# Is there an unwritten sports obligation that you have to give your opponent a chance to break a record? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 7, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914 "2024-09-07T16:37:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/21 "2024-09-08T04:11:26Z")
Wasn’t this the plot of a movie? The protagonist was about to break some record and they kept pitching around him. I think it was “Mr. Baseball” because I remember Tom Selleck, but it might be something else. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/22 "2024-09-08T17:44:09Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > You’re suggesting a near-perfect example of bad sportsmanship. Then I’ve expressed my views poorly. I prefer throwing four pitches off the plate rather than issuing an intentional walk and thus denying the batter any chance to swing at a pitch, if that’s your problem with my unsporting suggestion. But let’s stick with that option for a second. Imagine a scenario in which the batter, say, is going to for a record like “Most consecutive games hitting a HR” and the opposition has pitched to him all game long but he hasn’t hit a HR yet. Now it’s the 9th inning, the opposition is ahead 12-0, and he comes up to the plate. The batter in the on-deck circle is a very weak hitter, and the batter seeking to extend his streak of games with a HR is a very strong hitter. It’s not a terrible strategy at this point to decide that you’ll walk the power hitter intentionally. Why? Well, maybe the batter has pissed you off–maybe he decked someone in a brawl, or slid too hard into your second baseman, or mocked your pitcher after hitting a HR off him, or made a disparaging remark about your team in an interview. or any of a hundred scenarios where you don’t want to do him any favors. I don’t have a serious problem with walking this guy But take the other scenario, throwing four pitches off the plate and forcing him to swing at garbage. That’s just sound baseball. The batter who needs to swing at anything, and needs desperately not to take a walk (which would normally be a good thing for his team), has created his own disadvantageous position, and it’s incumbent on you to take advantage of his weakness. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/23 "2024-09-08T18:07:57Z")
I mean, I would go out of my way to try to stop the record-breaking as long as it wasn’t outside the usual attempt to win. Although I do also encourage putting four people on a player to stop her from getting a double double. 😅 > ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/24 "2024-09-08T20:00:58Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Conversely, there’s the example of Brett Favre, who likely gave up [an intentional sack](https://www.espn.com/columns/kreidler/1307290.html) to the Giants’ Michael Strahan to allow Strahan to break the single-season record. That, too, is questionable sportsmanship. While it sounds like questionable sportmanship, that could have been a strategic move, similar to sacrificing a bishop for position. If Favre knew that Strahan was dogged chasing the record, giving it up to him would relieve the pressure of that chase. And then, just handing it to him like that is kind of insulting as well, which could dent Strahan’s ego in Favre’s favor or could just make Strahan more intent on collecting additional properly earned sacks. Math is hard. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/25 "2024-09-08T20:01:48Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > It’s not a terrible strategy at this point to decide that you’ll walk the power hitter intentionally. When you’re down 12-0 in the 9th, there’s no strategy involved - the game is all but meaningless, and it’s incredibly unsportsmanlike to do anything but try to get him out by pitching normally. Throwing outside garbage is a jerk move. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/26 "2024-09-08T20:18:36Z")
Absolutely and obviously correct. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/27 "2024-09-08T20:18:48Z")
The specifics elude me, but back in the day (I think) Nolan Ryan was closing in on a significant pitching record (most career strikeouts, maybe) and some hotheaded player of the time thought he had the clout to demand being benched so he wouldn’t go down in the history book as the guy Nolan Ryan struck out for the record. I’m pretty sure it was Ricky Henderson, and I’m pretty sure his manager told him to fuck off, and I’m pretty sure he was, indeed, the guy that Ryan struck out. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/28 "2024-09-08T20:36:17Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I’m pretty sure it was Ricky Henderson, and I’m pretty sure his manager told him to fuck off, and I’m pretty sure he was, indeed, the guy that Ryan struck out. - [https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/nolan-ryan-eclipses-walter-johnsons-strikeout-record](https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/nolan-ryan-eclipses-walter-johnsons-strikeout-record) > Mills would soon find out as he pinch hit for second baseman Doug Flynn. Ryan took a commanding 1-2 lead in the count. Just as he had done all game, Ryan threw yet again another strike, except this time he froze the batter with a record breaking curveball for his 3,509th strikeout. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/29 "2024-09-08T22:40:47Z")
But which pitcher holds the record for exploding birds? ---
