February 12, 2006

Ask SpoFi: Best stat lines ever?:

I'm looking for the best stat lines ever, in any sport. I was looking for info on NBA quadruple-doubles, and I thought it would be neat to see amazing stat lines from other sports. To get it started, here's the most impressive NBA line I could find:

Hakeem Olajuwon, March 3, 1990, Houston vs. Golden State
29 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, 11 blocks


posted by dusted to navel gazing at 12:20 AM - 45 comments

One more: Wilt Chamberlain, February 2, 1968, Philadelphia vs. Detroit 22 points, 25 rebounds, and 21 assists. That's a double-triple-double, the only one ever recorded.

posted by dusted at 12:27 AM on February 12, 2006

First thought, Golden State really has sucked for a long time . . .

posted by geekyguy at 02:21 AM on February 12, 2006

For cricket: tap up owlhouse for some Bradman stats - or just cricket stats in general -the game is obsessed with numbers.

posted by JJ at 03:05 AM on February 12, 2006

Darryl Sittler, February 7, 1976, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins 6 goals, 4 assists

posted by Amateur at 09:21 AM on February 12, 2006

Shawn Green had one of the greatest baseball batting performances ever. Not only did he hit 4 home runs, but he also went 6-for-6, the only player to perform both feats at the same time.

posted by grum@work at 10:26 AM on February 12, 2006

Fred Lynn and John Valentin both recorded really high total base numbers in games for the Sox. I think Lynn still holds the AL record with 18. Nomar had a two grand slam night (I want to say it was on his birthday against Seattle, maybe in 2000). Drew Bledsoe held the record (I think) for total attempts at one point, going something like 45-70 in an OT win over Minnesota in the mid '90s. Threw the game winner to that big white fullback whose name escapes me.

posted by yerfatma at 11:59 AM on February 12, 2006

I think Lynn still holds the AL record (I want to say it was on his birthday against Seattle, maybe in 2000). Drew Bledsoe held the record (I think) Then there was this guy that played this game. Won it for the team in record time from the pole. Scored 2 goals from mid-field while skating on thin ice, hitting a record # of 3pt shots from second base. (i think) /ducks and runs

posted by Folkways at 12:51 PM on February 12, 2006

Darryl Sittler, February 7, 1976, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins 6 goals, 4 assists "Hey, I had a good week tonight."

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:22 PM on February 12, 2006

Ron Tugnutt, 21 March 1991, 73 shots. Sam LoPresti, 4 March 1941, 83 shots. >"Hey, I had a good week tonight." Good one, Weedy.

posted by Philfromhavelock at 03:26 PM on February 12, 2006

Theoren Fleury, +9, 10 February 1993; three shorthanded goals, 9 March 1991.

posted by Philfromhavelock at 03:31 PM on February 12, 2006

Al Hill, most points by a player his first NHL game, 14 February 1977, 5

posted by Philfromhavelock at 03:58 PM on February 12, 2006

Sam LoPresti, 4 March 1941, 83 shots And only three goals allowed. That's absurd.

posted by chicobangs at 04:12 PM on February 12, 2006

Oleg Salenko scored five goals for Russia in a World Cup game against Cameroon in 1994.

posted by Ufez Jones at 05:54 PM on February 12, 2006

Fred Lynn and John Valentin both recorded really high total base numbers in games for the Sox. I think Lynn still holds the AL record with 18. Nomar had a two grand slam night (I want to say it was on his birthday against Seattle, maybe in 2000). Fred Lynn hit 3 HR, a triple and a single on June 18, 1975. It tied the AL record for total bases in a game (16). John Valentin had 15 total bases during a game on June 2, 1995. Nomar Garciaparra hit his two grandslams on May 10, 1999 (he was born on July 23). He's one of 11 players to perform this feat. However, Fernando Tatis did it a little better by hitting two grand slams in the same INNING, on April 23, 1999.

posted by grum@work at 06:16 PM on February 12, 2006

Mario Lemieux December 31, 1988 vs New Jersey: 1 even-strength goal, 1 powerplay goal, 1 shorthanded goal, 1 penalty shot goal, 1 empty net goal.

