Sports Streaks that will never fall

Los Angeles Dodger Outfielder Andre Ethier has hit for 29 games in a row. That is good for second best in team history behind Willie Davis' 31 in 1969. However, Ethier is nowhere close to the Major League record and  Legendary 56 game hitting streak set by New York Yankees outfielder Joe Dimaggio in 1941. Although Ethier should be praised for his hard work. Nobody has gotten this far since Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals hit for 30 games in a row in 2009. But I will not take this case seriously unless Ethier can pass Jimmy Rollins' mark of 38 straight games with a hit. But the chase has gotten me thinking of 5 records that will never fall in sports.

5. Brett Favre consecutive start streak of 297 games.

Brett Favre is considered the Iron Man of the NFL. There are 16 games in an NFL season. And as many as 19 (with a bye in the first round) or 20 (no bye in the first round) if you go to the Superbowl. Favre's playing career lasted 20 NFL seasons.With plenty of injuries and chances to sit out games. But for 20 years, Favre almost never sat out a game. That's pretty impressive. But this record is as number 5 because there is one guy who is fairly close to Favre. Peyton Manning has started 208 games in a row for the Indianapolis Colts. Granted Manning will need to start all 16 games for antother 5 and a half years to tie Favre, and Manning is no spring chicken: He's 35.

Verdict: Can Peyton make it to the age of 42 without missing a start? If he wants to yes. But if Manning doesn't break Favre's record, nobody will.

4. 100 points in an NBA game set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962:

For one thing, the final score of that historic game was 169-147 in favor of Wilt's Philadelphia Warriors over the New York Knicks. An NBA game today would need at least 3 overtimes in order to get that score alone. And fans and analysts  think nobody in today's NBA plays any defense. Let us take the handful of NBA players who could possibly score 100 in a game.

Kobe Bryant: 5 time world Champion, career points per game average 25.3. 

Kobe in the year 2006 came the closest to catching Wilt with an 81 point game against the Toronto Raptors. That 81 is the second highest point total in a single game in NBA history. Kobe was 27 when he put up 81, he is now 32 with a second option and more focused on a ring than 100. So Kobe can't do it.

Lebron James: Career points per game: 27.7, 2 time league MVP. Don't count on Lebron being the guy to score 100. His career high in points for 1 game is 56 in the year 2009. And he is physically gifted enough to top 56. However, I don't think that Lebron will try for 100 any time soon. He is now the second banana in Miami behind Dwayne Wade, with a greater focus on what he does best: passing. So don't think Lebron will go higher than the stilt.

Kevin Durant: 2 time scoring champion, career points per game 25.9.

Durant is an interesting prospect. He is the best all around scorer that the league has to offer. If anyone can do it it's Duranchula. His main issue is his team mate Russel Westbrook; who likes to pretend that he is the star of the team and take way too many shots. If Westbrook broke his leg and Durant had to score by himself 100 could happen in Oklahoma City. It's possible, but don't bet on it.

Ray Allen: All time NBA 3 point field goal leader, career point per game average 20.2

Yes Ray Allen may be 35, but he is the best three point shooter in NBA history. And he effortlessly dropped 25 against Dwayne Wade on 9-12 shooting from the field. His problem is the fact that there is no way Rajon Rondo, or Paul Pierce let him get the number of shots needed to break 100.

Verdict: Durant and Allen have the best chances to break 100 now, but Wilt's mark falling is highly unlikely.

3: Every major Hockey record owned by Wayne Gretzky

Let's talk a little bit about Gretzky.

The best player in Hockey ever. Nobody is even close to any of his records for goals, 894. (The closest active player in Brendan Shannan with 656, and he is a 21 year vet). Assists, 1,963 (closest active player has 900 fewer assists) and point scored, 2,857 (closest active player has 1,641).   

Verdict: Snowballs chance in h-e double hockey sticks that anyone touches the Great One's records. With stats like that, the rest of the NHL has to settle for fighting to be considered second best. 

2: Dimaggio's 56 Game Htting Streak

The streak that started the whole topic in the first place had to be on the list. As time has passed, the record has only become harder and harder to break. Out of the 53 MLB players that have hit for 30 consecutive games in a row, only 15 have hit for 35 games in a row, including Dimaggio. And only 5 players have ever hit for 40 games in a row , including Dimaggio. The closest player, Willie Keeler has the National League record of 45 games in a row with a hit. That record was set in 1896 and remains 11  hits behind Joe Dimaggio. Andre Ethier has been the lone bright spot in the LA Dodger Season, but 29 in a row is no 56. Plus, Joe Dimmagio ripped off a 16 game hitting streak that started two days after his 56 gamer ended. That's impressive.

Verdict: Nobody, not even Albert Pujols can get 56 in a row with the pitching as good as it is today.

But none of these all impressive records can touch number 1 in terms of difficulty. I believe that this is the one sports record that could truly remain unbroken through the rest of human history.

1: Johnny Vander Meer's two consecutive no hitters

Out of all the pitchers in Baseball History that have ever thrown a strike, only 141 have ever thrown a no hitter. Out of the 141 with 1 no hitter, only 22 have thrown multiple no hitters in their careers. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan had 7 career no hitters, but none of them came in a row. The only guys with multiple no hitter who are active are Roy Halliday and Mark Buehrle with a no hitter and a perfect game each. In order to break Vander Meer's record, somebody will have to throw 3 consecutive no hitters. That means that somebody will have to get out a total of 81 batters out in a row if none of the games go to extra innings. The average start of pitchers today is somewhere between 6 and 1/3 to 7 innings. The total number of complete games last year was 73 between 25 pitchers. That is 2 complete games in 25-30 starts per pitcher. By that stretch, 3 complete games in 1 season for a starter is rare. 3 no hitters in a season, unthinkable.

Verdict: 0% chance anyone, active or future players breaks this record. 

But yeah sports players, the other records out there are all made to be broken. Just not these ones.