.
Posted by Kacey | January 24, 2007 9:46 AM
Posted on January 24, 2007 09:46
Tony Lockett 1360 goals in the australian rules football VFL/AFL
Posted by Michael | May 9, 2007 12:13 AM
Posted on May 9, 2007 00:13
Don't forget Richard Petty's 200 wins...it'll neve be broken!
Posted by jere | July 9, 2007 1:55 PM
Posted on July 9, 2007 13:55
How about Charlie Radburn's 60 wins in a season for a pitcher.
Posted by Matt | July 13, 2007 11:58 AM
Posted on July 13, 2007 11:58
Here's a record that wont ever be broken: NFL Punter Chris Gardocki has never had a punt blocked in 1177 attempts. That's more than double the next closest punter.
Posted by Tom | August 12, 2007 6:20 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 18:20
what about Barry Bonds 73 homeruns?? The next highest for anybody that DOES NOT take steroids is Roger Maris with 61 then Ryan Howard with 58. Nobody who doesnt cheat (meaning doesnt takes steroids) will ever break that record
Posted by Josh | August 18, 2007 7:44 PM
Posted on August 18, 2007 19:44
How about most amount of grand slams in one inning of baseball. 2 by fernando tatis. How many players will ever get the chance to bat twice in one inning without the bases loaded. Unbreakable.
Posted by matt | September 12, 2007 12:57 PM
Posted on September 12, 2007 12:57
You missed the most unbreakable record of them all (well along with Cy Young's complete game record). It is one more for Wilt Chamberlain, '61-'62: Avg Min per Game, 48.5; 80 games, 3882 minutes. He played every single minute of every game including 10 overtime periods except for 8 minutes. 3882 out of a possible 3890!
Posted by D Lee | September 13, 2007 10:34 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 22:34
Oscar Robertson had a season which not many people know about. In the 1961-1962 season oscar averaged an amazing 30.8 points,12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. Making him the first player ever to average a triple double in one season, Not only will no one break this in any lifetime but because the way the game is played now, no one will come close. Its safe to say The Big "O" will never be challeneged for this record!
Posted by Rich | December 12, 2007 11:17 AM
Posted on December 12, 2007 11:17
These three are certainly threatened:
Most career rushing yards: Ladanian Tomlinson is on his was to over 20,000.
Perfect season and post season: It hasn't happened yet, but the Pats are 13 - 0.
Most touchdown passes thrown in a season: Tom Brady is closing in.
Posted by Don Simpson | December 13, 2007 11:52 AM
Posted on December 13, 2007 11:52
How about Michael Schumacher's 91 race victories, and 7 championships? (with 5 championship seasons in a row). The next closest is Prost, with 51 wins.
It took nearly 50 years for someone to break Fangio's record of 5 championships, and I don't know that 7 will ever be broken.
A partial list of records he owns:
Most wins
Most championships
Most pole positions
Most fast laps
Most perfect scores (pole position, fast lap, and race win in a single event)
Most podiums
Granted, it wasn't ALL down to Schumi. It was the result of a perfect storm of Schumacher teaming with Ferrari with Jean Todt and Ross Brawn. This is why I think his records will stand longer than most other records out there.
Posted by Tom | January 1, 2008 8:38 PM
Posted on January 1, 2008 20:38
the other is the 511 wins to look at roid clemens i mean he was the most dominant pitcher in the last 25 years and he isnt even near 400 so i think that is another unbreakable record but the complete game record is another pitchers today rely to much on relief pitchers
Posted by clayton | February 27, 2008 10:10 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 10:10
How about 7 no-hitters by Nolan Ryan. It is tough enough to get one or even two.
Posted by Dave | February 27, 2008 8:02 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 20:02
Hello the 1976 montreal canadians most wina in a season with 76 wins and 10 losses and 136 points in a season no team now adays will ever come close to breaking that master piece
Posted by jordan | June 4, 2008 11:32 PM
Posted on June 4, 2008 23:32