Hitting for the cycle
Encyclopedia
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB), occurring 293 times since the first by Curry Foley
Curry Foley
Charles Joseph "Curry" Foley was a left-handed pitcher, outfielder and first baseman who played in the National League for the Boston Red Caps and Buffalo Bisons . He was born in Milltown, Ireland....
in 1882. In terms of frequency, the cycle is roughly as common as a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
(272 occurrences in MLB history); it has been called "one of the rarest" and "most difficult feats" in baseball. Based on 2009 offensive levels, the probability of an average MLB player hitting for a cycle against an average team in a game is approximately 0.00590%; this corresponds to about 2.5 cycles in a 162-game season with 30 teams.
In other baseball leagues, the cycle is achieved less frequently. Through September 4, 2008, 62 players in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the top-level baseball organization in Japan
Baseball in Japan
Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. It was introduced to Japan in 1872 by Horace Wilson, who taught at the Kaisei School in Tokyo. The first baseball team was called the Shimbashi Athletic Club and was established in 1878. Baseball has been a popular sport ever since...
, have hit for the cycle, the most recent being Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara is a Japanese professional baseball player. He currently plays first base for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League . He played with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from to .-Career:Ogasawara is one of the most consistent hitters in Japanese baseball...
. Two players have hit for the cycle on the same day once in NPB history; this has occurred twice in MLB history. One NPB player has also hit for the cycle in an NPB All-Star game. No player has ever hit for the cycle in the MLB All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
or the postseason
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
.
Components
The single
Pursuant to Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) Rule 6.09(a), "[the] batter becomes a runner
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
when he hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
a fair ball
Fair ball
In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. In order for a batted ball to be fair, it must be hit in such a way that it:...
". The single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, also frequently called a base hit—a term which can be technically applied to any safe hit—is the most common type of hit in baseball. For example, there were 25,838 singles hit during the 1988 MLB season, in comparison to 6,386 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
or 3,180 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. The MLB leader in singles is Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, who is also the league's all-time hit leader. The single-season leader in singles is Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
, who broke Willie Keeler
Willie Keeler
William Henry Keeler in Brooklyn, New York, nicknamed "Wee Willie", was a right fielder in professional baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas in the National League, and the New York Highlanders in the American League.- Biography :Keeler's...
's 106-year-old record in 2004 by notching 225, 19 more than the previous record. None of the top five players in singles (Rose, Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. , nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive...
, Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
, and Keeler) in MLB history have hit for the cycle; of those five, only Rose had more than 150 home runs, and two (Collins and Keeler) had less than 50, lessening the probability of their completing the cycle.
The double
A double is a safe hit in which the batter reaches second base without being put out. This scenario often occurs on a ball hit into the gaps between the outfielderOutfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
s, or down the foul line on either side of the playing field. Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
is the all-time leader in doubles in MLB history, with 792, one of which was part of a cycle; Speaker accomplished the feat for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on June 9, 1912, against the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Two of the other top five players in MLB history in doubles have hit for the cycle: Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
(725 doubles; third all-time) completed the cycle on July 24, 1949; and Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...
(668; fifth all-time) accomplished the feat on April 8, 2002. The single-season MLB leader is Earl Webb
Earl Webb
William Earl Webb was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball, playing from 1925 to 1933. He played for five teams, including the Boston Red Sox for three years. He was born in White County, Tennessee and died in Jamestown, Tennessee. In 1931, while playing for the Red Sox, he hit a...
, the left-handed outfielder who hit 67 in 1931.
The triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, in which the batter reaches third base without being put out and without the benefit of a fielding error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, is often called the "hardest part of the cycle" to complete. Hitting a triple often comes under similar circumstances as a double in terms of hit placement, but may require impressive speed on the part of the runner. Because of this, it is rare to see a player with slower-than-average running speed complete the cycle, but it has happened, such as when catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Bengie Molina
Bengie Molina
Benjamin José "Bengie" Molina , nicknamed "Big Money", is a former Major League Baseball catcher.He is the older brother of major league catchers José Molina and Yadier Molina....
