On any given night in any given sport, there’s a chance a player could make history. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a player will completely dominate the competition and put up a record-breaking performance.
Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series and Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point-game in 1962 are still the stuff of sports legend more than 50 years later. And new records are still being set. Adrian Peterson broke the NFL single-game rushing record in 2007, and Stephen Curry hit an NBA record 13 3-pointers in a game in 2016.
Obviously, any professional athlete has an incredible amount of skill and experience, but not all are superstars and most certainly are not expected to achieve greatness. Yet, it seems any player can have an amazing game and rewrite the history books. As one of the most prolific players in NFL history, Gale Sayers was a likely candidate to set a record. Indeed, his six-touchdown game will almost certainly never be topped. But Scott Skiles, a player who never made a single All-Star team, also set a record — for the most assists in an NBA game with 30.
Ranking players based on their statistical performances is a fun way to relive past games, but it doesn’t provide a complete historical picture of most of the big four leagues. Statistics weren’t kept as thoroughly as they are now during the early days of the NHL, NFL, and NBA. MLB records, however, are fairly solid because every play in baseball is easy to track and record.
For all we know, a player from decades ago may have had a game with more sacks or tackles than anyone in NFL history. We’ll never find out for sure, as sacks weren’t an official stat until 1982. As it stands, Derrick Thomas holds the NFL record with seven in a single game.
Basketball was somewhat better about keeping records. We know Wilt Chamberlain had 55 rebounds in a game against the Celtics in 1960, but we can’t be sure how many rebounds he grabbed on the offensive end the way we would today.
Players at certain positions — like offensive linemen in the NFL and defensemen in the NHL — are important parts of the team, but since they rarely put up measurable statistics, it can be difficult to determine if and when they truly have a dominant game. In basketball, players at all positions can be prolific scorers.
To determine the most impressive individual performances in sports history, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed single-game records in a number of statistical categories for the four major U.S. sports, the NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA, using data from the Sports Reference family of sites.
Click here to see 26 athletes who set unbreakable records.
Source: Adam Bettcher / Getty Images
1. Adrian Peterson
> Achievement: 296 yards rushing
> Team: Minnesota Vikings
> Opponent: San Diego Chargers
> Date: Nov. 4, 2007
Running back Adrian Peterson established himself as a force to be reckoned with during his rookie season when he ran for an NFL record 296 yards in a game against the San Diego Chargers. He also scored three touchdowns en route to a 35-17 win for his Minnesota Vikings.
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Source: The Daily Reveille Archives / Wikimedia Commons
2. Billy Cannon
> Achievement: 330 yards, 5 TD
> Team: Houston Oilers
> Opponent: New York Titans
> Date: Dec. 10, 1961
On Dec. 10, 1961, running back Billy Cannon became one of just two players in AFL or NFL history to rush for over 200 yards and have more than 100 yards receiving in the same game. Cannon had the game of a lifetime, racking up 330 yards and five touchdowns as his Houston Oilers beat the New York Titans 48-21.
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Source: Gilbert & Bacon / New York Public Library
3. Billy Hamilton
> Achievement: 7 stolen bases
> Team: Philadelphia Phillies
> Opponent: Washington Senators
> Date: Aug. 31, 1894
Though Billy Hamilton’s baseball career predates the MLB as we know it, his single-game stolen base record has yet to be beat. Hamilton, an outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, swiped seven bases on Aug. 31, 1894 against the Washington Senators. That season, Hamilton stole 100 bases and hit .403, the best batting average of his Hall of Fame career.
Source: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
4. Darryl Sittler
> Achievement: 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists)
> Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
> Opponent: Boston Bruins
> Date: Feb. 7, 1976
On Feb. 7, 1976, the Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the Boston Bruins 11-4. Center Darryl Sittler had a hand in 10 of those goals, scoring six and assisting on four. Several other players have mustered eight-point games, but Sittler’s record is still in a league of its own.
