Crosby2010
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2023
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So which one is better? DiMaggio did his back in 1941. Gretzky in 1984. To this day their record still stand and we know DiMaggio took that to his grave and I think Gretzky will too. If Mario came the closest getting to 46 before pulling himself out of a game because of his back in 1990 (and then he was out for a while) then who could beat it with that sort of consistency?
In both cases there were some close calls. Gretzky in Game 44 or so of the streak got an empty net goal against the Hawks in Chicago with 2 seconds left in the game to keep the streak alive. That was as close as it got to ending for him. As for DiMaggio there were plenty of 1 for 4 or 1 for 5 games in that streak. I'd really have to dig in to see if there were some 9th inning hits that kept it going but I am sure there was a time when his final at bat of the game gave him his first hit. Either way, plenty of games with just one hit.
And to see the degree of difficulty you have to look at who has come close. DiMaggio had 56 games in 1941. The record before that was Wee Willie Keeler in 1897 with 45. Ty Cobb is among the others to crack 40 doing it in 1911. But out of the 6 times a player has had at least 40, only once in 1978 with Pete Rose was it after DiMaggio, and Rose had 44. Paul Molitor had 39 in 1987 and I believe was on deck when the winning run was scored which didn't give him the chance to get a final at bat when the streak ended. Jimmy Rollins had 38 in 2006. Luis Castillo had 35 in 2002. Chase Utley 35 in 2006. But in general no one comes close. I am not sure anyone can in MLB today. There is too much of an emphasis on crushing the ball over hitting for the gaps so I think everyone's average takes a hit when this happens. Hence, you don't see the streaks. But either way no one coming even close to it in 45 years is quite remarkable considering DiMaggio has been dead for 25 years and it is virtually untouchable.
With Gretzky you can argue it is easier and that it isn't just as well. The record is 51, Mario had 46. Gretzky is 3rd with 39. He is also 4th with 30. Sundin had 30. Then Yzerman, Gretzky again, Mario, Lafleur (who held the record once) and Coffey all have 28. That rounds out the top 10. Patrick Kane had 26 in 2016 and Crosby 25 in 2011, but that's only half the amount, and I can still remember people following that streak. So what we have here is Gretzky owning 4 of the top 10 spot. Lemieux owning 2 others. Yzerman having that insane 1989 season with 155 is the year he got 28 games, and then Coffey who did it in 1986 and no doubt you have to give Gretzky some credit with that as well. Only Sundin at 30 games stands out. But other than Mario with 46in 1990 no one has come within 21 games of it other than Gretzky himself.
Which one will stand longer? Which one is more impressive?
In both cases there were some close calls. Gretzky in Game 44 or so of the streak got an empty net goal against the Hawks in Chicago with 2 seconds left in the game to keep the streak alive. That was as close as it got to ending for him. As for DiMaggio there were plenty of 1 for 4 or 1 for 5 games in that streak. I'd really have to dig in to see if there were some 9th inning hits that kept it going but I am sure there was a time when his final at bat of the game gave him his first hit. Either way, plenty of games with just one hit.
And to see the degree of difficulty you have to look at who has come close. DiMaggio had 56 games in 1941. The record before that was Wee Willie Keeler in 1897 with 45. Ty Cobb is among the others to crack 40 doing it in 1911. But out of the 6 times a player has had at least 40, only once in 1978 with Pete Rose was it after DiMaggio, and Rose had 44. Paul Molitor had 39 in 1987 and I believe was on deck when the winning run was scored which didn't give him the chance to get a final at bat when the streak ended. Jimmy Rollins had 38 in 2006. Luis Castillo had 35 in 2002. Chase Utley 35 in 2006. But in general no one comes close. I am not sure anyone can in MLB today. There is too much of an emphasis on crushing the ball over hitting for the gaps so I think everyone's average takes a hit when this happens. Hence, you don't see the streaks. But either way no one coming even close to it in 45 years is quite remarkable considering DiMaggio has been dead for 25 years and it is virtually untouchable.
With Gretzky you can argue it is easier and that it isn't just as well. The record is 51, Mario had 46. Gretzky is 3rd with 39. He is also 4th with 30. Sundin had 30. Then Yzerman, Gretzky again, Mario, Lafleur (who held the record once) and Coffey all have 28. That rounds out the top 10. Patrick Kane had 26 in 2016 and Crosby 25 in 2011, but that's only half the amount, and I can still remember people following that streak. So what we have here is Gretzky owning 4 of the top 10 spot. Lemieux owning 2 others. Yzerman having that insane 1989 season with 155 is the year he got 28 games, and then Coffey who did it in 1986 and no doubt you have to give Gretzky some credit with that as well. Only Sundin at 30 games stands out. But other than Mario with 46in 1990 no one has come within 21 games of it other than Gretzky himself.
Which one will stand longer? Which one is more impressive?