In the world of sports, thousands of athletes have come and gone. Many have accomplished successful careers that are fairly tough to replicate even after their departure. For the select few, however, there are the unbreakable records. From Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak to Bill Russell’s 11 NBA titles, plenty of achievements may never be eclipsed. However, in this week’s Daily Campus sports roundtable, our group of writers aim to discuss which is the most unbreakable record in sports.
Sam Calhoun
Staff Writer
he/him/his
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game
Recently in the NBA, we’ve seen Luka Dončić and Joel Embiid record 70-point games while Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns have each dropped at least 60 points in a game. With those being some of the highest-scoring performances in NBA history, there is no one that will hold a candle to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. Despite the 3-point shot being a crucial part to the NBA’s offense in today’s game, Chamberlain accomplished the feat without a 3-pointer and no shot clock implemented. The closest a player has gotten to one of the greatest centers ever was Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006. The only two players in NBA history to score at least 80 points are Chamberlain and Bryant. Until I see it, I don’t think anyone will ever break Wilt’s record, or even come close.
Sean Ahern
Staff Writer
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Henry Rono’s 3,000-meter steeplechase
Track and field is not one of the more glamorous sports, and Henry Rono is a name I’m sure many people haven’t heard of, but Rono set one of the most impressive college athletic records the sport has seen. While running for Washington State, on May 13, 1978, Rono set the 3,000-meter steeplechase record with a blistering time of 8:05.4. To pu#t this incredible run into simpler terms, that is a one-mile pace of four minutes and 20 seconds for just under two miles with several barriers to clear each lap. In over 40 years since Rono set the record, the closest runners to the time were still over 13 seconds off. Collegiate records have been getting broken left and right in recent seasons, but Rono’s has held up despite new technological and training advancements. I’d be willing to say this record will stand the test of time.
Cole Stefan
He/Him/His
Senior Columnist
Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina’s 328 games as a battery
With Wainwright on the bump and Molina behind the dish, the St. Louis Cardinals combined for a 213-115 record. The .649 winning percentage, which spanned 16 seasons, is the best by a single battery in league history. As teammates, the two career Cardinals won three World Series titles, 11 Gold Gloves and made 13 All-Star Games. Beyond Albert Pujols and his 469 home runs in the Gateway City, Molina and Wainwright defined a generation of St. Louis baseball. When those three left the field together in October 2022, it marked the official end of what I believe will be the last battery that will spend over 200 games together in Major League Baseball history. Because of the free agency and trade markets, it has become less likely that a player will spend their career with one franchise. Big-market teams might be a different story, but with how often they are in win-now mode, dynamic duos are at a greater risk of breaking up. Molina and Wainwright’s impressive record as a battery might stand forever as a result.
Gavin Friedman
Campus Correspondent
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Emmitt Smith’s 18,355 career rushing yards
It was a big deal when Emmitt Smith broke Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton’s record of 16,726 rushing yards in 2002. But Smith didn’t stop there. He kept going for another two and a half seasons and finished his career well above Payton’s record. Since Smith retired, the closest any player has gotten to his record was Frank Gore, who finished over 2,000 yards shy of Smith’s record. Additionally, the NFL has changed significantly since Smith set his record. Running backs aren’t emphasized as much as they were in the 1990s and 2000s. This became evident this past offseason when running backs such as Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs couldn’t get long-term contracts after impressive seasons in 2022. Most running backs these days don’t play for as long as Smith and especially not at the high level that Smith was able to perform at for his entire career. Unless there is a significant change in the way running backs are utilized, which is highly unlikely, this is a record that will probably never be broken.
Connor Sargeant
Staff Writer
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Rickey Henderson’s 1,406 career stolen bases
Rickey Henderson was a menace on the basepaths, stealing over 100 bases in a season on three separate occasions. Not to mention, his 1,406 stolen bags are an all-time best. Ronald Acuña Jr. tore up the basepaths this past season, stealing 73 bases and winning the 2023 National League MVP. The 26-year-old has stolen 180 bags in his career. Unless Acuña Jr. can keep this pace for the next 17 years, Henderson’s record is safe. To put into context how ridiculous this number truly is, Lou Brock is second all-time in this regard with 938 bases stolen. Yes, Henderson is very fast. However, his reign of terror came in an era when pitchers were not pumping it 100 mph on the regular, and catchers did not have arms as strong as today. I would be astonished if any player today eclipses the 1,000 stolen base mark. Even then, they still have 407 bases to go to be the last one standing.
Evan Rodriguez
Associate Sports Editor
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Jerry Rice’s 22,895 receiving yards
As arguably the greatest receiver of all time, Jerry Rice certainly has the accolades to back that up. As a three-time Super Bowl champion, 10-time First Team All-Pro and many more, it’s impossible to argue the greatness of this legend. On top of all of these accolades, Rice accumulated 22,895 career receiving yards, which is unheard of for an NFL receiver. Due to the longevity of the former Niner’s career, which spanned 19 years, he was able to completely separate himself from the pack. This record is so unbelievable that the next closest player, Larry Fitzgerald, is still over 5,000 yards behind and retired in 2020. It’s going to take the perfect set of circumstances and incredible longevity to even get close to Rice’s numbers and even then, that player may still fall short. That is how ludicrous he was on the football field.
Stratton Stave
Sports Editor
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Old Hoss Radbourn’s 60 pitching wins in 1883
While I did consider going with Randy Johnson’s record of birds obliterated in a game, I decided to go with a safer option of Old Hoss Radbourn’s absurd number of wins in 1883. Say what you want about the validity of these numbers, I believe them. To keep Radbourn’s story brief, he was one of two pitchers rostered on the Providence Grays, but his counterpart was released from the team after verbally abusing the coach while intoxicated. Mind you, this happened in the seventh inning of a game. Radbourn stepped up in an effort to keep the team together, starting 40 of the Grays’ last 43 games with 36 wins in that span. He finished the season with 73 complete games and managed to secure the league’s Triple Crown with an ERA of 1.38. His season win total was 60, which is absurd by today’s standards. As per Baseball Prospectus, no pitcher has started more than 37 contests, making the odds that one would reach 60 wins extremely and virtually impossible. I’ll take Radbourn’s record over anyone else’s listed above.