hit for the cycle on July 16, 2010; Molina described himself as "the [slowest] guy in baseball" earlier that season. The MLB all-time leader in triples is Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, who completed the three-base hit 309 times in his career; however, none of those triples was ever part of a cycle. Of the top five players in MLB history in triples, two—Honus Wagner
Honus Wagner
-Louisville Colonels:Recognizing his talent, Barrow recommended Wagner to the Louisville Colonels. After some hesitation about his awkward figure, Wagner was signed by the Colonels, where he hit .338 in 61 games....
and Roger Connor
Roger Connor
Roger Connor was a 19th century Major League Baseball player, born in Waterbury, Connecticut. Known for being the player whom Babe Ruth succeeded as the all-time home run champion, Connor hit 138 home runs during his 18-year career, and his career home run record stood for 23 years after his...
—have hit for the cycle: Connor in 1890 and Wagner in 1912. The MLB single-season record holder for triples, Chief Wilson
Chief Wilson
John Owen "Chief" Wilson was a Major League Baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals .Born in Austin, Texas, Wilson was an outfielder with a strong throwing arm...
, did hit for the cycle in 1910, two years before his record-setting season in which he hit 36 triples.
The home run
A home run is a hit in which the player touches all four bases, including home plate, and scores a run on the same play without being put out. Most often in modern baseball, this occurs when a player hits the ball over the outfield wall in fair territory. However, it can occur on a ball hit to the outfield with a fast runner when the ball does not leave the field of play; this is called an inside-the-park home runInside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
. Home-run hitters are often likely to be larger, slower players due to their strength, but may not be fast enough to complete the triple. The MLB single-season and all-time leader in home runs is Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
, who hit 73 home runs in the 2001 season
2001 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until...
and notched 762 in his 22-season career. Bonds never hit for the cycle, nor have any of the top five players in home runs in MLB history; the highest on the list to do so is Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
(sixth all-time; 629 home runs as of the end of the 2011 season), who hit for the cycle on June 5, 1997.
Accomplishments
Multiple cycles
The most cycles hit by a single player in Major League Baseball is three, accomplished by three players; John Reilly was the first to hit a third when he completed the cycle on August 6, 1890, after hitting his first two in a week (September 12 and 19, 1883) for the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Bob Meusel
Bob Meusel
Robert William "Bob" Meusel was an American baseball left and right fielder who played in Major League Baseball for eleven seasons from 1920 through 1930, all but the last for the New York Yankees...
became the second man to complete three cycles, playing for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
; his first occurred on May 7, 1921, the next on July 3, 1922, and his final cycle on July 26, 1928. Babe Herman
Babe Herman
Floyd Caves "Babe" Herman was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who was best known for his several seasons with the Brooklyn Robins ....
is the only three-cycle player to accomplish the feat for two different teams—the Brooklyn Robins
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(May 18 and July 24, 1931) and the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(September 30, 1933).
The most cycles hit in a single major league season is eight. Cycles have occurred on the same day twice in Major League Baseball history: on September 17, 1920, hit by Bobby Veach
Bobby Veach
Robert Hayes "Bobby" Veach was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons for the Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees and Washington Senators ....
of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and George Burns
George Burns (outfielder)
George Joseph Burns was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career as the leadoff hitter for the New York Giants. A soft-spoken person, he was nicknamed "Silent George" by his teammates, and he was said to be one of the best pool players ever to play major...
of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
; and again on September 1, 2008, when the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
' Stephen Drew
Stephen Drew
Stephen Oris Drew is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew and former major leaguer Tim Drew....
and the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
' Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré Pérez is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Texas Rangers.The youngest player in the National League when he made his major league debut, he has also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , the Seattle Mariners , the Boston Red Sox , and the Texas Rangers . He bats and...
each completed the four-hit group. Conversely, the longest period of time between two players hitting for the cycle was 5 years, 1 month, and 10 days, a drought lasting from Bill Joyce
Bill Joyce (baseball)
William Michael Joyce was a professional baseball player. He was a third baseman over parts of 8 seasons with the Brooklyn Ward's Wonders , Boston Reds , Brooklyn Grooms, Washington Senators, and New York Giants. For the Giants, he was also the manager for duration of his time with them...
cycle in 1896 to Harry Davis in 1901.
