by Blaidd Drwg
At the end of the 1971 season, the MLB all-time list for pitcher strikeouts looked like this:
| Rank | Pitcher | Strikeouts |
| 1 | Walter Johnson | 3,508 |
| 2 | Jim Bunning | 2,855 |
| 3 | Cy Young | 2,803 |
| 4 | Warren Spahn | 2,583 |
| 5 | Bob Feller | 2,581 |
Here is where those guys rank on the current list:
| Rank | Pitcher | Strikeouts |
| 9 | Walter Johnson | 3,508 |
| 17 | Jim Bunning | 2,855 |
| 20 | Cy Young | 2,803 |
| 25 | Warren Spahn | 2,583 |
| 26 | Bob Feller | 2,581 |
It is amazing what a difference 40 years makes. Johnson’s number looked insurmountable for the longest time, then Ryan and Carlton blew past it and eventually Clemens and Randy Johnson also joined the 4,000 K Club.
Raise your hand if you knew Jim Bunning was #2 all-time on the list at the time he retired, or would have even guessed he was in the top 5.
FlatbreadGarden 