# What is the longest-held current record in any sport? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 23, 2018, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400 "2018-02-23T08:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/21 "2018-02-24T01:52:47Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Two I can think of are Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game, nearly 56 years old and Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak over 76 years old. They might never be bettered. It is amusing to observe that Roger Maris held the HR record for a season (37 years, IIRC) longer than did Babe Ruth (only 34 years). That surprised me because, growing up it seemed like Ruth’s was forever, while Maris’s was over in an eyeblink. A lot of people believe Maris’ record (61) still stands. Barry Bonds (73) Sammy Sosa (64)and Mark McGwire (70) all used “performance-enhancing drugs” and these people think none of their records should be recognized. Some people think Babe Ruth at least partially holds the record. He hit 60 HRs in only 154 games. Maris tied the record (60) during his game number 159. Maris didn’t hit 61 until his game number 163. No one can say how many more HRs Ruth would have hit had he played 9 more games. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/22 "2018-02-24T03:53:45Z")
> [@drm](#): > > The first that came to my mind was Wayne Gretzky’s 50 goals in 39 games. The record is 36 years old and unbreakable as far as sports records go. More Gretzky pinnacles (35 - 38 years ago) that will never be surpassed: 92 goals in a season 894 career goals 1,963 career assists and maybe a cajilion others that I’m too lazy to dig up. He was lucky to play in an era when high-scoring games were more common, though. I often wonder how he would have fared if his career had started, say, after the 2004/05 lockout. \*Nigel Incubator Jones probably did the fastest-ever bra removal from a mannequin. (oh, wait - that’s one of those “first-ever” type records. Forget it, then.) (or wait again - it _was_ the 127th annual competition, so…) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/23 "2018-02-24T04:41:32Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > A lot of people believe Maris’ record (61) still stands. Barry Bonds (73) Sammy Sosa (64)and Mark McGwire (70) all used “performance-enhancing drugs” and these people think none of their records should be recognized. The record is 73, by Barry Bonds. That’s what the record books say. It IS recognized. If one wants an old baseball record, and starts in 1901, well, the post-1900 record for batting average in a season was set in 1901; .426 by Nap Lajoie. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/24 "2018-02-24T06:09:42Z")
A few records are clearly unbeatable. Fernando Tatis hitting two grand slams in one inning can only be broken by someone who hits three. I think we can safely say that that will never happen. Same with Johnny Vander Meer’s two consecutive no hitters. Have to pitch three in a row to break that. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/25 "2018-02-24T06:21:41Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Some records (like triples in baseball) are unlikely to be beaten due to changes in the sport. > > Brian Not necessarily so. I’m 1912, Wilson hit only 55 extra-base inside the park hits, which is accomplished by several players in most seasons. Wilson, that year, appears to have kept running until he was out, being credited with a triple if he was safe at third, and a double (19 timea) if tagged out. There’s no real change in baseball that would be much of an impediment to that happening again. But it is unlikely a ten-million a year investment would be allowed such shenanigans these days. Earl Webb’s 87 year old record of 67 doubles is very easily attainable, and every year, several players get into the 50s, It just hasn’t happened yet. There is nearly always, well after the all star break, that someone is on a pace to hit 67, but always tails off, and the media makes absolutely no mention of it. Doubles are simply not glamorous in this homer-or-nothing era. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/26 "2018-02-24T06:31:00Z")
