What's the most astonishing record in sports?

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Montreal Canadiens 1976 - 1977. Total of 8 losses, 132 points, + 216 goal differential. They only lost one home game on the year!

One thing however, and I love getting especially Canadian fans riled up and all the Original 6 teams when they tout how many Stanley Cups they have won. I always tell them, you had a 1 in 6 chance to win a Cup every year. How impressive is that? So you won 20 Cups like this, big deal. Then the bazinger. The two teams that have won the most Cups since the NHL expanded to 21 teams and beyond are the Edmonton Oilers and your Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Lemieux's numbers compare very favorably to Gretzky. Wayne averaged 1.92 ppg and Lemieux averaged 1.88 ppg.

If Lemieux did not have the cancer his numbers would have been right there. He missed three seasons right after 161 & 122 point seasons.

Lemieux averaged 0.75 gpg and Gretzky averaged 0.6 gpg.

The first Stanley Cup season Lemieux only played 26 regular season games. He played 23 in the playoffs and was a +14. In 1993-94 he played just 22 regular season games.

I did the math, and Stan Savran also had a segment, but Mario basically lost 4 seasons in his prime. While he would have not caught 99 in total points, he would have come close and he would have blew out his goal record.

But hey, health is part of that.

 

[PittAU]

I did the math, and Stan Savran also had a segment, but Mario basically lost 4 seasons in his prime. While he would have not caught 99 in total points, he would have come close and he would have blew out his goal record.

But hey, health is part of that.

No question about that. It's a case of what might have been.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Pitt football's 38 or 39 years in a row of 3 or more regular season losses.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Pitt football's 38 or 39 years in a row of 3 or more regular season losses.

That is pretty remarkable.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

Lemieux's numbers compare very favorably to Gretzky. Wayne averaged 1.92 ppg and Lemieux averaged 1.88 ppg.

If Lemieux did not have the cancer his numbers would have been right there. He missed three seasons right after 161 & 122 point seasons.

Lemieux averaged 0.75 gpg and Gretzky averaged 0.6 gpg.

The first Stanley Cup season Lemieux only played 26 regular season games. He played 23 in the playoffs and was a +14. In 1993-94 he played just 22 regular season games.

And Gretzky played with HOFs his entire career up front and on the blue line. Total advantage there. That’s why Lemieux is better in my opinion.

 

[JS School]

My mistake on hack Wilson. For some reason I thought it was 210 but it is 190. What’s 20 RBI anyways. LOL

These types of one season or one game records are separate category versus lifetime or career records.

It's always amused me that Hack Wilson is not in the Hall of Fame. Some guys are denied entry because of gambling or steroids. Wilson isn't in basically because nobody liked him. He was a stocky guy but only about 5"6" and a miserable, nasty little drunken ogre.

 

[JS School]

I did the math, and Stan Savran also had a segment, but Mario basically lost 4 seasons in his prime. While he would have not caught 99 in total points, he would have come close and he would have blew out his goal record.

But hey, health is part of that.

On a per game basis, Mario and Gretzky are very similar and nobody else is even close.

We could probably do a what might have been thread. What guys like Lemeiux, Sayers and Koufax might have accomplished if they stayed healthy. Or if anyone would have broken Ruth's record before Aaron. Williams spent 4 years in the military and Mays 2 years, in the prime of their careers.

 

[TheChair]

I love Lemieux, but you have to deal with records as is. Gretzky has more assists than anyone else in hockey history has points. On top of that, he has more goals than anyone else in the history of hockey.

His point record may be unattainable. Same thing with his assist record. Goals, it appears that Ovechkin may have a chance. I think that his records are the most impressive things in sports by far.

I think the who is better question has some merit between the two. But, the fact Lemieux was injured a lot and Gretzky was not does not at all diminish the awesomeness of Gretzky's records. His records are on another planet.

Cy Young's win record is likely the same as Gretzky's point record. Can you imagine a pitcher getting 500 wins? The best barely get 200 these days in their careers.

 

[levance2]

Williams spent 4 years in the military and Mays 2 years, in the prime of their careers.

