<P> Set by Cal Ripken, Jr., 1982--98 . The next closest player is Lou Gehrig, who had a consecutive games streak of 502 fewer games at 2,130 . Third on the all - time list is Everett Scott, whose streak of 1,307 consecutive games is less than half of Ripken's total . Only seven players have ever played more than 1,000 consecutive games . For a player to approach the milestone, he would have to play all 162 games in a season for 16 years just to get to 2,592 games . </P> <P> As stated by LIFE, "no one else has ever come close, and no one ever will ." It is important to note, however, that before Gehrig's record was broken by Ripken in 1995, it was Gehrig's record that was considered unbreakable . In his 1988 edition of "The Baseball Abstract", author Bill James stated (page 203) that "...Gehrig's record is vulnerable precisely because human characteristics such as determination and the ability to play with pain can be applied to breaking it...I expect Gehrig's (2,130) record to be broken in my lifetime". At that time, Ripken was more than seven years away from the record . </P> <P> Set by Rickey Henderson, 1979--2003 . Highlights include: three 100 - stolen - base seasons, thirteen 50 - stolen - base seasons, and leading the league in stolen bases 12 times . The next closest player is Lou Brock, who has 468 fewer stolen bases at 938 . According to LIFE, the stolen base record is probably unbreakable, as it is hard to imagine a player today "even attempt so many steals ." For a player to approach Henderson's milestone, he would have to average 70 stolen bases over 20 seasons just to get to 1,400 . Between 2000 and 2009, the Major League leader in stolen bases finished each year with an average of 64 . The closest active player is José Reyes with 512 stolen bases . </P> <P> Set by Hank Aaron, 1954--76 . Aaron was an All - Star in all but two of the 23 seasons he played in the major leagues (his debut year in 1954 and last season in 1976). His record total was assisted by MLB's decision to hold two All - Star Games from 1959--1962; Aaron played in all eight All - Star Games during that period . The only players whose careers began after 1976 to play in 25 MLB seasons were Rickey Henderson, who appeared on 10 Midsummer Classic rosters, and Jamie Moyer, who appeared in one All - Star Game . The active player with the most All - Star Game selections is Miguel Cabrera, who has been on 11 All - Star Game rosters after 15 seasons . </P>

Most wins in a season by a relief pitcher