Major League Baseball is known for its records. 60 HR, which became 61- then 70 and is now 73 is known by all as the single season home run record. Based on whatever one's interpretation is, the record may be 60 or 61. The same with the all time HR record, currently held by Barry Bonds with 762. Many still consider Hank Aaron the all time home run king.
The same applies to other records that are often mentioned. Johnny Vander Meer threw two consecutive no hitters and while somebody can possibly tie the record, nobody will ever throw three in a row. Joe DiMaggio managed to get a hit in 56 consecutive games, another record that will never be broken, especially because of the extensive media coverage players get after getting a hit in 20 games or more now. Lou Gehrig had the fantastic iron man streak that started when he was put in the lineup to spell Wally Pipp and ended after Babe Dalgren was given the start for the Yankees in the 9th game of the 1939 season. When 3B Floyd Rayford played the 2nd game of a doubleheader on May 29, 1982, it was a longtime before the Orioles lineup was written without Cal Ripken as part of it. Ripken ended his streak voluntarily in 1998 when he decided to sit out a game against the Yankees in favor of Ryan Minor.
Home run records, hitting streaks and consecutive game streaks all leave open the possibility that some day, they could be broken. Pitching records and streaks, especially ones that involve high totals over the course of a season will likely never be broken. We will never have another pitcher with 400 wins, let alone 500, and the possibility of another 300 game winner may be out too. Pitchers simply do not pitch as often as they used to and the game has changed in that regards to a point where it is irreparable.
In 1898, the Chicago Orphans had a right handed pitcher by the name of Jack Taylor. He made 5 starts that season, winning all 5 by throwing a complete game in each start. He made the Orphans rotation in 1899, going 18-21, 3.76. He made 39 starts and completed each game. The next season, he made 26 starts, completing 25 of them. The next season, he completed 30 of his 31 starts. This was the season that Taylor's amazing streak would start.
Taylor's complete game on June 20th of the 1901 season was not considered a big deal at the time. He would complete his remaining 1901 starts. He would start 34 games in 1902, having his best season winning 23 games and pitching to a 1.29 ERA and 8 shutouts. He also completed all his starts. In 1903, he would compete all his 33 starts for the Cubs, while winning 21 more games.
After the 1903 season, the Cubs and White Sox had what would become an annual postseason exhibition. Evidence started to come up that Taylor was throwing games during this series after he had an uncharacteristically poor showing in that series. He got hammered in his three games, not consistent with his track record. This forced his trade from the Cubs to the St Louis Cardinals for future Hall of Famer Mordecai "Three Fingers" Brown, who was an unknown at the time. Taylor would complete all 39 of his 1904 starts for the Cardinals where he would win 20 games on a bad baseball club. The following season, Taylor went 15-21 on another bad Cardinals team, but still managed to complete all 34 of his starts.
Taylor was 8-9 during his 17 starts for the Cardinals in 1906, which led the team for the season in spite of him getting traded back to the Cubs during the season. He would go 12-3, 1.83 for the Cubs to finish at 20-11, leading the Cubs to the World Series against the crosstown White Sox. Interestingly enough, Taylor did not pitch in the World Series, won by the White Sox. Was it amid speculation that Taylor could possibly again conspire with gamblers?
Jack Taylor had 187 consecutive complete games from 1901-1906. This is a record that has not even been approached. Because of his value as a pitcher, Taylor did make 15 relief appearances during his run. The winner of 152 career games had a career percentage of 97% of his starts completed. For his career, Taylor made 287 starts, pitching 279 complete games. The numbers would look better if not for his last season, in 1907- ironically the first season the Cubs won the World Series, where he only completed 8 of his 13 starts. That accounts for 5 of his 8 career non complete games. His entire two and a half year run with the Cardinals consisted of Taylor completing all 90 of his starts!
The same applies to other records that are often mentioned. Johnny Vander Meer threw two consecutive no hitters and while somebody can possibly tie the record, nobody will ever throw three in a row. Joe DiMaggio managed to get a hit in 56 consecutive games, another record that will never be broken, especially because of the extensive media coverage players get after getting a hit in 20 games or more now. Lou Gehrig had the fantastic iron man streak that started when he was put in the lineup to spell Wally Pipp and ended after Babe Dalgren was given the start for the Yankees in the 9th game of the 1939 season. When 3B Floyd Rayford played the 2nd game of a doubleheader on May 29, 1982, it was a longtime before the Orioles lineup was written without Cal Ripken as part of it. Ripken ended his streak voluntarily in 1998 when he decided to sit out a game against the Yankees in favor of Ryan Minor.
Home run records, hitting streaks and consecutive game streaks all leave open the possibility that some day, they could be broken. Pitching records and streaks, especially ones that involve high totals over the course of a season will likely never be broken. We will never have another pitcher with 400 wins, let alone 500, and the possibility of another 300 game winner may be out too. Pitchers simply do not pitch as often as they used to and the game has changed in that regards to a point where it is irreparable.
In 1898, the Chicago Orphans had a right handed pitcher by the name of Jack Taylor. He made 5 starts that season, winning all 5 by throwing a complete game in each start. He made the Orphans rotation in 1899, going 18-21, 3.76. He made 39 starts and completed each game. The next season, he made 26 starts, completing 25 of them. The next season, he completed 30 of his 31 starts. This was the season that Taylor's amazing streak would start.
Taylor's complete game on June 20th of the 1901 season was not considered a big deal at the time. He would complete his remaining 1901 starts. He would start 34 games in 1902, having his best season winning 23 games and pitching to a 1.29 ERA and 8 shutouts. He also completed all his starts. In 1903, he would compete all his 33 starts for the Cubs, while winning 21 more games.
After the 1903 season, the Cubs and White Sox had what would become an annual postseason exhibition. Evidence started to come up that Taylor was throwing games during this series after he had an uncharacteristically poor showing in that series. He got hammered in his three games, not consistent with his track record. This forced his trade from the Cubs to the St Louis Cardinals for future Hall of Famer Mordecai "Three Fingers" Brown, who was an unknown at the time. Taylor would complete all 39 of his 1904 starts for the Cardinals where he would win 20 games on a bad baseball club. The following season, Taylor went 15-21 on another bad Cardinals team, but still managed to complete all 34 of his starts.
Taylor was 8-9 during his 17 starts for the Cardinals in 1906, which led the team for the season in spite of him getting traded back to the Cubs during the season. He would go 12-3, 1.83 for the Cubs to finish at 20-11, leading the Cubs to the World Series against the crosstown White Sox. Interestingly enough, Taylor did not pitch in the World Series, won by the White Sox. Was it amid speculation that Taylor could possibly again conspire with gamblers?
Jack Taylor had 187 consecutive complete games from 1901-1906. This is a record that has not even been approached. Because of his value as a pitcher, Taylor did make 15 relief appearances during his run. The winner of 152 career games had a career percentage of 97% of his starts completed. For his career, Taylor made 287 starts, pitching 279 complete games. The numbers would look better if not for his last season, in 1907- ironically the first season the Cubs won the World Series, where he only completed 8 of his 13 starts. That accounts for 5 of his 8 career non complete games. His entire two and a half year run with the Cardinals consisted of Taylor completing all 90 of his starts!
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