With respect to stats, these guys leaving for military service is also a feat that will not be replicated by athletes of any significance.

 

[PittAU]

And Gretzky played with HOFs his entire career up front and on the blue line. Total advantage there. That’s why Lemieux is better in my opinion.

That is one thing I forgot to mention, I'm blonde and it happens. Gretzky's supporting cast for much of his career was much better. Lemieux's first six years, or so, were not with a lot of talent, at least that is what I remember.

 

[PittAU]

I love Lemieux, but you have to deal with records as is. Gretzky has more assists than anyone else in hockey history has points. On top of that, he has more goals than anyone else in the history of hockey.

His point record may be unattainable. Same thing with his assist record. Goals, it appears that Ovechkin may have a chance. I think that his records are the most impressive things in sports by far.

I think the who is better question has some merit between the two. But, the fact Lemieux was injured a lot and Gretzky was not does not at all diminish the awesomeness of Gretzky's records. His records are on another planet.

Cy Young's win record is likely the same as Gretzky's point record. Can you imagine a pitcher getting 500 wins? The best barely get 200 these days in their careers.

I know I was not attempting to diminish Gretzky. I just think Lemieux is right there with him as far as a talent.

Jagr is second all-time in points and he averaged 1.108 ppg.

Messier is 3rd all-time and he averaged 1.074 ppg.

Howe, 4th, averaged 1.046 ppg.

Francis is 5th, 1.038 ppg.

Ovechkin is currently 36th, a great player, is averaging 1.109 ppg.

Howe is 2nd in goals, 801 for 0.453 gpg.

Jagr is 3rd, 766 with 0.442 gpg.

Brett Hull is 4th in goals, 741 for 0.583 gpg.

And Ovechkin, 8th all-time with 706 is at 0.612 gpg.

And there is Lemieux with 0.754 gpg, more than Gretzky's 0.6 gpg.

And all those guys were/are great hockey players. But Lemieux and Gretzky are the greatest scorers ever.

Lemieux at 1.88 ppg and Gretzky at 1.92 ppg.

 

[wbrpanther]

I did the math, and Stan Savran also had a segment, but Mario basically lost 4 seasons in his prime. While he would have not caught 99 in total points, he would have come close and he would have blew out his goal record.

But hey, health is part of that.

Mario Lemieux is the best player in history. Period. Yes he lost 4 years to injury and cancer, but he also played his first 4 years with a bunch of guys named Joe. Gretzky played with guys like Kurri, Messier and Coffey right out of the gate. When they were both at their peaks there was an anonymous poll taken among GMs in the league and something like 21 GMs said if they had to build a franchise from scratch a healthy Lemieux would be their first choice.

 

[Thee Jackie Treehorn]

It's always amused me that Hack Wilson is not in the Hall of Fame. Some guys are denied entry because of gambling or steroids. Wilson isn't in basically because nobody liked him. He was a stocky guy but only about 5"6" and a miserable, nasty little drunken ogre.

Hack Wilson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

he also played his first 4 years with a bunch of guys named Joe.

Unfortunately, one of them was not me!

 

[Pitt69]

From the Cheap Seats; I went 52 years between hole in ones, and last year I had two. What more can I say?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Hack Wilson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

I was going to say.

What really kept Wilson out of the Hall for that long was that he had a relatively short career. He only played more than 117 games in a season six times. He had five really good seasons in a row, 171 homers, 708 rbis, without doing the math his slash line would have been about .330/.420/.620. But that means that the whole rest of his career he only hit 73 homers and had 355 rbis.

Especially for someone who thinks that you have to be good for a reasonably long length of time Wilson's career just doesn't cut it.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Unfortunately, one of them was not me!

Yeah but I bet you were close to Warren Young and Doug Shedden in talent.

 

[JS School]

Hack Wilson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Wow, this is both amusing and sad for me.

I had a baseball book when I was a kid in the 60s that had a chapter about Wilson in it. He intrigued me, and I followed the HOF voting for several years to see how close they were to relenting and voting him in. I guess that was the late 60s to early 70s.

