perfidy

J, If I tried to deny it, would you believe me?

Johno, I think your point about training is also why we'll never see another .400 hitter. We might have players that talented, but all the average players are trained up to much higher levels than in the past.

What about a top ten individual accomplishments list, not limited to streaks? I think Joltin' Joe would still make that list, and surely your 100 point game would as well.

Any other suggestions?

Well, that's what I get for forgetting that the feats were all *streaks*. Too much tv-watchy, too little sleep is my excuse.

I know next to zip about the great sports feats of all time... but if you asked me straight out, I'd still stand by Wilt's 100 pointer as the biggest one-man, one-time feat of all time.

NDR... I might believe you, except that I walk around with facts like that too, waiting for my *moment*.

B,
looking back at the list, I realize that these accomplishments, as great as they are, are only consecutive depending on perspective. Playing X consecutive games is cool. Hitting in Y consecutive games is cool, but wouldn't it be cooler to talk about Z consecutive hits!

Dimaggio's record is impressive, but some of those hits should have been errors, at least to some critics. You can play a lot of bad baseball and still have a streak. Who holds the records for consecutive hits? Walt Dropo, 12, in 1956. Not a big name, but still, he reached base without base on ball or fielding mistake twelve consecutive times.

That is an interesting list, but I am always wowed by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game- where the heck is that? Not to take anything away from Johnny U or Brett Favre, but accomplishments that are mostly or essentially individual feats (running, hitting) are the streaks least likely to be broken any time soon. For that reason, I'd put the football featns farther down on the list. DiMaggio's streak-- errors or not, and Edwin Moses' wins are never going to happen like that again in an era of intensive training, body modification, and LASIC surgery (in the case of DiMaggio), especially since we seem to be pushing the limits of human endurance and parity rules in track and field events. Whereas it is more possible in my opinion, that some QB might someday break the U's or Brett's streaks given the right team.

But there is one thing I can god-damn-guarantee you: nobody will ever score 100 points in an NBA game again.

NDR: Walt Dropo? Do you walk around with those facts in your head waiting for your moment?

B: You're right, Cal's streak is a feat of endurance, not necessarily skill, but let's not forget that he's also one of the best SS's and cornermen in the history of the game. To play at that level day in and day out without a rest is in and of itself a monumental feat of skill.

As for a pitching accomplishment, I think that Orel Hershiser's 59 consecutive scoreless innings is much more impressive.

Yeah, I think that probably should have made the list rather than the honorable mentions. Cal Ripken's streak is a testament to his endurance, but not necessarily his skill.