# Achievable sporting feats we're still waiting to see **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 5, 2016, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201 "2016-01-05T05:18:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/101 "2016-01-07T23:05:32Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But you can give a rugby ball a more solid kick; easier surface area for foot contact. That could well be right. I’ve never kicked an American football, so I can’t really judge. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/102 "2016-01-07T23:15:35Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > That could well be right. I’ve never kicked an American football, so I can’t really judge. The American football will also tumble when kicked, so it’s not really aerodynamic. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/103 "2016-01-08T15:39:47Z")
A double hat trick in hockey (6 goals) in one game would be amazing. It’s been done before by a handful of players, but none since the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/104 "2016-01-08T15:47:14Z")
Rugby balls probably tumble, too, but the closer a ball is to spherical, the less the tumbling will matter (though even for a sphere it still matters some). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/105 "2016-01-08T15:59:16Z")
The rounder ball can also be kicked at any attitude. The football has to be held at the proper angle by the holder for the kicker to have a chance at the proper trajectory. Kicking it off center to get the trajectory will just decrease the range and result in more tumbling. ---
**Author:** ![jrbor76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jrbor76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrbor76)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/106 "2016-01-09T20:34:22Z")
I’m still a bit surprised nobody has ripped off a 99-yard touchdown run in the NFL since good old Tony Dorsett back in '83. I know Ahman Green came close with a 98-yarder for Green Bay about 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/107 "2016-01-09T20:40:47Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > I’ve always wanted to see 5 home runs in a major league baseball game. A number have gotten 4, so I figured that someone may get 5. Although, I don’t think anyone is going to throw good pitches to someone who already has 4 home runs in a game. Mike Cameron flied out to the warning track in his try for number five. I don’t think any pitcher in baseball wold pitch around a batter with that opportunity, unless the game depended on it and a good hitter would have been pitched around anyway. A pitcher would challenge the batter and try to get him out, but would not deny him the chance. When Joe Adcock hit four, he also hit a double off the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/108 "2016-01-10T01:53:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, it’s considered unassailable just because nobody has come close. If you had hit streaks of 53, 52 and 50 games, 57 would not seem out of the question. But nobody is close to 56, not even people of the sort who could do it, like Tony Gwynn; it’s a weird outlier. > > Five home runs in a game could certainly happen. Mike Cameron and Joe Adcock both came close. In Carlos Delgado’s 4-homer game he actually only got four at-bats (giving him the weird distinction of being the only player to start and finish a 9-inning game and homer in every plate appearance) so who knows? DiMaggio’s hit streak really is just a weird, weird outlier. I have nothing against DiMaggio, but I’ve also always felt it got a bit of unfair attention. In '41, the year Joe set the streak record he his stats were thus: 193 H, 30 HR, 125 RBI, .357/.440/.643/1.083 OPS, 184 OPS+, 348 TB Ted Williams on the other hand: 185 H, 37 HR, 120 RBI, .406/.553/.735/1.287 OPS, 235 OPS+, 335 TB I mean seriously a **.553** on base percentage, meaning Ted got on base more than half the time he appeared at the plate. That’s crazy, and also crazy versus Joe who actually won the MVP, losing to Ted in this important statistic by over .1. Now, in 1941 OPS/OPS+ weren’t nearly as important, nor was OBP. But even in the traditional stats that mattered back then–Ted had more Home Runs (lead the league) and had a **.406** batting average. Using modern metrics or the metrics commonly touted in the 40s, no argument makes sense for giving DiMaggio the MVP over Ted. To put a little bit of it in perspective, that .553 OBP is the #3 single season all time. It was the 10th highest OPS+ ever (OPS essentially adjusted to show where you were relative to the league, 100 being sort of a baseline and how far above 100 showing how far better you were.) DiMaggio’s numbers for 1941 aren’t even in the top 100 all time in these statistics. ---
**Author:** ![jsquire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jsquire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsquire)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/109 "2016-01-11T01:49:11Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > How about a sub-2 hour marathon? I am not being entirely snarky when I say “it depends on how effective the drug testing is”. I do not believe it can be done without a significant amount of chemical help. Even if we went back to the 1980s laissez-faire free-for-all ([and we might be there right now](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/12091431/IAAF-to-escape-ban-as-extent-of-athletics-crisis-is-revealed.html)) I have my doubts that it’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/110 "2016-01-11T04:46:08Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Now, in 1941 OPS/OPS+ weren’t nearly as important, nor was OBP. But even in the traditional stats that mattered back then–Ted had more Home Runs (lead the league) and had a **.406** batting average. Using modern metrics or the metrics commonly touted in the 40s, no argument makes sense for giving DiMaggio the MVP over Ted. > > To put a little bit of it in perspective, that .553 OBP is the #3 single season all time. It was the 10th highest OPS+ ever (OPS essentially adjusted to show where you were relative to the league, 100 being sort of a baseline and how far above 100 showing how far better you were.) DiMaggio’s numbers for 1941 aren’t even in the top 100 all time in these statistics. DiMaggio’s team won and Williams’s team finished seventeen games back, which has always mattered a lot to the vote. DiMaggio was also an excellent center fielder while Williams was a bad fielder. Williams should have won the award but it wasn’t as much of a runaway as you might think. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/111 "2016-01-11T06:26:27Z")
An NBA shut-out, although I don’t foresee it ever happening. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/112 "2016-01-11T07:51:57Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > An NBA shut-out, although I don’t foresee it ever happening. A NBA team scoring 200 points in one game The 25 inning MLB record for longest game being broken Jose Canseco’s 540’ home run being beat An American becoming boxing World Heavyweight Champion and re-energizing that division once again MLB pitcher going an entire season sans a loss 60 TD passes in a single season by a NFL QB, and 25 touchdown catches by a NFL receiver ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/113 "2016-01-11T08:07:59Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Here’s one that maybe is feasible, but I can’t be sure, an interesting game of soccer or golf. That’s why so many fans miss Tiger Woods. I’ve spent the last 20 years arguing with people who said I wasn’t a True Golf Fan. Turns out they were right, although if Spieth keeps it up, I may start arguing with them again. But I’m surprised nobody’s shot lower than 59 in a PGA tournament yet. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/114 "2016-01-11T19:00:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **jrbor76** : > > I’m still a bit surprised nobody has ripped off a 99-yard touchdown run in the NFL since good old Tony Dorsett back in '83. I know Ahman Green came close with a 98-yarder for Green Bay about 10 years ago. Does it not count if it came from a turnover? James Harrison of the Steelers made a 100-yard touchdown run off an interception in Superbowl XLIII. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/115 "2016-01-11T19:05:45Z")
Re: the 70 yard field goal. I predict it will be like the [Doug Flutie dropkick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3EaLfpZjaw). Won’t decide the game but will be the final field goal for someone like Prater or Janikowski in their last game and a coach who feels “Why the hell not?” ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/116 "2016-01-11T19:49:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does it not count if it came from a turnover? James Harrison of the Steelers made a 100-yard touchdown run off an interception in Superbowl XLIII. A “run” is specifically an offensive play from scrimmage. An interception run-back is a return. The longest return is 109 yards, which I think has happened a couple of times (from ling field goal attempts that came up short). It is also the longest possible under the rules (since a 110 yard return would require being on the back line, and would be out of bounds). ETA: The longest “run” allowable under the rules is 99 yards for a similar reason (i.e. the goal line can’t be the line of scrimmage). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/117 "2016-01-11T19:56:23Z")
Surely, that would depend on how the rounding is done, wouldn’t it? While the line of scrimmage can’t be on or behind the goal line, there’s no reason it couldn’t be six inches ahead of it. That could lead to a run of 99 yards, 2 1/2 feet, which is a lot closer to 100 than it is to 99. I suspect that in practice, the rounding is to the nearest yard, _except_ that it can never round to either goal line. That is to say, a run from 17 inches either side of the 50-yard-line would still be called a 50-yard run, but a run from one’s own one-inch-line would be rounded down to 99 yards, and one from from the enemy’s one-inch-line would be rounded up to 1 yard. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/118 "2016-01-11T20:01:43Z")
Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/119 "2016-01-15T14:02:37Z")
Could a baseball player hit three grand slams in a game? Seems plausible, 13 have hit two in a game. Surprisingly Nomar Garciaparra is the only one to do it at home. > **[List of Major League Baseball single-game grand slam leaders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_single-game_grand_slam_leaders)** > > In baseball, a grand slam is a home run that is hit when the bases are loaded (i.e., there are runners occupying first, second, and third base simultaneously), thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. Thirteen players have hit two grand slams in a single Major League Baseball (MLB) game to date, the most recent being Josh Willingham of the Washington Nationals on July 27, 2009. No player has accomplished the feat more than once in his career and no player has ever hit more Eve... ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201/120 "2016-01-15T15:17:40Z")
What about a team achievement, would that count as a feat? Because I think it would be so cool if an NVL team managed to take home the Offfensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and MVP award all in the same year. The best I could find were 2 of the 3, with only the Detroit Lions winning both Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/achievable-sporting-feats-were-still-waiting-to-see/742201.md?page=7)