Natural cycles
The natural cycle, in which the hits come in order from least total basesTotal bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
to most (single, double, triple, and home run), has been accomplished 13 times in MLB history. Bill Collins was the first to collect the hits in order on October 6, 1910. The natural cycle happened most commonly in the 1960s, occurring three times in a four-year span (Jim Hickman in 1963, Ken Boyer
Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
in 1964, and Billy Williams in 1966). It also occurred three times in a seven-season timeframe from 2000 to 2006: José Valentín
José Valentín
José Antonio Valentín is a former Major League Baseball infielder, who played with the Milwaukee Brewers , Chicago White Sox , Los Angeles Dodgers , and New York Mets .-Early years:...
in 2000; Brad Wilkerson
Brad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
in 2003; and Gary Matthews, Jr.
Gary Matthews, Jr.
Gary Nathaniel Matthews, Jr. is an outfielder who is currently a free agent. Matthews is the son of Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Gary Matthews, who played 16 years in the majors as an outfielder. Matthews, Jr...
in 2006. The natural cycle has also been accomplished in reverse (home run, triple, double, single) by four players: Gee Walker
Gee Walker
Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...
(1937); Jim Fregosi
Jim Fregosi
James Louis Fregosi is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played from 1961–1978 for four different teams, primarily the Los Angeles and California Angels. In that franchise's first eleven years of play, he became its first star as the team's...
(1968; his second cycle); Luke Scott (2006); and Carlos Gómez
Carlos Gómez
Carlos Argelis Gómez Pena, nicknamed "Go-Go", is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.-Minor leagues:...
(2008).
Other related accomplishments
Eight players have hit a grand slamGrand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
as the home run of their cycle; in the 21st century, that list has included Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
, Jason Kubel
Jason Kubel
Jason James Kubel is an American professional baseball player. A Belle Fourche, South Dakota native, Kubel was drafted by the Twins in the 12th round of the 2000 Draft after playing high school ball at Highland High School.-Early life:...
, and Molina. Five players have hit a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
to win the game as the final hit of their cycles: Boyer, César Tovar
César Tovar
César Leonardo Tovar , nicknamed "Pepito" and "Mr. Versatility", was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...
, George Brett
George Brett
George Brett , is an American baseball player.George Brett may also refer to:*George Edward Brett , British-born American publisher*George Brett , World War II USAAF general...
, Dwight Evans
Dwight Evans
Dwight Michael Evans , nicknamed "Dewey", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball....
, and Carlos González
Carlos González (baseball)
Carlos Eduardo González is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Colorado Rockies.-Minor leagues:...
. In 2009, Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
had six hits in the game when he hit his cycle; the accomplishment came on Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson Day is a traditional event which occurs annually in Major League Baseball, commemorating and honoring the day Jackie Robinson made his major league debut. Initiated for the first time on April 15, 2004, Jackie Robinson Day is celebrated each year on that day...
, honoring the African-American pioneer who had himself hit for the cycle on August 29, 1948.
Four batters hit for the cycle in the same season in which they won the Triple Crown: Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
(American League) in 1901; Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
(American League) and Chuck Klein
Chuck Klein
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
(National League) in 1933; and Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
(American League) in 1934. Gehrig is the only player to complete the MLB Triple Crown in his cycle-hitting season, leading both the National and American Leagues in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, home runs, and runs batted in. When Foxx and Klein won in the same season, each was playing for a team in Philadelphia: Klein for the Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Foxx for the Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. Two players—John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
and Bob Watson—have hit for the cycle in both the National
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
s. Family pairs to hit for the cycle include father and son Gary
Gary Ward
Gary Lamell Ward is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers .Ward was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1972 and made his debut in the 1979 season...
and Daryle Ward
Daryle Ward
Daryle Lamar Ward is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and plays in the Minor League farm system. He has not played in the Majors since 2008. He bats and throws left-handed. The 6-foot-2, 240 pound Ward was drafted by the Detroit Tigers...
, who accomplished the feat in 1980 and 2004, respectively; and grandfather and grandson Gus
Gus Bell
David Russell "Gus" Bell, Jr. was an American center and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates , Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs , New York Mets and Milwaukee Braves...
and David Bell
David Bell (baseball)
David Michael Bell is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently the manager of the Triple-A Louisville Bats...
