With hits in 56 consecutive games, Joe DiMaggio is in a league of his own when it comes to batting streaks. Even though they're overshadowed by Joltin' Joe, five other players have had hitting streaks of 40 games or more. This remarkable feat has a long history: Willie Keeler and Bill Dahlen surpassed 40 at the end of the 19th century.
Joe DiMaggio: 56 Games
Hitting streaks were nothing new for Joe DiMaggio, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. In 1933, when he was 18, DiMaggio had hits in 61 straight games in the Pacific Coast League. In 1941, the world watched in awe as this New York Yankee swept past all previous major league streaks to get hits in 56 games. As if that weren't enough, DiMaggio included 15 home runs during his streak.
Willie Keeler: 44 Games
DiMaggio surpassed Willie Keeler's hitting streak from 1897, but Keeler still holds a record: His hits came in the first 44 games of the season. Keeler was another player familiar with streaks, getting hits in 26 consecutive games in 1896 and again in 1902. Measuring 5 feet 4 inches, Keeler was small in stature but led his teams to four pennants during his career.
Pete Rose: 44 Games
Pete Rose was a brash switch hitter who started playing for the Cincinnati Reds in 1963. In 1978, baseball fans hoped he might challenge DiMaggio's streak, but instead he matched Keeler's 44 hits. Rose's career was filled with ups and downs. In the 1980s, his 4,256 career hits earned him a world record, but by the end of the decade he was banned from baseball for betting on games.
Bill Dahlen: 42 Games
Playing for the Chicago Cubs in 1897, Bill Dahlen was better known as a fielder than a hitter, but he had a remarkable year at bat, achieving a hitting streak of 42 games, then failing to hit in one game but proceeding with another 28-game streak. Dahlen played shortstop for 20 years, a National League record.
Ty Cobb: 40 Games
!n 1911, Ty Cobb combined a hitting streak with an equally awesome record for stealing home, according to TheBaseballPage.com. He had hits in 40 straight games and stole home three times during that streak. The talented Cobb also had a 35-game streak in 1917, a 25-game streak in 1906 and 21-game streaks in 1926 and 1927.
Member Comments