Collapse (sports)
In the context of sports a collapse is where a team with a statistically insurmountable lead in a game, series or season standings puts on such a poor performance in the remainder of the event that they ultimately lose or fail to advance. Typically the term collapse is used in relation to a performance in a season with many games, but it has been less commonly applied to single games or matches. A collapse can be considered a form of choking extended over an extended period of time although sometimes a Collapse can be less the result of failure but bad luck or regression to the mean.
Notable Collapses
Year |
Sport |
Team/Person |
Lead |
Peak Probability of Victory |
Result |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1908 |
Baseball |
New York Giants |
4.5 games ahead with 21 remaining |
95.5% |
11-10 |
Caught by Cubs after 14-2 streak |
1921 |
Baseball |
Pittsburgh Pirates |
7.5 games ahead with 34 remaining |
94.6% |
14-23 |
Collapse started after 5 game sweep by Giants |
1942 |
Baseball |
Brooklyn Dodgers |
9.5 games ahead with 42 remaining |
96.9% |
25-17 |
Caught by Cardinals going 38-6 |
1951 |
Baseball |
Brooklyn Dodgers |
12.5 games ahead with 49 remaining |
99.7% |
25-24 |
Worst collapse in the pre-divisional play era. |
1964 |
Baseball |
Philadelphia Phillies |
6.5 games ahead with 15 remaining |
96.2% |
3-12 |
poor management of pitching staff |
1969 |
Baseball |
Chicago Cubs |
8 games ahead with 30 remaining |
97.9% |
15-25 |
|
1978 |
Baseball |
Boston Red Sox |
8 games ahead with 48 remaining |
96.5% |
26-22 |
Caught by New York Yankees going 35-13 |
1978 |
American Football |
Washington Redskins |
6-0 to start season |
2-8 |
||
1983 |
Baseball |
Atlanta Braves |
6.5 games ahead with 48 remaining |
96.4% |
19-29 |
|
1993 |
Baseball |
San Francisco Giants |
9.5 games ahead with 51 remaining |
98.3% |
29-22 |
Caught by Braves going 39-11 |
1995 |
Baseball |
California Angels |
9.5 games ahead (12 ahead for Wild Card) with 38 remaining |
99.988% |
12-26 |
Statistically worst collapse in history |
2002 |
Baseball |
Boston Red Sox |
3.5 games ahead (6 ahead for Wild Card) with 105 remaining |
95.8% |
53-52 |
|
2003 |
Baseball |
Seattle Mariners |
7.5 games ahead (8 ahead for Wild Card) with 92 remaining |
97.9% |
45-47 |
|
2005 |
Baseball |
Cleveland Indians |
1.5 games behind (1 GAME ahead for Wild Card) with 7 remaining |
96.5% |
1-6 |
|
2007 |
Baseball |
New York Mets |
7 games ahead (4.5 ahead for Wild Card) with 17 remaining |
99.5% |
5-12 |
|
2009 |
Baseball |
Detroit Tigers |
7 games ahead (4 behind for Wild Card) with 26 remaining |
96% |
11-16 |
Including one-game tiebreaker with Minnesota Twins |
2011 |
Baseball |
Boston Red Sox |
9 games ahead for Wild Card with 27 remaining |
99.6% |
7-20 |
Eliminated on last game of season on 9th inning, 2 strike, 2 out pitch |
2011 |
Baseball |
Atlanta Braves |
8.5 game ahead for Wild Card with 18 remaining |
99.2% |
5-13 |
External links
See also
- Choke (sports)