posted by mkn at 06:22 PM on February 12, 2006

Mario Lemieux December 31, 1988 vs New Jersey: 1 even-strength goal, 1 powerplay goal, 1 shorthanded goal, 1 penalty shot goal, 1 empty net goal. I think that may be one of the best. I would pay a ton of money to see that happen.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:14 PM on February 12, 2006

I'd like to see someone get to first base in all 10,000 ways in one game: Pinch run Hit Error Called 4th ball Hit by pitch Passed ball on third strike

posted by NoMich at 08:48 PM on February 12, 2006

I'd like to see someone get to first base in all 10,000 ways in one game: It's actually 11, as I've noted in my user page for a while. 1. Hit 2. Base on balls 3. Hit by pitch 4. Catcher interference 5. Dropped third strike 6. Error 7. Fielder's choice 8. Hitting a baserunner with the batted ball 9. A ball, pitched to the batter or thrown by the pitcher from his position on the pitcher's plate to a base to catch a runner, goes into a stand, or player's bench, or over or through a field fence or backstop, or is touched by a spectator. (Obscure rule 7.05(h)) 10. The third strike becomes lodged in the umpire's equipment (not touched by the catcher). (Obscure rule 7.05(i)) 11. Pinch Runner

posted by grum@work at 12:51 AM on February 13, 2006

For cricket: tap up owlhouse for some Bradman stats - or just cricket stats in general -the game is obsessed with numbers Individual performances: Test batting - Brian Lara (West Indies) 400 not out vs England 2004 (only quadruple century in Tests) Test bowling - Jim Laker (Eng) 10-53 vs Australia 1956 and Anil Kumble (India) 10-74 vs Pakistan 1998-99 (only two occasions all ten wickets taken in one innings by the same bowler in Tests) ODI Batting: Saeed Anwar (Pak) 194 vs India 1997 ODI Bowling: Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 8-19 vs Zimbabwe 2001-02 And just last Sunday in Sydney, Mutthiah Muralitharan returned the worst ever ODI bowling figures of 0-99 vs Australia I highly recommend this Aussie site for cricket afficianados.

posted by owlhouse at 01:12 AM on February 13, 2006

11 ways? Holy crap, that would have to be a 20-inning game. Maybe even more than that. Depending on how many run are scored, I guess. Thanks for the info, grum.

posted by NoMich at 07:26 AM on February 13, 2006

September 7, 1993: Mark Whiten, cf, STL, 5 AB, 4 runs, 4 hits (all homers), 12 RBIs. May 26, 1959: Harvey Haddix, P, PIT, 12.2 IP, 1 hit allowed, 1 ER allowed, 1 walk allowed, 8 strikeouts. (The first 12 innings were perfect, but he still lost the game.) Grum: if those first 11 don't work, try flowers and a box of chocolate.

posted by BullpenPro at 08:14 AM on February 13, 2006

Bill Mosienko 1952 Blackhawks 3 goals 21 seconds.

posted by HATER 187 at 08:40 AM on February 13, 2006

Mark Whiten, cf, STL, 5 AB, 4 runs, 4 hits (all homers), 12 RBIs. Bettered by Carlos Delgado in 2003, who in 4 AB hit 4 HR, every single one of which was needed to beat the pesky Devil Rays. The drama!

posted by DrJohnEvans at 08:48 AM on February 13, 2006

I know it's not a single game stat line, but Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double across the entire season in 1961-62 -- 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists.

posted by holden at 11:19 AM on February 13, 2006

Amazing, but not impressive: Bettis' 5 rushes for 1 yard and 3 TDs.

posted by danostuporstar at 12:05 PM on February 13, 2006

Looks like Bettis also had a touchdown reversed upon review in that game (although he got the touchdown on the next play, so not all that impressive). His rush which lost yards was on 1st-and-10 on the Oakland 24. Must've been a trick play.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:26 PM on February 13, 2006

I think it would be physically impossible for one player to get on base all 11 ways in a single game because #11 pretty much precludes all the others unless the player comes in very early due to injury or the game sets a new record for innings played. Personally, I would settle for all of the other 10 ;)

posted by billsaysthis at 03:58 PM on February 13, 2006

Highly unlikely, yes, but not impossible. It doesn't even have to be a multi-inning game. It could be one of those classic Cubs-Phillies games where 30 runs by a single team just may happen.

