On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game. He solidified the win for his Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks in the 169-147 game.
No other player in league history has come close to breaking this record. Even in today’s high-scoring NBA, a single player going above 60 points in a game is considered a huge achievement.
Cy Young, a pitcher in Major League Baseball, racked up an unbelievable 511 career wins from the late 1890s to the early 1900s. Modern pitchers are celebrated if they even hit 300 wins in a career. This record is so untouchable, they named an award after him.
In his time, Young threw an incredible 7,356 innings, started 815 games, and completed 749 of them. He also has the most career losses with 315.
Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world, but just how fast is that? During his world-record 100m sprint in 2009, Bolt reached a top speed of 27.8 mph.
To put that into perspective, most recreational joggers max out around 6-8 mph, and even elite runners rarely sustain speeds greater than 12-15 mph over a race.
Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs during the 2001 MLB season while he played for the San Francisco Giants. His record for most home runs in a single season remains unbroken over two decades later.
Bonds, like many other players in the time period, has faced allegations of performance-enhancing drug usage, which has led to debates about the legitimacy of records set during this period. His talent is undeniable, however.
Michael Phelps dominated swimming on an unmatched level. Across five Olympics (2000-2016), he earned 28 total medals, 23 of them gold. That’s more than many countries have managed in their entire Olympic history.
Second place for number of Olympic gold medals is a whopping nine. Phelps’ dominance spanned events like the 100m butterfly and 200m medley, showcasing versatility and unmatched skill in both individual and team competitions.
Manchester United's 1998-99 Treble (three trophy wins) season remains one of soccer’s greatest achievements. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, they won the Premier League, securing the title on the final day. They followed with an FA Cup triumph, defeating Newcastle United 2-0 at Wembley.
The crowning moment came with their dramatic UEFA Champions League victory over Bayern Munich. Two stoppage-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed a 2-1 win. This historic Treble showcased United's resilience, teamwork, and unparalleled dominance in European football.
During the 2022-2023 NHL season, the Bruins broke the 1977 Montreal Canadiens’ record for most points during a regular season with 135. They won an astounding 65 games and left opposing teams in disbelief with their consistent dominance.
The Bruins cemented their place in hockey history, but they also gave future NHL teams a record to work towards. Since it’s a recent record, it’s possible it will be broken and that’s something to fight for.
In the 1930s and 40s, Don Bradman was the world’s master cricketer. He was an Australian cricket legend and still holds the record for highest batting average in Test cricket with a career batting average of 99.94.
To understand how otherworldly this is, most great cricketers average around 50. Bradman missed a perfect 100 average only because he was dismissed for a duck in his last match. His record was achieved over 52 matches and 80 innings.
The 1981 Cincinnati-Bradley college basketball game, held on December 21, 1981, is the longest NCAA Division I men's basketball game in history, featuring seven overtimes. The marathon matchup lasted approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes.
Cincinnati ultimately defeated Bradley 75–73 on a game-winning shot by Doug Schloemer in the final seconds of the seventh overtime. Played during the pre-shot clock era, the game saw a mere 22 points scored across 35 minutes of extra play.
Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets is jaw-dropping, making him one of baseball’s highest earners. Earning over $51 million annually, Soto’s salary eclipses most athletes' paychecks, setting an astonishing benchmark in professional sports deals.
Compare this to the entire WNBA’s salary pool for 2023-2024: $16.4 million. The entire WNBA makes less than a third of Soto’s yearly earnings. This stark disparity emphasizes the vast pay gaps across sports leagues, sparking debates on how we value athletes and equity in sports.
The 2025 Super Bowl LIX had 127.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl in history. But that’s not even the impressive part. 133.5 million viewers tuned in for Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show.
His halftime show was the most viewed in history, even beating out the game itself for the number of viewers. Lamar performed his Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us” and had celebrity friends such as SZA and Serena Williams on stage as well.
Wayne Gretzky's NHL career points total is so staggering that even if you removed all of his goals (894), his record 1,963 assists alone would still leave him as the highest scorer in league history.
His dominance over two decades makes him an outlier in hockey statistics. This achievement stands unchallenged, as no player has come close to matching his total.
Ozell Williams set a Guinness World Record for 57 consecutive handsprings on November 23, 2013, at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. This incredible feat took place during a first-quarter break at a Colorado Buffaloes football game.
A member of the University of Colorado cheer squad, Ozell showcased his remarkable athleticism by achieving this milestone. His performance not only captivated the crowd but also secured his place in history with an extraordinary display of skill and endurance.
From 1959 to 1966, the Boston Celtics won an unbelievable eight straight NBA titles. No other team in modern professional sports has managed such dominance. This impressive streak is a testament to teamwork, coaching, and the legendary Bill Russell.
Key to this success was the Celtics’ ability to perform under pressure and adapt to any challenge. Players like Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and Bob Cousy, alongside Russell, showcased versatility and unselfish play.
Steffi Graf dominated tennis, spending a total of 377 weeks ranked as the world’s top player. Comparatively, Martina Navratilova has the second-highest number of weeks at No. 1 with 332 weeks.
Graf’s peak dominance came in the late 1980s and early 1990s, highlighted by winning all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in 1988. This had never been done before and was called the “Golden Slam.”
