Most impressive record broken in last 20 years?

[BreakfastBurrito]

OK, so I'm looking for some examples of records that have been broken in the last 20 years where the previous record was already staggeringly high and perhaps thought to be untouchable in the short term at least. Which one is the most impressive?

My top 3:

1. Ichiro (hits)
2. Peyton Manning (TD passes)
3. Mike Powell (long jump)

Other ones up there would include McGwire and Bonds, Ripken, Rice for receiving yds in a season, Chicago Bulls wins in a season, and I'm sure I'm missing several others.

[mattsey9]

Ripken 2130

Nobody had even mounted a serious run at Gehrig's mark before Ripken's effort.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Ripken, easily, out of the big 3 sports.

[MicroBob]

Ripken. Not close.

Rose breaking Cobb's hit-record could have been top 3 imo if the qualifying period were for the last 22 yrs (wow, was that really THAT long ago, I'm feeling REALLY old).


Wayne Gretzky I'm a bit unsure of because of the inclusion of the word 'broken'.

I think his regular-season career-points record of 2857 is pretty awesome. Next closest is Mark Messier at 1887.
Gretzky has more assists than any other player has total points.

But actually 'breaking' that record wasn't really quite as impressive since it became pretty obvious it was going to happen anyway.
The final totals are what I find more awesome.

[mattsey9]

[ QUOTE ]
Ripken. Not close.

Rose breaking Cobb's hit-record could have been top 3 imo if the qualifying period were for the last 22 yrs (wow, was that really THAT long ago, I'm feeling REALLY old).

[/ QUOTE ]

You're not the only one. I remember vividly when it was broken. We had a radio set up to listen to while I was playing a high school tennis match. Won in straight sets if I remember correctly.


[ QUOTE ]
Wayne Gretzky I'm a bit unsure of because of the inclusion of the word 'broken'.

I think his regular-season career-points record of 2857 is pretty awesome. Next closest is Mark Messier at 1887.
Gretzky has more assists than any other player has total points.

But actually 'breaking' that record wasn't really quite as impressive since it became pretty obvious it was going to happen anyway.
The final totals are what I find more awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to change the focus of the thread, but what is now the more unbreakable record, 511 or 2857? Given the current state of hockey, is anyone ever going to average 140 points for 20+ seasons?

[MicroBob]

yeah, I watched the Rose record on TV in the Cincy area when I was 14.
Ken Wilson and Joe Morgan on WLWT-5.

I'm not sure either hockey record is completely unbreakable now that hockey is so focused on experimenting around with the game. Lots 'o goals.
But I'll take a shot and guess that 2857 us the more unbreakable one.

[DrewDevil]

From track and field, Mike Conley's world record in the long jump was very impressive, as was Michael Johnson's 19.32 in the 200.

[capone0]

Am I the only one not that impressed with Cal Ripkin's record?

[battschr]

[ QUOTE ]
Michael Johnson's 19.32 in the 200.

[/ QUOTE ]

[DrewDevil]

[ QUOTE ]
Am I the only one not that impressed with Cal Ripken's record?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, it seems like a staggering achievement, to never miss a game for 15 years or whatever it was. During "The Streak" he also had a consecutive inning streak (playing every inning of every game) for 3-4 years, IIRC. That was also an amazing feat, maybe even more so than the consecutive game streak.

But on the other hand... he slumped badly during a couple of seasons and may have actually hurt the team by not taking a day off here and there. And he did "nurse" the streak toward the end just like Gehrig did... start the game, get one at-bat, then come out. That kind of cheapens the whole thing a little bit, IMO.

But at the end of the day, he broke what was thought to be the most unbreakable record and set one that I can't imagine ever being approached in the future. So, on that account it is most impressive.