Josh Hamilton's 4 Home Runs and the Best Performances in Recent Sports History

When Josh Hamilton blasted those four home runs last week in Baltimore, he didn't just join the record books or complete a fantastic athletic accomplishment, he did more.

When fans attend games or tune into them on television or radio, they are hoping and praying that they will see something special. Watching a singular, transcendent performance on the athletic field is akin to witnessing the Mona Lisa or Sistine Chapel. Seeing some of these next ten performances in person is on par with ascending the steps of the Statue of Liberty or biking across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Seeing a historical performance by an athlete is something that will never leave your mind. These ten athletes provided fans with the opportunity see something special and that is why these are the best performances in recent sports history.

Matthew Stafford, Bombs Away

Matthew Stafford clearly did not spend his New Year's Eve out partying it up this past December. When it came time to play football on New Year's Day 2012, Stafford lit up the Green Bay Packers defense like the fireworks of the preceding evening. 

Stafford slung 59 passes in the game, completing 36 of them for an eye-popping 520 yards and five touchdowns. Not only was this a career high for the Lion QB, this was the fifth highest yardage total in a single game in history. 

The NFL has become a heavy passing league, however 520 yards in a game is something to be admired. For those who were watching, at Lambeau or on television they witnessed something spectacular.  

Tom Brady Ignites the NFL Playoffs

There were many questions and worries entering the Patriots first playoff game against Denver this year. New England had taken exits in the first round the past few postseasons. Tom Brady put those worries to rest early in this game with five first half touchdowns and six total.

Tom Brady put on quite a show to kick off the first round of the playoffs. He was deadly efficient, completing 26-of-34 passes for 363 yards. While his six touchdown passes tied the record for most in a playoff game, his five in the first half set a new record. 

Great players almost always put on great performances when the lights get brightest. Those who made a note to watch this playoff game left after witnessing something special. 

Joshua Cassidy Sets a World Record in Boston

Expectations were tempered entering into the 2012 Boston Marathon. Patriots Day brought high temperatures to the Northeast and the Boston course was steaming all morning long.

To that, Joshua Cassidy just laughed. His time of 1:18:25 in the wheelchair marathon set a new world record for the event. 

When some of the best runners and racers in the world struggled to fight through the heat on April 16th, it was Cassidy who stole the show. There are always large crowds surrounding the streets of the Boston Marathon and this time they truly saw one of the greatest athletic performances not only of the past year, but in history.

Sam Gagner Matches Wayne Gretzky for a Night

On Groundhog Day, 2012, Sam Gagner posted a game total that has seldom been seen in NHL history. The Oilers forward treated the Chicago Blackhawks like practice cones en route to an eight-point performance. 

Gagner became the first NHL player to finish a game with eight points since Mario Lemieux in 1989. He tallied four goals and four assists in the game. The hat trick is often thought of as the rarest great occurrence in the sport of hockey, however Gagner one-upped that feat, and then some. 

Edmonton finished with a measly 74 points on the season and missed out on the NHL playoffs. Gagner's performance is a shining light on not only their season, but the NHL's season as well. Fans should remember February 2, 2012 as the night Sam Gagner accomplished a feat only players like Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey had. 

Rajon Rondo, the Triple-Double Machine

With two triple-doubles already in the 2012 NBA playoffs, they have almost become old hat for Rajon Rondo. However on March 4, 2012 the Boston Celtics' point guard turned in one of the truly transcendent stat lines in NBA history.

Battling the New York Knicks at the TD Garden in Boston presented the stage for Rondo's 18-17-20 triple-double. Let me spell that out for you. He scored 18 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and dished out 20 assists in a single game (including overtime). To put part of that into perspective, the Knicks as a team tallied just 23 assists. 

Rondo controlled every aspect of this game. If you were in attendance, I am jealous of you because to watch a single player have that much of an impact on a basketball game is unbelievable in this day and age. 

Dwight Howard Becomes the Monster

Say what you will about his personality and his attitude this season, I can understand all of that. However putting the ill will aside, take a look at Dwight Howard's game on January 12th of this year. 

Howard put up 45 points and 23 rebounds. Literally that is something that three players would struggle to produce in a single game. Howard was a beast against the Warriors all night, setting a career high in points and an NBA record in free-throw attempts with 39. 

That means Howard was fouled nearly 20 times in the game. Golden State could simply not stop him. There is little more exciting to watch than an NBA player who can't be stopped. That is why this performance was so special. Well, that and the 45-23.

Bubba Watson Bends It Like Beckham

The Masters at Augusta is always a place where fans can expect to witness something great. Bubba Watson did that and more on his way to his first ever major victory. 

Facing a very tough shot around a grouping of trees in his playoff hole against Louis Oosthuizen, Watson was forced to bend his shot at an astonishing angle to get it to land on the green. From 164 yards out, Watson completed one of the most miraculous shots in golf history to place his ball a mere 15 feet from the hole. 

Watson began the final day three strokes off the leaders and needed extra holes to complete a fantastic comeback. 

Fans tune into the Masters or flock to Augusta National to see greatness, and Bubba Watson granted them that this past April.

Phillip Humber Is Simply Perfect

Phillip Humber is nothing more than an average pitcher in the Chicago White Sox rotation. However the beauty of baseball is that on any given day something special can happen.

Baseball is America's Pastime because of days like April 21, 2012, the day Humber tossed a perfect game in Seattle against the Mariners. In just his 30th career big league start, he pitched just the 21st perfect game in league history.

To see something as rare as a perfect game happen is a special moment in any sports fan's life. Early season baseball can sometimes seem to be a grueling grind to watch, however we can be thankful we have moments like Humber's perfect game to keep us on the edge of our seats. 

Scott Hairston Goes Cycling

Like Phillip Humber, Scott Hairston isn't a massive star in Major League Baseball. He is a role player on the New York Mets. However on April 27, 2012, Hairston became more than that. He hit for the cycle.

Hairston went 4-5 with four RBI and three runs scored. His four hits were a single, a double, a triple and a home run. He accomplished a feat that is very rare in baseball. 

Hairston became just 10th player in Mets history to hit for the cycle. Once again, performances like this are the reason baseball is so beloved throughout the country. On April 27th, Scott Hairston gave us something to awe at and that was quite a performance. 

Josh Hamilton Crushes at Camden

Finally, the man of the hour. Josh Hamilton put on a mind-boggling display on May 8, 2012 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Taking on the Orioles, Hamilton launched four home runs out of the park while going 5-5 and tallying 18 total bases.

Adding some perspective to the day's events. Hamilton's eight RBI were five more than the Orioles team contributed. His 18 total bases were just one shy of the 19 that Baltimore racked up. Also his four runs scored defeated the Orioles, 4-3 in the game.   

Hamilton became just the 16th player in MLB history to hit four homers in a game. This performance is singularly, the most amazing feat to be accomplished in the past year.