**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:** [September 8, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/30 "2024-09-08T22:42:20Z")
Back in the 90s, there was a women’s basketball player for UConn who was closing in on some record, something like most points scored at the school, when she had a leg injury near the end of the season. At the game vs. Villanova (where I was), the Villanova team let her hobble out onto the court in a cast to make an unopposed basket so she could make her record, and then they did the same for one of our players, and then the game began in earnest. At the time I considered it a nice gesture, but a lot of folks considered it scandalous and unsporting. As an aside, after the basket-trade at the start, that turned out to be the best basketball game I’ve ever watched. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/31 "2024-09-08T22:58:01Z")
If your team is up by 12 runs in the ninth, you’d better be throwing strikes. Walks make me crazy in that situation. Throw strikes! If he hits a homer, so be it. And throw strikes to the next guy when it’s 12-1. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/32 "2024-09-08T23:13:13Z")
The question should be: What if my team is up 1-0 in the 9th, and the guy comes up with runners on 2nd and 3rd? The answer is “sorry - you had three chances already to extend your streak. Take your base, I’m not even going to throw you garbage.” It doesn’t even need to be a particularly meaningful game. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/33 "2024-09-08T23:24:33Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > The question should be: > > What if my team is up 1-0 in the 9th, and the guy comes up with runners on 2nd and 3rd? The answer is “sorry - you had three chances already to extend your streak. Take your base, I’m not even going to throw you garbage.” It doesn’t even need to be a particularly meaningful game. - The strategy would be the same if there _wasn’t_ a streak on the line. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/34 "2024-09-09T02:19:45Z")
One of the most famous moments in cricket is last match of the legendary Australian cricketer Don Bradman. He was bowled out by the English bowler for a duck four career runs short of averaging 100 runs a match, 99.4 runs on average, which is still an incredible record (unbeaten IIRC?) but not a century average: > **[The moment of unlikely triumph that secured Don Bradman’s astonishing legacy...](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/20/don-bradman-test-career-mcg-final-innings-longest-without-century-south-africa-tour-1935-36)** > > His final, anomalous innings might be his best known, but it’s worth recalling a crucial inflection point of the cricket great’s career at the MCG I had never heard the English bowler being blamed for it (even though it did not effect the match at all, Australia were winning by an innings), but I grew up in England maybe the tale is told differently in Oz 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/35 "2024-09-09T02:34:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If someone’s so good at hitting home runs that they’re edging up against a record for it, intentionally walking them is likely a pretty good idea anyway. It’s almost never a good idea, actually. But if you’re winning 12-0 as the guy described, it’s an especially silly idea. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/36 "2024-09-09T03:04:01Z")
I want the Americans to invent contact-cricket, bowling, fielding, throwing and batting with lacrosse sticks, with both teams on the field at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/37 "2024-09-09T03:05:29Z")
Ladies and gentlemen, your hero: the guy who bunted (in a close game, 8th inning) to rob Curt Schilling of a potential perfect game. leading to Schilling’s teammates screaming at him. [#TBT: Bunt spoils Curt Schilling’s perfecto (mlb.com)](https://www.mlb.com/news/tbt-bunt-spoils-curt-schilling-s-perfecto-c180341170) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/38 "2024-09-09T08:44:54Z")
Heh, couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. A terrible yet perfect bunt. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/39 "2024-09-09T12:56:44Z")
You do what the game situation requires regardless of records or streaks. If it’s a one run game in the 8th and the pitcher is throwing a no-hitter and if bunting to put the tying run on base is the right move, then by all means bunt. If you’re down by 10 runs in the 8th and the pitcher is throwing a no-hitter, then it would be a dick move to bunt for a hit. If walking a guy going for a HR record would make sense if he wasn’t going for the record, then walk him. Screw the records, the game comes first. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914/40 "2024-09-09T13:25:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Back in the 90s, there was a women’s basketball player for UConn who was closing in on some record, something like most points scored at the school, when she had a leg injury near the end of the season. At the game vs. Villanova (where I was), the Villanova team let her hobble out onto the court in a cast to make an unopposed basket so she could make her record, There was an episode of _King of the Hill_ that had this same premise, except it was the high school football team letting an injured player limp down the field and into the end zone to set the career touchdown record. Hank was aghast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-unwritten-sports-obligation-that-you-have-to-give-your-opponent-a-chance-to-break-a-record/1006914.md?page=3)