If you told me he was voted in in 1989 or 1999 I wouldn't have been too surprised I missed it. But I was still a big baseball fan in 1979. I guess by then I was no longer that interested in him. I'm sure I would have noticed, but it probably didn't make much of an impression compared to my childhood memories of my book.

 

[JS School]

From the Cheap Seats; I went 52 years between hole in ones, and last year I had two. What more can I say?

Same thing happened to a friend of mine last year. I think he went 45 years between #1 and #2, then three weeks later got #3.

I know you guys are not the same person. He has absolutely no interest in Pitt. Or basketball, despite being from North Carolina.

 

[Thee Jackie Treehorn]

I was going to say.

What really kept Wilson out of the Hall for that long was that he had a relatively short career. He only played more than 117 games in a season six times. He had five really good seasons in a row, 171 homers, 708 rbis, without doing the math his slash line would have been about .330/.420/.620. But that means that the whole rest of his career he only hit 73 homers and had 355 rbis.

Especially for someone who thinks that you have to be good for a reasonably long length of time Wilson's career just doesn't cut it.

And here I always assumed it was due to the HOF committee's well-known bias against Ellwood City!

 

[Panther Parrothead]

Lemieux's numbers compare very favorably to Gretzky. Wayne averaged 1.92 ppg and Lemieux averaged 1.88 ppg.

If Lemieux did not have the cancer his numbers would have been right there. He missed three seasons right after 161 & 122 point seasons.

Lemieux averaged 0.75 gpg and Gretzky averaged 0.6 gpg.

The first Stanley Cup season Lemieux only played 26 regular season games. He played 23 in the playoffs and was a +14. In 1993-94 he played just 22 regular season games.

What often gets left out in these comparisons is that for most of his career, Gretzky played with more talent around him than Mario did. This becomes significant when assists are calculated; it's tough to get assists when one's teammates aren't scoring.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

UCLA winning 88 consecutive games

 

[JS School]

And here I always assumed it was due to the HOF committee's well-known bias against Ellwood City!

Just Ellwood City, or the entire area? I don't think Dick Allen is in. Although my memory of who is and isn't in is suspect.

 

[Thee Jackie Treehorn]

Just Ellwood City, or the entire area? I don't think Dick Allen is in. Although my memory of who is and isn't in is suspect.

You're right about that one. Richie Allen has still not been admitted to Cooperstown. According to baseball reference he ranks #43 in career MLB slugging percentage at .534. He has a higher career SLG and WAR than Willie Stargell. On base percentage of .378. Batting average of .292. They'll probably wait until he's been dead for 20 years to admit him.

 

[CJsE]

Everyone is still ignoring the greatest athlete of all time...You know who I mean.

He shot 38 under par with 5 holes-in-one
He bowled a 300 on his first attempt
He helped coach his World Cup team via an invisible cell phone
He also probably won a bunch of dunk competitions

The one, the only, the unrivaled Kim Jong-il

 

[Rugger]

And Gretzky played with HOFs his entire career up front and on the blue line. Total advantage there. That’s why Lemieux is better in my opinion.

His rookie year, he turned Warren Young into a star and a nice contract with Detroit.

 

[Voice of Danno]

And scorin' Warren was out of hockey two years later. Enough said.

 

[Saboteur]

Bob Beamon Mexico City 1968 Olympics.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

You're right about that one. Richie Allen has still not been admitted to Cooperstown. According to baseball reference he ranks #43 in career MLB slugging percentage at .534. He has a higher career SLG and WAR than Willie Stargell. On base percentage of .378. Batting average of .292. They'll probably wait until he's been dead for 20 years to admit him.

I think he almost certainly gets in next year. That's the next time the veteran's committee votes (I think the vote would be around the end of this year) on the group of guys that he is in, and the last time they voted he missed getting in by one vote. Surely he gets in on the next vote, as those committees like to put someone in and he would seemingly be the next guy in line.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

His rookie year, he turned Warren Young into a star and a nice contract with Detroit.

Robbie Brown too