# Which famous sport stars finished just shy of a milestone? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 31, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771 "2017-05-31T13:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/21 "2017-05-31T22:16:18Z")
Uk people will remember that Gary Lineker came famously close to beating Bobby Charltons international goal scoring record of 49 goals. He finished with 48, missed a penalty in one of his last matches and was then surprisingly substituted early in what proved to be his last ever international game as England were knocked out of Euro 92. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/22 "2017-06-01T00:32:43Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > And: Barry Bonds ended his career with 1996 RBI, 2935 Hits and 5976 Total Bases. He didn’t reach those milestones, well, because Barry Bonds If by that you mean nobody bothered to offer him a new contract (for whatever reasons), then, yeah. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/23 "2017-06-01T03:04:52Z")
Sam Rice retired in 1934 at the age of 44 with 2,987 hits. He later said that he wasn’t aware how close he was to 3,000 hits which is probably true. Things back then weren’t always highly publicized. He said Senators owner Clark Griffith a few years later offered to bring him back to get it but Rice declined, saying he was out of shape. Frank Robinson was a player-manager the last two years and finished with 2,943 hits and 586 home runs. He didn’t write his name in the line up too often, saying he wanted to concentrate on managing and the team already had a good DH in Rico Carty. Ironically Carty called out Robinson at a public dinner, saying he needed to impose tougher discipline. Milt Pappas had 110 American League victories and 99 National League victories when he was released by the Cubs. He wanted to get 100 wins in both leagues (I think at the time only any Young and Jim Bunning had done the trick) but apparently turned down an offer by the lowly San Diego Padres. You could say Richard Petty won his 200th race in 1984 (David Pearson is second with 105 wins) but stayed until 1992 without getting another win. In 1989 when he failed to qualify at Bristol, he heard Pete Rose was banned for life for gambling and said something along the lines of "compulsive behavior:can’t quit when you are ahead or behind, sounds like me’. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/24 "2017-06-01T03:41:07Z")
If the guys who announce can be trusted, Jensen Button “retired” one race shy of Michael Schumacher’s total (not the overall record) for race starts. He filled in for Alonso last weekend, and tied Michael. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/25 "2017-06-01T05:15:15Z")
Don Hutson had 7,991 receiving yards and 99 touchdown catches when he retired after the 1945 season. (The former was an NFL record for 16 years, the latter for 44.) A couple of people have mentioned Barry Sanders – to go along with his proximity to Jim Brown’s rushing record when he retired, Sanders had 99 rushing touchdowns. Jerry Rice’s 197 receiving touchdowns is sorta close to 200 (and not sorta close to anyone else who’s played the game). If you extend the definition of “famous” to include all former Buffalo Bills, Eric Moulds ended his career with 9,995 receiving yards. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2017, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/26 "2017-06-01T08:16:54Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > If by that you mean nobody bothered to offer him a new contract (for whatever reasons), then, yeah. Yes, that’s the only reason. He slashed .276/.480/.565 in his final season. He could obviously still play. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/27 "2017-06-01T11:58:05Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. is 49-0 in boxing. Why he never tried for an even 50 is beyond me Well, Roy Jones Jr. won 49 of his first 50 professional fights (with the other being a disqualification that he avenged in an immediate rematch), but then went on a 3-fight losing streak. Maybe Mayweather figures better to quit while he’s ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/28 "2017-06-01T13:49:37Z")
I think it’s worth mentioning Ted Williams in this context. He was at the end of the season with an average of .3996… which would have rounded up to the fabled .400. A hitless game would have made it .399. He played anyway, got the hit(s), and an honest .400. He also hit a home run in his very last at-bat. So it can be done. ---
**Author:** ![Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/29 "2017-06-01T15:38:10Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > Well, Roy Jones Jr. won 49 of his first 50 professional fights (with the other being a disqualification that he avenged in an immediate rematch), but then went on a 3-fight losing streak. Maybe Mayweather figures better to quit while he’s ahead. It’s worth noting that it is increasingly likely that Mayweather will be fighting Connor McGregor in late 2017. If he wins (a high probability but certainly not a lock) then he will have gone 50-0. I, for one, can’t wait for this fight - it is an intriguing matchup if you look deeper than the surface. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/30 "2017-06-01T15:42:26Z")
Brett Favre had 297 consecutive career starts. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/31 "2017-06-02T22:31:32Z")
