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Since I have noticed a goodly number of sports fans on Dakka, what do you guys think is the greatest number in sports? By this I mean 3000 hits in baseball. 27 World Series Titles. Benchmark numbers across any sport, that you think are the most unattainable, or are the biggest measure of an athlete's career in his given sport.

My personal number- 2632. This is the number of consecutive games played by Cal Ripken Jr. in major league baseball. This streak is one that speaks of not only longevity in the game, but also of production. According to ask.com, the current streak is at 308 games, by Ichiro, who is quite frankly aging some to the point where I dont think he has another 15 or so years that it would take to get that many games in.

The next record that I think very impressive, is that of Nolan Ryan's career strikeouts. 5,714. To me, this number is more impressive than a hits or homeruns record in baseball, because the number of pitchers that you face as a hitter, is much fewer than the number of batters you face as a pitcher. And so to strike out that many people over the course of a career is quite remarkable. (it doesn't hurt that he had was is still considered legendary velocity, and a demeanor on the mound that begged to me messed with)

Switching gears a little bit, another longevity mark, is the one for most consecutive games by a player in the NHL... 964 by Doug Jarvis. This number is just as impressive as the baseball mark because of simply how violent hockey is as a sport.

#1 ?

Wilt Chamberlain is the poster-child (athlete?) when it comes to impressive and just about unbreakable records in basketball. A lot of that is due to being one of the most physically gifted athletes of all time and a lot of it is due to playing in an earlier era of basketball whose pace and rules were pretty different compared to the modern game. Still the following are impressive feats that are just about untouchable:

Averaged 48.5 minutes per game in the 1961-62 season; a standard NBA game with no overtimes is 48 minutes long

100 point game which hasn't really been rivaled, closest would be Kobe's 81 although the pace was more uptempo back then

Averaged over 50 pts per game for a season

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Wilt_Chamberlain

#99.

76, the number of time David Carr was sacked in 2002.

It takes both skill and teamwork to be that horrible.

714...the number of home runs hit by Babe Ruth...

Sure lots of people now have broken his record, but back in that time, he was (and still is) one of the greatest baseball players ever to play the game...

Plus he took awesome pics...

The number 32...
It has been worn by some of the most famous names in sports...

Baseball...

Jim Umbritch-Houston Astro's
Sandy Koufax- L.A. Dodgers
Steve Carlton-Philadelphia Phillies.

NFL..

Jim Brown-Cleveland Browns.
Al Blozis- New York Giants ( KIA in WW2)
O.J Simpson-Buffalo Bills ( say what you want, he was a hell of a ball player)
Franco Harris- Pitsburg Steelers.

NBA...

Kevin McHale- Boston Celtics
Magic Johnson-L.A. Lakers
Dr. J- New Jersy Nets
Bill Walton-Portland Trail Blazers
Billy Cuningham-Philadelphia 76ers
Karl Malone-Utah Jazz.

feeder wrote:#99.

You referring to Gretzky? If so, I would argue that were it not for a plague of injuries and a serious medical condition, #66 was better

The only number that would impress me in sports is the number 0. As in "0 games of anything were played this year as sports were cancelled and the millions upon millions of wasted dollars were put towards something that will actually advance the human race out of barbarism and ignorance."

Phelps swam over 25 miles in the Beijing olympic pool.

Lordhat wrote:The only number that would impress me in sports is the number 0. As in "0 games of anything were played this year as sports were cancelled and the millions upon millions of wasted dollars were put towards something that will actually advance the human race out of barbarism and ignorance."

except that, over all the millenia of human existance, is it not more "civilized" to beat an opponent in a field of sport with rules and organization than say.. club him over the head to kill him, and steal his woman. Since we have formed civilization, sport has played a major part of life, it's a bridging theme between all generations.

Nolan Ryan's 7 no hitters. It will never be equaled.

Granted, this was a difference era of baseball, but Cy Youngs most innings pitched (7355), complete games (749), and Wins (511) will also never be matched.

1.

The number of time that England has won the World Cup. England, the birthplace of football. England, the place with that League that practically everyone around the world watches except me and Americans. England, the place that practically oozes football.

Has only won the World Cup once.

Lordhat wrote:The only number that would impress me in sports is the number 0. As in "0 games of anything were played this year as sports were cancelled and the millions upon millions of wasted dollars were put towards something that will actually advance the human race out of barbarism and ignorance."

He says as he paints his toy soldier with he paid for with money that could have gone to charity or other good causes instead of paints, brushes, miniatures, army cases...

I"m not horribly impressed with streaks. They're more a product of luck than skill. Don't get me wrong, you have to be incredibly skilled to have such a streak, but it's just luck if you keep it going. If I were to pick one, it'd be Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak.

