Baseball's Greatest Records

Of all the great American sports, none puts greater emphasis on statistical achievement than baseball. Major League Baseball records connect the present with the past pitting legends of yesterday against the stars of today. Who is the greatest of all time? How would today's power hitters fare during Babe Ruth's era? Is the pitching in today's game superior to the pitching of fifty years ago? These are some of the questions we may never answer, but statistics allow us to frame the debate. It is the data within the game that keeps us mindful of tradition by rekindling the fond memories of how individuals performed during baseball's respective eras. Here is a look at some of the more notable Major League Baseball records.

Pitching Statistics
Cy Young's name is synonymous with pitching excellence his 511 career wins is first all time in the history of the sport. In 22 seasons on the mound he holds top marks in categories such as most innings pitched (7,355), most games started (815) and most complete games (749). He is also credited with pitching the first perfect game in the modern era of baseball. In his honor the top pitcher from both leagues are awarded a coveted trophy bearing his name at season's end.

Baseball fans have always been infatuated with a good power pitcher. There is nothing like the sound of a 98 mph fastball crashing into the catcher's mitt for a third strike. The strikeout is one of the most exciting plays in baseball, and Nolan Ryan is the king. Known as the Ryan Express for his overpowering fastball, he was one of the most intimidating pictures to ever step foot on the mound. In 27 seasons Ryan ranks first all time with 5,714 strikeouts, he also threw seven no hitters during his career, a feat that no other player has topped.

Batting Statistics
In the summer of 1941 the world witnessed the longest hitting streak in the game's history when Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 straight games. From the 15th of May until the 16th of July the Yankee center fielder captivated the world with one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time. That same season legendary Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams hit .406, it was the last time any player has ever hit .400 at the professional level.

Two of the more controversial figures of the sport hold perhaps the most prestigious of all Major League Baseball records. No other player in the history of the game has more hits than Pete Rose's 4,256. Often overshadowed by his lifetime ban from the sport for gambling on his own team; Rose was known for the way he played the game with grit and determination. Barry Bonds is the all time home run king with 762 long balls in the course of 21 seasons. Despite his alleged ties to steroid use Bond's arsenal of speed, power and baseball intelligence still puts him in the company of the game's elite players.

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