What Baseball Records Will Never Be Broken?
In the almost 150 years of MLB history, an incredible number of records have been set and continue to be set to this day. For example, just last season, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees set the American League record for most home runs in a season with 62, breaking Roger Maris’ previous record of 61, which he held for over 60 years. In 2002, the legendary Barry Bonds set the record for the highest OBP in a season with .582. This broke a 61-year record held by Ted Williams, who recorded a .553 OBP in 1941. These previous records might have seemed unbreakable at one point, but what about records that really won’t be broken? Read on to learn about MLB records that very well could stand in the books forever.
Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game Hit Streak
Joe DiMaggio’s record of 56 straight games with a hit might be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of unbreakable MLB records. This is the longest hitting streak in the league’s history, and it lasted from May 15 to July 16, 1941. This unbelievable stretch broke the previous record of 44 games in a row, which was set by Willie Keeler in 1897. During these two months, “Joltin’ Joe” hit for an astounding batting average of .408.
The 56-game streak finally came to an end on July 17, 1941, when the Yankees traveled to Cleveland to face the Indians (now the Guardians). The Bombers held on for a 4-3 win in the bottom of the ninth, despite Cleveland having a man on third with no outs. However, ending the game in regulation meant DiMaggio could not continue his streak in extra innings. Over 80 years later, however, it looks like this record may stand forever, with the closest streak since having come from Pete Rose in 1978 at 44 games.
Johnny Vander Meer’s Back-to-Back No-Hitters
In 1938, Johnny Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters, a record that still stands over 80 years later. In fact, only a small number of the over 200 pitchers who have thrown a no-hitter have even managed to throw just a few perfect innings in their next mound appearance. Vander Meer, who became known as “Double No-Hit,” threw his first no-hitter on June 11, 1938 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, in a matchup with the Boston Bees. The Reds won 3-0, and Vander Meer walked three batters, none of whom made it past first base, and struck out four.
On June 15, four days later, Vander Meer was back on the mound, this time against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He once again gave up no hits, struck out seven, and walked eight in a 6-0 win. These back-to-back historic performances may never be replicated.
Cal Ripken Jr.’s 2,632 consecutive games
The legendary Cal Ripken Jr. played 2,632 games in a row from May 30, 1982-September 19, 1998. Yes, you read that correctly. He didn’t miss a game for over 16 years. The “Iron Man” began his streak in the first full season of his Hall of Fame career. During that span, he won Rookie of the Year, two AL MVPs, and earned 16 All-Star game selections. He ended the streak, 501 games after breaking Lou Gehrig’s record, when he sat out a late-season game at Camden Yards in Baltimore against the Yankees in 1998. This record could certainly stand forever.