In terms of actually being impressed, rather than simply astonished, I'd go with .406, or Ted William's batting average in 1941. He also has the highest average of any player in the live ball era, and the second highest slugging average and OPS (both after ruth).

Jack Johnson and his streak of white women. Considering the time and place that is pretty impressive.

26.22

As in miles in a marathon.

Thousands of people have run a marathon. But, that's the best part about it. It's a TON of work, but it's actually possible to achieve in the average person.

I know that I could never hit 73 home runes in a season (or lifetime for that matter). But, I could, someday, actually run a marathon.

Grakmar wrote:But, I could, someday, actually run a marathon.

I'm sorry to inform you that as long as you are a gamer you are not allowed to participate in outdoor physical sports and your sunlight intake is limited to 30 minutes a day.

Ahtman wrote:Jack Johnson and his streak of white women. Considering the time and place that is pretty impressive.

Well, if that's how we're playing it, I'd say the total salaries command by Drew Rosenhaus for his clients.

Grakmar wrote:26.22

As in miles in a marathon.

Thousands of people have run a marathon. But, that's the best part about it. It's a TON of work, but it's actually possible to achieve in the average person.

I know that I could never hit 73 home runes in a season (or lifetime for that matter). But, I could, someday, actually run a marathon.

That's a neat story, but isn't that the opposite of impressive?

I'm also not sure the average person could accomplish it. An average athlete perhaps.

Polonius wrote:

Ahtman wrote:Jack Johnson and his streak of white women. Considering the time and place that is pretty impressive.

Well, if that's how we're playing it, I'd say the total salaries command by Drew Rosenhaus for his clients.

In all fairness that is fairly impressive. He even got a movie made based on himself. At least I think he was the inspiration for Jerry McGuire.

Edit: Sorry, it was Gary Wichard

Polonius wrote:

Ahtman wrote:Jack Johnson and his streak of white women. Considering the time and place that is pretty impressive.

Well, if that's how we're playing it, I'd say the total salaries command by Drew Rosenhaus for his clients.

Jack Johnson was ahead of his time but when it comes to women I think this is another case where Wilt Chamberlain is on stilts above the rest. He devoted an entire chapter to sex in his autobiography and claims that if he had to count all of his sexual encounters it'd be close to 20,000 women

3,238. Gretzky has more assists than the next guy has points.

Ensis Ferrae wrote:

feeder wrote:#99.

You referring to Gretzky? If so, I would argue that were it not for a plague of injuries and a serious medical condition, #66 was better

Shoulda, coulda, wasn't. Besides, nobody takes a Penguin seriously. They're like monkeys on ice!

3 or more.

As in, the amount of pints needed to be to consumed by the average male pub-goer before he knows exactly how to lead <insert sports team here> to victory.

27. The number of world series titles the New York Yankees have under their belt. I don't really even like baseball that much anymore, but I love this number,due to the simple fact that the next highest team has less than half this number, and the next three teams combined don't equal it IIRC.

17. Dock Ellis' uniform number in 1970, which he wore during the greatest moment in MLB history.

99.94.

This is the average number of runs scored by Donald Bradman for every time he was dismissed in cricket. What's incredible about this record is how far ahead he is from th e next best performer. After more than 130 years of test cricket, the next best average is 60.94, but after that you get 60.83, then 60.73, and so on. It's like you've got this really tight bell curve, with one really ridiculous, crazy number just stuck out on the far end, making everyone else look bad.

It's like in basketball, where you've got Jordan and Chamberlain averaging 30 points per game, but then you've got LeBron James and the rest just behind them. It'd be like if you have all those incredible records, just slightly beating out the others, but way out in front of all of them was a guy averaging 50 points a game.

Cane wrote:Wilt Chamberlain is the poster-child (athlete?) when it comes to impressive and just about unbreakable records in basketball.

True, but his most important record is sleeping with more than 20,000 women?

Of course, the best the about that is in Conan the Destroyer, where the plot is about protecting the purity of a girl... so they pick Wilt Chamberlain and Arnold Shwarzenegger to do it

Polonius wrote:
That's a neat story, but isn't that the opposite of impressive?

I'm also not sure the average person could accomplish it. An average athlete perhaps.

It also isn't true, because ,as someone who actually has run a marathon, the training requires certain body type prerequisites, and the absence of certain injuries.

For example, the training for said marathon means that I can never run one again, let alone more than 5 miles at once.

13. It's my number in Hockey.

5:19.85

It's the world record 2k time for an 8+ in rowing. Courtesy of USA in Athens, 2004.