posted by NoMich at 04:05 PM on February 13, 2006

Grum: if those first 11 don't work, try flowers and a box of chocolate. Ha! I stared at your comment for about 5 minutes before it clicked.

posted by grum@work at 04:09 PM on February 13, 2006

Options #9 and #10 are so obscure that they've probably only happened once in the past 100 years of MLB. However, because they happened at least once, they got added to the rules "just in case it happens again." 8 plate appearances in one game isn't very common, so reaching base 8 different ways (and only one of them is a hit) would be an accomplishment on its own. The record for at-bats in a single game is 11 (multiple people). Carlton Fisk did it (in a game that spanned two days, May 8-9, 1984), and ended up with 12 plate appearances (going 3-for-11, with a walk, in 25 innings). I should point out that in the same game

  • Cecil Cooper also had 12 plate appearances (no walks, but a fielder's choice)
  • Dave Stegman had 8 plate appearances AFTER being put in as a pinch-runner
  • Tom Paciorek had 10 plate appearances AFTER being put in as a defensive replacement
(box score of game) We may have seen a player reach base five different ways (hit, walk, fielder's choice, error, hit-by-pitch), but I can't recall it being celebrated/recorded recently. Six different methods would be difficult as dropped third strikes, hitting the runner with a batted ball, or catcher interference are those VERY rare occurrances (like once or twice a season per team). Anything more than that and we are begining to get into the 6-digit odds (10,000-to-1 type stuff).

posted by grum@work at 04:31 PM on February 13, 2006

D'oh! Cooper only had 11 plate appearances. The fielder's choice was already recorded as an "out" for him.

posted by grum@work at 04:35 PM on February 13, 2006

In general, here is a list of the best (and worst) single game performances in MLB history.

posted by grum@work at 04:41 PM on February 13, 2006

That's some awesome baseball geekery, there grum. One of the big reasons I enjoy this site so.

posted by NoMich at 05:59 PM on February 13, 2006

Grum, you sensational bastard, you.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:43 PM on February 13, 2006

That's a great page, grum, but it's not complete. (I'm pretty sure Tony Lazzeri had 12 RBI in a game once as well.)

posted by chicobangs at 08:16 PM on February 13, 2006

Oleg Salenko scored five goals for Russia in a World Cup game against Cameroon in 1994 Not bad, Ufez, but Archie Thompson (now playing with PSV Eindhoven) scored 13 in a World Cup qualifier when Australia tonked American Samoa 31-0 at Coffs Harbour in 2001. I didn't even have to look that one up.

posted by owlhouse at 08:20 PM on February 13, 2006

I'm pretty sure Tony Lazzeri had 12 RBI in a game once as well. he had 11 rbi on may 24, 1936. (retrosheet doesn't have the boxscores for that year. i found the date here.) also, they don't have 2005 stats up yet 'cause a-rod had 10 on april 26.

posted by goddam at 09:23 PM on February 13, 2006

goddam, I knew you'd know! :) I stand corrected. Sort of.

posted by chicobangs at 09:24 PM on February 13, 2006

("Poosh 'em Up Tony?")

posted by chicobangs at 10:44 PM on February 13, 2006

Kinda creeps me out that they list a cemetery.

posted by yerfatma at 06:12 AM on February 14, 2006

Grum, that page must only include stats from boxscores that Retrosheet has completed. It's missing all kinds of older records, including Gehrig's 4 HR game. It's still a pretty good reference for this list, though.