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Source: Ronald Martinez / Allsport / Getty Images
5. David Robinson
> Achievement: Quadruple-double; 34 pts
> Team: San Antonio Spurs
> Opponent: Detroit Pistons
> Date: Feb. 17, 1994
Only four players in NBA history have managed the mythical quadruple-double — getting a double-digit number in four major statistical categories in one game. But center David Robinson’s feat was easily the most impressive. The Admiral recorded 34 points and recorded 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks in a 115-96 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Source: Joe Robbins / Getty Images
6. Derrick Thomas
> Achievement: 7 sacks
> Team: Kansas City Chiefs
> Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
> Date: Nov. 11, 1990
Linebacker Derrick Thomas led the NFL in sacks during the 1990 season with 20 — many of them during just one game, against the Seattle Seahawks. In that game, he got to Seattle QB Dave Krieg seven times, an NFL record. Despite Thomas’s record-breaking work on the field, the Kansas City Chiefs lost the game 17-16. Thomas is also tied for the second most sacks in a game with six.
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Source: Vincent Laforet / Getty Images
7. Don Larsen
> Achievement: World Series perfect game
> Team: New York Yankees
> Opponent: Brooklyn Dodgers
> Date: Oct. 8, 1956
Pitching a perfect game is one of the rarest feats in all of sports. Of the more than 200,000 Major League games played, just 23 have been perfect, with the pitcher retiring all 27 batters in order. And only one such game was in the postseason. New York Yankee Don Larsen shut out the Brooklyn Dodgers in game five of the 1956 World Series. The Yanks won the game 2-0 and won the series in seven games.
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Source: Donald Miralle / Allsport / Getty Images
8. Fernando Tatis
> Achievement: Two grand slams in one inning
> Team: St. Louis Cardinals
> Opponent: Los Angeles Dodgers
> Date: April 23, 1999
On April 23, 1999, third baseman Fernando Tatis of the St. Louis Cardinals became the only player in MLB history to hit two grand slams in one inning. Both came off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park as part of an 11-run 3rd inning. Tatis still holds the record for RBIs in an inning with eight.
Source: George Rose / Getty Images
9. Flipper Anderson
> Achievement: 336 receiving yards
> Team: Los Angeles Rams
> Opponent: New Orleans Saints
> Date: Nov. 28, 1989
Flipper Anderson wasn’t even the top wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams in 1989 when he turned in the greatest receiving performance of all time. Anderson caught 15 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in a 20-17 overtime win. Anderson still holds the record for most receiving yards and yards from scrimmage in one game.
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Source: Stacy Revere / Getty Images
10. Gale Sayers
> Achievement: 6 total TD (4 rush, 1 receiving, 1 punt return)
> Team: Chicago Bears
> Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
> Date: Dec. 12, 1965
On Dec. 12, 1965, running back Gale Sayers played one of the greatest NFL games of all time. He touched the ball just 16 times, yet scored six touchdowns. He rushed nine times for 113 yards and four touchdowns, caught two passes for 89 yards and a score, and returned five kickoffs, one of which he scored on. Sayers’ record of six touchdowns in a game still sits at the top for all non-quarterbacks. This all-around performance helped the Chicago Bears crush the San Francisco 49ers 61-20.
Source: Scott Halleran / Getty Images
11. James Harden
> Achievement: 60-point triple-double
> Team: Houston Rockets
> Opponent: Orlando Magic
> Date: Jan. 30, 2018
Lots of NBA players have recorded a triple-double, but none has ever recorded one in as dominant a fashion as James Harden in early 2018. The Houston Rockets’ superstar shooting guard scored 60 points to go along with 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a 114-107 win against the Orlando Magic.
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Source: Jed Jacobsohn / Allsport / Getty Images
12. Jerry Rice
> Achievement: 5 TD, 225 yards
> Team: San Francisco 49ers
> Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
> Date: Oct. 24, 1990
It figures that Jerry Rice, the greatest receiver in NFL history, would have one of the most dominant games catching passes. Rice roasted the Atlanta Falcons in 1990, hauling in five touchdowns and 225 yards in a 45-35 win. That is the most receiving yards in a five-touchdown game for any receiver.
Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
13. Jim Bottomley
> Achievement: 12 RBIs
> Team: St. Louis Cardinals
> Opponent: Brooklyn Robins
> Date: Sept. 16, 1924
Batting in a run can be a combination of skill and luck, as you also rely on teammates being on base to get lots of RBIs in a game. First baseman Jim Bottomley certainly had both luck and skill during the St. Louis Cardinals game against the Brooklyn Robins on Sept. 16, 1924. Bottomley notched an MLB-record of 12 RBIs by getting hits in all six of his plate appearances with two home runs and a double in a 17-3 win. Fellow Cardinal Mark Whiten tied the 12 RBIs mark with four hits in a game in 1993.
Source: Montreal Canadiens / Wikimedia Commons
14. Joe Malone
> Achievement: 7 goals
> Team: Quebec Bulldogs
> Opponent: Toronto St. Patricks
> Date: Jan. 31, 1920
Joe Malone was known as the NHL’s first star, and looking back it’s easy to see why. Malone scored seven goals as center for the Quebec Bulldogs against the Toronto St. Patricks (now the Maple Leafs) in a 10-6 win. Nearly a century later, Malone’s record still stands.
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Source: Tim Warner / Getty Images
15. Luc Mbah a Moute
> Achievement: Plus/minus of +57
> Team: Houston Rockets
> Opponent: Denver Nuggets
> Date: Nov. 22, 2017
Plus-minus is a statistics showing a player’s contribution to the game and his team. No player has ever helped his team outscore their opponent more than forward Luc Mbah a Moute did in a game against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 22, 2017. The Houston Rockets outscored the Nuggets by 57 points when Mbah a Moute was in the game. Mbah a Moute hit all five of his shots, scoring 13 points and notching four rebounds and four steals in under 26 minutes of game time.
Source: Bowman Gum / Wikimedia Commons
16. Norm Van Brocklin
> Achievement: 554 passing yards
> Team: Los Angeles Rams
> Opponent: New York Yanks
> Date: Sept. 28, 1951
Hall of Fame quarterback Norm Van Brocklin absolutely demolished the New York Yanks pass defense in a 1951 game, throwing for five touchdowns and an NFL-record 554 yards. Later that season, he led the Los Angeles Rams to an NFL championship. Of the 21 games in which a quarterback threw for at least 500 yards, 13 have come since 2009. NFL QBs are inching closer to Van Brocklin’s record, but it will take a truly special game to break it.
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Source: iceinvestor / eBay
17. Normie Smith
> Achievement: 92 saves in a shutout
> Team: Detroit Red Wings
> Opponent: Montreal Maroons
> Date: March 24, 1936
The Detroit Red Wings faced the Montreal Maroons in the 1936 Stanley Cup semifinals. In the first game, a six-overtime-marathon ordeal, Detroit goalie Normie Smith made an astonishing 92 saves. The game ended at 2:25 a.m. after Mud Bruneteau hit the game winner past Maroons goaltender Lorne Chabot. All-in-all, the game took over 176 minutes from start to finish — the equivalent of nearly three games back-to-back. Smith reportedly lost 12 pounds throughout the course of the game. No one has ever made as many saves in one game as Smith did, and certainly not in a shutout performance. The Red Wings would go on to hoist the Stanley Cup that season.
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Source: Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images
18. Rob Bironas
> Achievement: 8 field goals
> Team: Tennessee Titans
> Opponent: Houston Texans
> Date: Oct. 21, 2007
Field goals are never the prefered outcome of a drive, as NFL teams would always rather score a touchdown. But if a team can’t get to the end zone, it’s good to have a kicker the team can rely on to turn a drive into three points. The Tennessee Titans certainly relied on their kicker in 2007 as Rob Bironas knocked in a record eight field goals, including one from 52 yards away, in a game against the Houston Texans. Bironas hit both of his extra point attempts and all eight field goal tries that day, including a game-winning kick as time expired, giving the Titans a 38-36 win.
Source: Mike Cooper / Allsport / Getty Images
19. Scott Skiles
> Achievement: 30 assists
> Team: Orlando Magic
> Opponent: Denver Nuggets
> Date: Dec. 30, 1990
In the 1990-1991 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic were two of the worst teams in the league. But when they played each other on Dec. 30, 1990, it turned into a historic game. Magic point guard Scott Skiles dished out 30 assists, more than any player in a single game in NBA history.