It’s not precisely what you’re looking for, but the story of Atlanta Falcons running back Dave Hampton is a good one. In the 1972 season, he hit the 1,000-yard mark in the final game of the season, becoming the first player in the history of the franchise to do so … only to surrender the achievement when he took a six-yard loss later in the game. He finished up with 995 yards. The next season, he came close again, but had to settle for 997 yards. Fortunately, two years after that, he did finish the season with more than 1,000 yards, and this time the Falcons immediately yanked him from the game to avoid tempting fate. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/32 "2017-06-02T23:56:28Z")
Somewhat similarly, except for his rookie year when he he gained 942 yards, he was over 100 yards every other year of his nine-year career except 1962 when he finished with 996 having been over during the last game, but then was tackled for a loss. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/33 "2017-06-03T01:35:57Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > One average, well average for Barry Sanders, season and he would have made it. Unlike the OP question about “had to retire” though, Sanders was still physically capable. He was still under contract with the Lions. They wanted him back. He just didn’t want to play anymore. > **[1989 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards | Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1989/leaders.htm)** > > Check out the 1989 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards including AFC and NFC results and standings on Pro-football-reference.com Somewhere on that page you’ll find the rushing leaders for that year. Sanders ended up 10 yards short, and played later in the day than the leader, Okoye, the last of the regular season. After the Lions had all but wrapped up the game, Sanders sat out the last drive despite easily being able to take the top spot, presumably since he wasn’t needed to win the game any more and didn’t want to risk getting injured. I remember as a kid being so upset about that. I understand it more now that I’m older and don’t care one bit about sports myself. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/34 "2017-06-03T01:54:15Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I grew up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan in Western Pennsylvania and saw Clemente play numerous times. I remember that he got on that plane because supplies weren’t getting to the victims and were being diverted to the black market. It was a huge story when his plane went down. He was not only a star ball player, but he was respected as a person and as a humanitarian. And, from what I read, a bit of a character. He would show up at the ballpark saying he didn’t feel right that day. Then he would go out, hit a home run, a double, two singles and make a couple of spectacular defensive plays. I wish I could not feel right like that. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/35 "2017-06-03T13:08:22Z")
I read once upon a time that Al Kaline is recorded as having a career BA of .300, but was actually something like .2999. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/36 "2017-06-03T13:28:21Z")
Dale Murphy, one of the two bright spots of the abysmally bad Atlanta Braves teams of the 1980s, retired with 398 homers. Belief at the time was, had he hit 400, he would be in the HoF. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/37 "2017-06-03T13:29:34Z")
[Al Kaline’s career stats.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kalinal01.shtml) 10,116 AB’s, 3007 hits, .297 BA. No records for his cousin A. Cid. ---
**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:** [June 3, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/38 "2017-06-03T13:32:23Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I read once upon a time that Al Kaline is recorded as having a career BA of .300, but was actually something like .2999. Kaline had a career batting average of .297, but also finished with 399 home runs and 498 doubles. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/39 "2017-06-03T14:51:56Z")
The racehorse Cigar finished a close third in his last career race. At the time of his retirement, he had earned the most money in racing history, but he would have broken $10 million with a win or second place finish. Instead, he finished with career earnings of $9,999,815. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771/40 "2017-06-04T19:51:52Z")
If anyone believes Barry Bonds’ career, then he was probably disappointed when his career BA fell under .300 in his last season or two. Paul Molitor once had been the only-ever MLB player (with a decent minimum # of at-bats) to become a lifetime .300 hitter only after turning thirty. Bonds first became a lifetime .300 only after turning forty. I’m not sure what’s a more impressive steroid-era stat; that or Mark McGwire’s hitting more homers than singles one year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-famous-sport-stars-finished-just-shy-of-a-milestone/787771.md?page=3)