On July 25, 2008, Oakland A’s rookie Brad Ziegler passed George McQuillan’s 1907 record by tossing his 27th consecutive scoreless inning to begin a big league career. Ziegler’s sidearm delivery baffled hitters as the streak continued, finally ending at 39 innings on August 14 against the Rays. A former 20th-round draft pick, Ziegler had spent years grinding in the minors and independent leagues before his record-breaking MLB arrival. His streak is among the most dominant—and unlikely—debuts in baseball history.