The Iron Man In Baseball

Since the inception of professional sports, we have records of athletes participating in games and representing teams. In professional baseball, as early as 1916, players have compiled streaks of consecutive games played, the most significant of which are over 500 games. These “iron men” are recognized for an impressive endurance in appearing in a game with at least a completed at bat or half inning played defensively. So far, only 30 MLB players have formed a streak of over 500, several of whom are recognized in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Officially, MLB defines the games played streak as such:

A consecutive game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays one half inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching base or being put out. A pinch running appearance only shall not extend the streak. If a player is ejected from a game by an umpire before he can comply with the requirements of this rule, his streak shall continue.” (Rule 10.23(c))

It’s no secret that baseball takes a toll on the body and injuries can happen on or off the field every day. Through a demanding season of 162 games played in 180 days, players put forth an unrivaled effort to show up every day and go to work. Imagine showing up at your job every day, 2,632 days in a row. It seems impossible, even if all you are expected to do is sit at a desk and work. Though baseball has an offseason, the physical and mental aspects of accomplishing a streak like that are truly extraordinary. It takes a durable person to accomplish what Cal Ripken Jr. did.

The Iron Man Begins

Perhaps one of the greatest records ever set, Ripken Jr. celebrates the title of The Iron Man due to his standing longest streak of consecutive games played in Major League Baseball. From 1981 to 2001, Cal Ripken Jr. played shortstop and third base for the Baltimore Orioles. More than 16 years of his 21-year playing career contributed to his amazing record. This accomplishment meant more to Ripken than just surpassing the seemingly unbreakable number Lou Gehrig put up, evidenced by Ripken continuing to play in every game for three seasons following the day he broke Gehrig’s record. That day, coincidentally, was 21 years and one day ago.

In a time when baseball was becoming increasingly cynical and corporate, Ripken reminded weary baseball fans what the game is really about. Demonstrating an ability to persevere through injury and illness, Ripken began an unintended quest to set arguably the most elusive record in sports.

It began ordinarily, as Ripken was a diligent player. Over time, he faced injury and fatigue that threatened his perfect starting record. Ankle problems arose in 1985 and 1992, but the worst of the injuries occurred during a brawl with the Seattle Mariners in 1993. Ripken suffered a sprained knee but he was able to finish the game and continue playing in the following games. A year later, his streak would be threatened once again when the Players Association went on strike in August of 1994. He was given permission to continue playing with replacement players in order to preserve his streak, but he declined. The integrity of professional baseball was more important to the baseball hero than to continue a personal accomplishment.

The Streak Comes to an End

It was time. Baseball has always been a team game.”

The morning of September 20th, 1998 was ordinary for most fans. Baltimore fans stirred with no more excitement than usual for the upcoming game, hindered only by the underlying suspicion that the Iron Man streak might soon come to an end. Everyone besides Ripken and those closest to him carried on in normal fashion. It wasn’t until Orioles manager Ray Miller submitted a lineup card without Ripken’s name on it that the importance of that game would go down in history. Neither injury nor illness was the cause of Ripken’s final game of the streak. It was Ripken’s choice to quietly withdraw himself from playing the last home game in the Orioles’ season.

While Ripken’s streak is the most impressive, let’s take a look at the rest of the top 10 Iron Men.

The Top 10

1. Cal Ripken, Jr. – 2,632

2. Lou Gehrig – 2,130

Simply put, Lou Gehrig is a hero, a legend, not only in baseball but also in the United States. He grew up paying a quarter to sit in left field for Giants games and never looked back. Gehrig became one of the greatest people to ever grace a baseball diamond, all the while setting records no one thought of as breakable. When he was given a chance to play professionally, he quickly proved he was a phenomenon. Even as a young player, Gehrig gave Babe Ruth a run for his money.

Gehrig’s streak ended as a result of the iconic disease that would ultimately end his life. This is arguably one of the most disheartening ends to a streak that baseball has seen, as with its ending, so came the end of Gehrig’s entire playing career. Gehrig died just two years after his streak concluded. Of course, Gehrig would be remembered for much more than just his games played.

3. Everett Scott – 1,307

Though he pitched in high school, Lewis Everett Scott was a professional shortstop for a number of teams including the Yankees and Red Sox in the early 1900s. Not only was he a fine baseball player, but he was also an accomplished bowler and author of a children’s book.

Scott held the MLB record for consecutive games played from the time his streak ended in 1925 up until Gehrig surpassed it. He faced criticism for his streak toward the end, as many players have. He missed the opportunity to extend his streak when his manager benched him in favor of another player, Paul “Pee Wee” Wanniger, reportedly due to reorganization in the Yankees lineup. The end of his streak signified the beginning of his declining interest in baseball, especially since Scott’s bowling and billiards establishment in Indiana was successful. Two days following Scott’s last game with the Yankees, Gehrig began his streak.

4. Steve Garvey – 1,207

Unlike Ripken, Steve Garvey made it clear that he was after the Iron Man streak as the first baseman for the Dodgers and Padres. He set out to challenge Gehrig’s record, but was unsuccessful on account of an injury. In 1983, he slid into home and suffered damage to his hand that barred him from extending his streak.

5. Miguel Tejada – 1,152

Miguel Tejada is the only player in the top 10 to have begun a streak in this millennium, beginning June 2, 2000, and ending June 21, 2007. Tejada played in the majors for 16 years, during which he accumulated 307 home runs and compiled a .791 OPS. The unfortunate conclusion of this streak is credited to a broken wrist caused by a hit by pitch.