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Source: Jeff Gross / Getty Images
20. Shawn Green
> Achievement: 19 total bases
> Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
> Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
> Date: May 23, 2002
In MLB history, there have been 18 players to hit four home runs in a single game. But only former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green racked up an MLB record 19 total bases in a single game. In addition to his four long balls, Green hit a double and a single in a 16-3 win against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
21. Stephen Curry
> Achievement: 13 3-pointers
> Team: Golden State Warriors
> Opponent: New Orleans Pelicans
> Date: Nov. 7, 2016
The 3-point shot is a relatively new addition to the game of basketball, and it appears that Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry has fully mastered it. Curry drilled 13 of his 17 long-distance shots in a 2016 game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Curry’s 46 point outburst led the Warriors to a 116-106 win. He holds the record for 13 3-point shots in one game, as well as hitting 12, 11, and 10 in other games.
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Source: Fleer / Amazon
22. Tom Cheney
> Achievement: 21 strikeouts
> Team: Washington Senators
> Opponent: Baltimore Orioles
> Date: Sept. 12, 1962
Tom Cheney set a Major League record of 21 strikeouts in a single game, but it took him a long time to do it. Cheney threw 228 pitches in a 16-inning, 2-1 victory for his Washington Senators over the Baltimore Orioles. Several other pitchers have gotten to 20 strikeouts in nine-inning games, but don’t expect to see any other pitchers throw 16 innings ever again.
Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
23. Tyrone Hughes
> Achievement: 2 kick return TD, 304 kick return yards, 1 interception
> Team: New Orleans Saints
> Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
> Date: Oct. 23, 1994
Tyrone Hughes was never a household name, but the New Orleans Saints kick returner made his mark in a 1994 game against the Los Angeles Rams. Hughes returned five kicks for a total of 304 yards and two touchdowns. His 304 kick return yards in a game is still the NFL record. He also played cornerback that game and picked off a pass from Rams QB Jim Everett, helping seal a 37-34 win.
Source: Brian Bahr / Allsport / Getty Images
24. Wilt Chamberlain
> Achievement: 100 points
> Team: Philadelphia Warriors
> Opponent: New York Knicks
> Date: March 2, 1962
Few records in sports seem as unbreakable as Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point performance in the March 2, 1962 game against the New York Knicks. The closest anyone has gotten is Kobe Bryant with 81 points. The Philadelphia Warriors’ center was always a dominant force, but on that day he became legendary. The Knicks’ starting center was out with the flu (or a hangover, depending on who you ask), and their backup got into early foul trouble, leaving a helplessly overmatched backup to try to guard Chamberlain. It clearly didn’t work as Chamberlain hit 36 of his 63 shots — and grabbed 25 rebounds. Surprisingly, the game wasn’t a total blowout. The Warriors won 169-147.
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Source: New York World-Telegram / The Sun staff photographer / Library of Congress
25. Wilt Chamberlain
> Achievement: 55 rebounds
> Team: Philadelphia Warriors
> Opponent: Boston Celtics
> Date: Nov. 24, 1960
Center Wilt Chamberlain led the league in rebounds in 11 different seasons and averaged more than 22 per game over his entire career. He put together his best rebounding game against the Boston Celtics in 1960, pulling down 55 boards and scoring 34 points. Even more impressively, he played opposite of Bill Russell, one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Still, Chamberlain’s effort for the Philadelphia Warriors wasn’t enough. The Celtics won that game 132-129.
Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
26. Y.A. Tittle
> Achievement: 7 TD passes, 505 yards
> Team: New York Giants
> Opponent: Washington Redskins
> Date: Oct. 28, 1962
NFL quarterbacks in recent years have become more and more prolific, but the greatest game from any passer was more than 65 years ago. New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle torched the Washington Redskins in 1962, throwing for 505 yards and seven touchdowns in a 49-34 win. Drew Brees also threw for exactly seven touchdowns and 505 yards in a game, but he also threw two interceptions, while Tittle didn’t throw any.
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