posted by BullpenPro at 04:39 PM on February 15, 2006

Grum: if those first 11 don't work, try flowers and a box of chocolate. Ha! I stared at your comment for about 5 minutes before it clicked. Call it my Valentines Day Tribute. By the way, according to ESPN Magazine, your list is shy a few (the following copied from another site): According to ESPN Magazine, there are 23 different ways for a batter to get to first base in a baseball game. Not all of these are scored differently in a typical scoresheet, and some of the distinctions are almost nonexistent, but they're all mentioned separately in the Official Baseball Rules. Here they are: 1 Hit 2 Fielder's choice (throw + tag play) 3 Forceout (at another base) 4 Preceeding runner put out (tag) 5 Failed sacrifice bunt 6 Hit by pitch 7 Error 8 Walk 9 Intentional walk 10 Pinch-runner 11 Dropped third strike 12 Catcher interference 13 Batted ball hits runner 14 Fielder obstructs runner 15 Fielder interference 16 Fan interference (with ball) 17 Fan obstruction (of batter) 18 Runner out on appeal play 19 Failure to pitch within 20 seconds 20 Four illegal pitches 21 Runner on first; game suspended; runner is traded before game is made up. New player may take his place at first. I don't know why the article says "23 ways" and lists 21, but there it is. My question would be, what is the most number of ways featured in a single game (not by just one player)? (Am I hijacking this thread with this post? I don't mean to.)

posted by BullpenPro at 04:55 PM on February 15, 2006

I'd sure as shit like to know the last time an umpire called #19!

posted by billsaysthis at 06:10 PM on February 15, 2006

I'll concede that some of those are legitimate options that I didn't list (fan interference, game suspended/player swapped), but some of those just aren't different enough to warrant separate listings (2, 3, 4, 5 are all fielder's choices...it's like listing infield hit, outfield hit, and HR as different ways of reaching first base). #18 doesn't even make sense as it doesn't affect how the batter reached the base in the first place (either it was a fielder's choice or it was a hit). What happens after the play shouldn't count. #20 is (I'm assuming) 4 balks in a row. However, that is still listed as a walk as the balk only affects the baserunners, but is declared a ball for the batter. Therefore, it would be the same as a walk. #8 and #9 are the same. That's more hair-splitting. You still have to throw 4 pitches wide of the plate, unlike plunking the batter which can be done on just one pitch. #16 and #17 could be listed as one entry (fan interference). #19 is still just a ball, and it would have to happen 4 pitches in one at bat and would be the same as a walk. How a ball is registered doesn't affect the final result (walk) for the batter. #14 doesn't make sense. Interfering with a runner already on base isn't scored against the batter (positively or negatively). If the fielder interferes with the baserunner while attempting a tag, that's an after-result of a fielder's choice.

posted by grum@work at 07:23 PM on February 15, 2006

Just to keep going on a topic that has nothing to do with this thread and will continue to give the impression that I get paid by the column inch: The Hall of Fame library provided the following complete list. Yes, as grum pointed out, there appear to be redundancies, but it is more of a list of 23 rules that suggest how to get to first base than just a list of how many different scorebook entries there are. How many ways can a player reach first base safely? There are 23 ways to reach base safely. 1) base hit, 2) base-on-balls, 3) fan interference (rules 3.16 and 3.15), 4) fan obstruction (rule 4.09-exception), 5) 4 illegal pitches resulting in a base on balls (rules 8.01d and 2.00 "quick return"), 6) failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds resulting in base on balls (rule 8.04), 7) intentional base on balls (rule 4.03), 8) hit by pitch (rule 6.08b), 9) catcher interference (rule 6.08c), 10) fielder interference (rule 6.08c), 11) fair ball touches umpire (rule 6.08d), 12) obstruction of runner (rules 2.00 and 7.06), 13) fair ball touches runner (rule 6.08d), 14) dropped strike three (rule 6.09b), 15) substitute runner (rule 3.03 and 5.10c), 16) suspended game resumed later- player trade- player substitution (rules 3.03, 4.12 and 4.12d), 17) fielder's choice- non force out (rule 2.00 and 10.06d), 18)fielder's choice- force out (rule 10.06a), 19) preceding runner called out on appeal (rule 10.06b), 20) preceding runner put-out allows batter/runner to reach first (rule 10.06c), 21) attempted sac bunt fails to advance runner (rule 10.09c), 22) sac fly dropped (rule 10.06e), 23) error (rule 10.13). Now that we've fixed grum's profile page, how about something on topic... how about May 8, 1968: Catfish Hunter, 9 IP, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 baserunners -- a PERFECT GAME, 11 K's... PLUS, he went 3 for 4 at the plate with a double and two RBI singles, including one with the bases loaded in the 8th inning. He had 3 RBIs total, and the A's won 4-0. Pretty close to a perfect baseball performance.

posted by BullpenPro at 03:49 PM on February 16, 2006

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