, the elder of whom hit for the cycle in 1951, and the younger in 2004.
Nippon Professional Baseball
Multiple cycles
During his eight seasons playing for the Yokohama BayStarsYokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
, Bobby Rose hit for three cycles, the most of any Nippon Professional Baseball player. Each spaced two seasons apart, his first cycle occurred on May 2, 1995, the next on April 29, 1997, and his final cycle on June 30, 1999. Other than Rose, only two other NPB players have hit multiple cycles: Fumio Fujimura
Fumio Fujimura
was a Japanese right-handed pitcher for the Osaka Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.In the 1933 National High School Baseball Championship, Fujimura's team reached the quarterfinals but his opponent Masao Yoshida pitched a shutout in the game. In the final of 1934 National High School...
with the Osaka Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
and Hiromi Matsunaga with the Hankyu/Orix Braves
Orix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
, both with two. Fujimura is also the only player to have hit a cycle during both the single league era
Japanese Baseball League
For the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
and the current duel league era.
The 2003 NPB season
2003 Nippon Professional Baseball season
The Nippon Professional Baseball season ended with the Daiei Hawks defeating the Hanshin Tigers in the 2003 Japan Series 4 games to 3.-Central League:-Pacific League:-References:...
saw the most cycles hit in a single season—five. That season also saw the only instance of cycles occurring on the same day: on July 1, hit by Atsunori Inaba
Atsunori Inaba
Atsunori Inaba is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 Japan Series....
of the Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
and Arihito Muramatsu
Arihito Muramatsu
Arihito Muramatsu is a former professional baseball player from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan. He was an outfielder for the Orix Buffaloes, but now is with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks....
of the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
. The next day, Shinjiro Hiyama
Shinjiro Hiyama
is a Japanese baseball player from Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. He plays as an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of the Central League.He made public that he is a Zainichi Korean in 2004 .-Biography:...
became the third player to hit for the cycle in two days. Conversely, the longest period of time between two players hitting for the cycle was 3 years, 5 months, and 9 days, a drought lasting from Alex Ochoa
Alex Ochoa
Alex Ochoa is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder. He is a Cuban American and is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Red Sox....
cycle in 2004 to Julio Zuleta
Julio Zuleta
Julio Zuleta Tapia is a professional baseball player, most recently for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Pacific League. He graduated from the Colegio Javier in Panama City and speaks five languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and Japanese...
in 2007.
Natural cycles
The natural cycle has been accomplished five times in NPB history. Fumio Fujimura's second cycle on May 25, 1950, was the first time a player collected the hits in order. On average, the natural cycle occurs approximately every 13 years. Other than Fujimura, the four players to hit for the natural cycle are Kazuhiko Kondo in 1961, Takahiro Tokutsu in 1976, Takanori Okamura in 1985, and Muramatsu in 2003. The natural cycle has only been accomplished in reverse by Ochoa (2004).Other related accomplishments
When Ochoa hit his cycle with the Chunichi DragonsChunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
on April 13, 2004, he became the only player to hit a cycle in both Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. Eight years earlier, Ochoa had accomplished the same feat on July 3, 1996, while playing for MLB's New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
catcher Atsuya Furuta
Atsuya Furuta
Atsuya Furuta is a Japanese former baseball player and player-manager for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball club in the Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League...
is the only player to hit for the cycle in an NPB All-Star game, doing so in game 2 of the 1992 series. Inaba is the only player to hit for the cycle in a rain-shortened game. After hitting a triple in the first inning and hitting a home run in the fourth, Inaba collected the other two necessary hits in a seven-run fifth inning when the order
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
batted around. Kosuke Fukudome
Kosuke Fukudome
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder.Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League...
is the only player to have hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
as the home run of the cycle.
External links
- Rare Feats: Hitting for the Cycle at MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
(omits defunct franchises) - Cycles at RetrosheetRetrosheetRetrosheet is a non-profit organization whose website features major league baseball box scores and play-by-play narratives for almost every contest from 1871–1872, 1874, 1911 NL, and 1918–2010...