6. Billy Williams – 1,117

Hall of Famer Billy Williams was always cool, calm, and collected – possibly one of the reasons he enjoyed such a lengthy streak of games played while facing the issue of racism that plagued the country as a whole, and baseball in particular. Besides the streak, the Chicago Cubs star exhibited something else special: his swing. Though he struggled defensively as a left fielder and first baseman, he was known as “Sweet Swingin’ Billy.” He had a lefty swing that Willie Stargell, an opponent of Williams’, described as poetry in motion. Like Ripken, the end of Williams streak in 1970 came as an elective day off and a relief.

7. Joe Sewell – 1,103

Joe Sewell began his career with the Indians under tragic circumstances. Cleveland purchased his contract following a death and a pulled muscle in their two shortstops. Sewell would go on to have a celebrated hitting career. He kept his batting average above .300 from 1921 until 1930, with the exception of hitting .299 in 1922. Close enough, don’t you think?

When his streak ended, it was second in longevity only to Scott. Sewell was also the second major leaguer to compile a 1,000-game streak. He finished his career at age 34 after playing shortstop and third base for the Indians and Yankees and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

8. Stan Musial – 895

As Vin Scully put it, Stan “The Man” Musial was good enough to take your breath away. Musial played for the Cardinals from 1941 to 1963. He celebrated several ups and downs with the Cardinals organization, playing through the Jackie Robinson era and the integration of baseball. His best day of baseball came on May 2, 1954, when he went 4-for-4 with three home runs in the first game–one of which was a game winner–and then 2-for-4 with two home runs in the second. Those games were a microcosm of his career. Unfortunately, as he swung for a pitch during his 896th straight game, he chipped a bone and tore a muscle, ending his streak.

9. Eddie Yost – 838

Eddie Yost was a baseball player, a teacher, and an advocate for player rights. He had an uncanny ability to draw walks, which he himself attributed to his good eye and crouched hitting position. That crouch resulted in a smaller strike zone in an age of rising fastball pitchers. His streak began in 1949 with the Washington Senators. It would end 838 games later thanks to tonsillitis. At the time, it was the fourth longest in history as well as the longest streak since Gehrig. He still ranks 10th all time in walks.

10. Gus Suhr – 822

A native of California, Gus Suhr played in the major leagues for 10 years, from 1930 to 1940. He hit .279/.368/.428 with a .796 OPS.

Ripken and Gehrig both have an almost transcendent, magical quality that indicates just how special the game of baseball can be. Ripken said, to him, the streak doesn’t seem like much. He was just doing what he was getting paid to do. And, to the average person, there really isn’t much to being present for work, but these players have done so much more in setting records like the ones they have set. With these numbers attached to them comes an intense respect for their passion and work ethic. Ripken’s streak shows how baseball let the world in on something greater, something accessible to everyone, but achievable for only one man.

The Iron Man Streak Today

Lately, there have not been many notable streaks. None have even come close to Gehrig or Ripken in years, but some have tried. Freddie Freeman held a streak of 234 games through three seasons, but he was forced to sit out in June of 2015 due to a wrist injury. One of the most notable players to break a 500-game streak in recent years is Prince Fielder.

Fielder had a great career in the major leagues and was respected for his work ethic and ambitious attitude. After he announced his retirement, Ryan Braun said the following:

I think he played the game as hard and competed as hard as anybody I ever had on my team. He’s a guy who never wanted to come out of any game, played through so many injuries, wanted to play every inning of every game.”

This attitude, while remarkable, may have had an unintended consequence of wearing Fielder down earlier than would have been forecasted. It is something special to approach the game of baseball as Ripken, Gehrig, and Fielder do, but it also ultimately mightbe harmful to the body.

Beyond Freeman and Fielder, not many seem to be concerned with interesting records like this anymore. Ripken and Gehrig were magical, but baseball is overcome by the new technologies like Statcast and instant replay. Advanced statistics and advance scouting have become the focus much more so than playing every single day. Baseball is increasingly a numbers game, but we still must look back on something greater than a number and realize the heart and humanity behind it.

Is the Iron Man Streak unbreakable?

Besides the caveat of being human, there is a controversial element to whether or not Ripken’s streak will ever be broken. Over the years, Ripken and his managers faced criticism for the perceived obsession of the streak. Ripken made it clear he was not playing every game just for the streak, yet fans and critics of baseball looked on with a skeptical eye. Other players have faced the same transition, where the subject of attention turns from how long the streak will go to what (negative) sacrifices are being made to keep the streak alive.

As the number of consecutive games played grows, the question becomes, what happens if the player’s performance wanes? Ripken certainly earned his place in the lineup, if not purely as a result of work ethic. But, in the age of celebrity players and an inevitable $500 million contract, players likely won’t play through the pain even if they have a work ethic similar to Ripken’s. Rest days are imperative, and with the increasing value of a player’s health, the accolade may not be worth the risk.

Ignoring the many obstacles that make the Iron Man title so elusive, there might be hope for a player wishing to play 2,633 games in a row. No one expected a player to surpass Gehrig’s record that stood for over half a century before it finally was broken. Ripken did, and upon breaking the record claimed that if he could do it, someone else could too. We will have to wait and see.

References & Resources

• Jimmy Keenan, Society for American Baseball Research, Cal Ripken Jr. SABR Bio
• James Lincoln Ray, Society for American Baseball Research, Lou Gehrig SABR Bio
• Ray Birch, Society for American Baseball Research, Everett Scott SABR Bio
• Mark Armour, Society for American Baseball Research, Billy Williams SABR Bio
• Bill Johnson, Society for American Baseball Research, Joe Sewell SABR Bio
• Jan Finkel, Society for American Baseball Research, Stan Musial SABR Bio
• Andrew Sciff and Matthew Silverman, Society for American Baseball Research, Eddie Yost SABR Bio