His record has been mentioned in other threads on this board, but he holds a career record in major international sport. Don Bradman’s test cricket career ended nearly 70 years ago, but his test batting average of 99.94 is unlikely to be ever beaten. (The second best currently is Steve Smith on 63.75, and there are a few others in the 60s.) In addition, his first-class cricket batting average of 95.14 is a long way ahead of the next best, Sachin Tendulkar on 57.84, and also unlikely to be ever beaten. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/27 "2018-02-24T13:06:49Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Not necessarily so. I’m 1912, Wilson hit only 55 extra-base inside the park hits, which is accomplished by several players in most seasons. Wilson, that year, appears to have kept running until he was out, being credited with a triple if he was safe at third, and a double (19 timea) if tagged out. There’s no real change in baseball that would be much of an impediment to that happening again. But it is unlikely a ten-million a year investment would be allowed such shenanigans these days. Even if someone just kept running each time, we’d still need a huge park like Forbes Field (which is indeed where it was set: 24/12 home/road split). ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/28 "2018-02-24T13:41:41Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > A few records are clearly unbeatable. Fernando Tatis hitting two grand slams in one inning can only be broken by someone who hits three. I think we can safely say that that will never happen. Same with Johnny Vander Meer’s two consecutive no hitters. Have to pitch three in a row to break that. Adding to this feat is the fact that Tatis got both grand slams off of the same pitcher, Chan Ho Park. ---
**Author:** ![merrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@merrick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrick)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/29 "2018-02-24T13:43:15Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > In addition, his first-class cricket batting average of 95.14 is a long way ahead of the next best, Sachin Tendulkar on 57.84, and also unlikely to be ever beaten. You’re missing Vijay Merchant, the only non-Bradman to average over 70 in first-class cricket (71.64). Still, 95 to 71 a is fair gap. According to [Cricinfo](http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/284199.html), Tendulkar is only 15th on that particular list. First-class cricket, like baseball, has scores of aggregate records that will stand forever, or at least until future medical technology allows players 50-year careers. Wilfrid Rhodes’ 4204 wickets (the last of them in 1930) or Jack Hobbs’ 61760 runs (the last in 1934). The moderns just don’t play enough games to come close. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/30 "2018-02-24T14:02:17Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Some people think Babe Ruth at least partially holds the record. He hit 60 HRs in only 154 games. Maris tied the record (60) during his game number 159. Maris didn’t hit 61 until his game number 163. No one can say how many more HRs Ruth would have hit had he played 9 more games. I think you made a typo in your post. Maris did hit his 61st home run in the final game of the season, but the season was expanded to 162 games in 1961, not 163. > [@](#): > > Quick history refresher: In 1961, the American League expanded its schedule from 154 games to the current 162. As Roger Maris closed in on Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record of 60, commisioner Ford Frick declared that Ruth’s record would stand if not broken by the Yankees’ 154th game and should Maris break the mark or tie Ruth after that, the records would be treated separately. > > … > > Maris hit his 60th home run in Game 159 and broke the mark on Oct. 1, 1961, the final game of the regular season. [https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/roger-maris-still-61-after-all-these-years-1.12358581](https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/roger-maris-still-61-after-all-these-years-1.12358581) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/31 "2018-02-24T16:21:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If one wants an old baseball record, and starts in 1901, well, the post-1900 record for batting average in a season was set in 1901; .426 by Nap Lajoie. At that, Ty Cobb retired with the highest career batting average back in 1928. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/32 "2018-02-24T16:51:06Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > …87 year old record…is very easily attainable… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/33 "2018-02-24T17:13:06Z")
Sumo wrestler Futabayama’s streak of 69 consecutive victories ended in 1939, having lasted nearly 3 years. This kinda, sorta (but not really) makes Joe DiMaggio the “Futabayama of baseball.” More recently, Hakuhō won 63 straight matches in 2010, so it seems within the realm of plausibility that Futabayama’s streak could be broken…just extremely unlikely. Like baseball, sumo records generally ignore anything that happened before the sport’s “modern era” beginning in 1909. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/34 "2018-02-24T18:43:06Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I think you made a typo in your post. Maris did hit his 61st home run in the final game of the season, but the season was expanded to 162 games in 1961, not 163. > > [https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/roger-maris-still-61-after-all-these-years-1.12358581](https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/roger-maris-still-61-after-all-these-years-1.12358581) The Yankees played [163 games](https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1961-schedule-scores.shtml) that season. Maris’ 60th was in game 163. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/35 "2018-03-15T21:32:09Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > A lot of people believe Maris’ record (61) still stands. Barry Bonds (73) Sammy Sosa (64)and Mark McGwire (70) all used “performance-enhancing drugs” and these people think none of their records should be recognized. > > Some people think Babe Ruth at least partially holds the record. He hit 60 HRs in only 154 games. Maris tied the record (60) during his game number 159. Maris didn’t hit 61 until his game number 163. No one can say how many more HRs Ruth would have hit had he played 9 more games. :dubious::dubious::dubious: By that logic, since the 1919 season was only 140 games, the home run record should be 29 (also set by Babe Ruth, then a member of the Boston Red Sox.) No one can say how many more HRs Ruth would have hit had he played 14 or 23 or 50 or whatever more games. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/36 "2018-03-16T04:57:06Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Some people think Babe Ruth at least partially holds the record. He hit 60 HRs in only 154 games. Maris tied the record (60) during his game number 159. Maris didn’t hit 61 until his game number 163. No one can say how many more HRs Ruth would have hit had he played 9 more games. Following that logic, Ruth comes in at #5 on the single-season home-run list. Babe Ruth hit HR #60 in Game 154 in 1927. In 1998, Sammy Sosa hit HRs #61 and 62 in Game 150. In 1999, Sosa hit HR #61 in Game 149. In 1998, Mark McGuire hit HR #61 in Game 144 In 2001, Barry Bonds hit HRs #61, 62, and 63 in Game 144. And Bonds would be the Home Run King however you look at it, by virtue of: [ul] [li]hitting 61 in fewer games than Ruth hit 60 (144 vs. 154)[/li][li]hitting 62 in fewer games than Maris hit 61 (144 vs. 163)[/li][li]hitting 71 in fewer games than McGuire hit 70 (159 vs. 163)[/li][/ul] or just, you know, by hitting more home runs in a season than anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/37 "2018-03-16T05:05:43Z")
Georgia Tech beat Cumberland College with a 222-0 score, the most lopsided score in college football history. The game was played on October 7, 1916 so the record is over 101 years old. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/38 "2018-03-16T10:28:47Z")
Joe Dimaggio’s hitting streak of 56 consecutive games with a hit, which was set in 1941, almost 77 years ago. And it could well stand for another 77 years. What’s amazing about it is that this is one of the few old records of baseball that isn’t unbreakable due to changes in the way the game is played, like, say, Cy Young’s 511 career wins. In fact, more major league teams and more major league hitters make the record actually easier to break. But the psychological barriers that someone were to face were they to get even remotely close to the record are probably a major reason why it won’t be broken for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/39 "2018-03-16T12:53:56Z")
In 1950 the Fort Wayne Pistons and Minneapolis Lakers played a game with a final score of 19-18, Pistons, a total of only 37 points between the two teams. Because of the introduction of the shot clock and other developments in the way the game is played, this is unlikely to ever be broken. The next lowest scoring game was 83 points. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400/40 "2018-03-16T13:05:42Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Joe Dimaggio’s hitting streak of 56 consecutive games with a hit, which was set in 1941, almost 77 years ago. And it could well stand for another 77 years. What’s amazing about it is that this is one of the few old records of baseball that isn’t unbreakable due to changes in the way the game is played, like, say, Cy Young’s 511 career wins. In fact, more major league teams and more major league hitters make the record actually easier to break. But the psychological barriers that someone were to face were they to get even remotely close to the record are probably a major reason why it won’t be broken for a long time. Not just psychological. [MLB Beat The Streak.](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/bts/y2017/splash_index.jsp) > [@](#): > > How to Play > Break baseball’s toughest record – the legendary 56-game hitting streak > **Pick up to two players every day who you think will get a hit** > Get a hit, your streak continues; get no hits, start a new streak > Be the first to reach 57 games and win $5.6 Million Even with that, the longest streak is 51 games. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-held-current-record-in-any-sport/809400.md?page=3)