Magic Numbers in Sports

I'm a veritable fountain of topics lately; don't know what's going on with me. Too much free time, I suppose.

At any rate: There's a new book out by Kostya Kennedy called 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports. I haven't purchased it yet; the online reviews are very positive, and it sounds like it's as much a biography as a retelling of the minutae of the streak. However, it raises an interesting debate: Is that hitting streak really the last magic number in sports? I looked up some of the iconic records in each of the big four (baseball, basketball, football, hockey), and I think there are definitely some equally or more significant numbers out there.

Baseball
Cy Young - 511 career wins (56 has at least been flirted with; this will never even be asked if it can be bought a drink)
WaJo - 110 shutouts; 12 times leading the league in K's
Cobb - 11 batting titles
Cal - The Streak
Teddy Ballgame - .406 in '41 (same year as 56)
Nolan - 5,714 career K's
Bob Gibson - 1.12 ERA in '68
Ricky - 1,406 career steals and/or 130 in a season

Basketball
Wilt - 100 points in a game
Celtics - 8 titles in a row
Jabbar - 38,387 career points
Stockton - 15,806 career assists

Football
Couldn't really find one. Records in football just don't seem as meaningful, somehow, even though I very much like the sport. Favre's starts streak, maybe? Bucs losing 26 in a row?

Hockey
Brodeur - 656 career wins (and counting)
Gretzsky - 215 points in '85-'86

Would anyone say that there's a solid competitor to 56 here for the title of Most Magical Number in Sports? I'd go with Cy Young, myself. I realize that was a very different era, but there are also conditions to DiMaggio's streak (he apparently benefited from some very generous scoring calls). There are probably conditions to all of these, so why not just take them on their own merits? I'll stick with Cy.

THe baseball records need to included the triples record for a single season (36 Owen Wilson) and career (Sam Crawford, can't remember the number off hand), but unless they make larger parks they will never be touched.

Also wins in a season, because these guys don't even start enough games in a season to get the record.

Not sure why you put Ted Williams at 406 when the record is 423, but I do believe that someone has a chance at 400 but not the 423.

As for the 56 game hit streak, yes tough but there is always the chance someone could get there.

There are other baseball stats that are never going to be touched because the game and money has changed that it just isn't going to happen.

lee

Good catch on the .406. I was thinking of the length of time since anyone batted .400 for a season, as opposed to what the record is for average in a season. But you're right: It's not a record.

A football record that may never be touched and seems odd given the current state of the game, is career interceptions. With all the passing these days you would think that someone would be chasing it but no one has come close. Rod Woodson got within 10 and played a few more years than Krause and active Ed Reed with 57 isn't likely to get 24 before his career ends.

Didnt rogers hit .424?

As far as hockey is concerned, most of the offensive "magic numbers" are held by the Great One. Another record that I don't think anyone will ever touch is Gretzky's 50 goals in 39 games in 1981-82.

Another amazing stat for Gretzky: He's the all time leader in career goals (894), assists (1,963), and points (2,857). Even if you were to remove ALL of his career goals, he'd still be the all time points leader based on his assists alone, ahead of Messier by nearly 100 points (and Messier played nearly 300 more career games than Gretzky did).

Most drug related suspensions: Steve Howe - 7

ullmandds wrote:Didnt rogers hit .424?

Good point - .406 is not a record...just the beginning of a 70+ year streak wherein nobody cracked .400 again.

fisherboy7 wrote:As far as hockey is concerned, most of the offensive "magic numbers" are held by the Great One. Another record that I don't think anyone will ever touch is Gretzky's 50 goals in 39 games in 1981-82.

Another amazing stat for Gretzky: He's the all time leader in career goals (894), assists (1,963), and points (2,857). Even if you were to remove ALL of his career goals, he'd still be the all time points leader based on his assists alone, ahead of Messier by nearly 100 points (and Messier played nearly 300 more career games than Gretzky did).

I was thinking the same thing about Gretzky.

While it is not as catchy as 50 in 50 (or less), I think it is unbelievable that "Phantom" Joe Malone scored 44 goals in only 20 games in 1917-18. That record of 2.2 goals-per-game over a season is a record that will never be approached.