Baseball Roundtable, as regular readers know, likes to bring attention to baseball achievements and occurrences that both rare and unlikely to be seen again. Now, hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple and home run in the same game) would not qualify as one of those – it’s been done more than 300 times at the major-league level. Unique and rare, however, does describe the path Colorado Rockies’ second baseman Mike Lansing took to achieve his cycle.
On this date (June 18), 18 years ago, Lansing completed the cycle in just four innings – making his the quickest cycle in MLB history – and earning him the “yellow jersey” of baseball cyclists. Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.
Quickest Cycle Ever … Career Perspective
Minnesota Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980 against the Brewers) – the earliest in an MLB career anyone has ever accomplished the feat. For more on rookies who have hit for the cycle, click here.
Lansing, hitting second in the order, hit an RBI triple to right in the first inning (getting the most difficult leg of the cycle out of the way ) on a 1-2 pitch, added a two-run home run (0-1 pitch) in the bottom of the second, hit a two-run double (2-2 pitch) in the bottom of the third (as the Rockies scored nine times to take a 14-1 lead), and then completed the cycle with a single (another 1-2 offering) to right in the fourth. Lansing then struck out in the sixth, before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. (For trivia buffs, the pinch-hitter was Darren Bragg and he fanned swinging.) Lansing ended the day four-for-five, with three runs scored and five RBI, as the Rockies torched the Diamondbacks 19-2 in Denver.
Drafted (in the sixth round of the MLB draft) out of Wichita State, where he was a 1989 All American, the 6-foot/175-lb. right-hander was primarily a second baseman in his nine-season major league career – although he also saw considerable time at third base and shortstop. He hit .275 with 14 home runs, 120 RBI and 90 stolen bases in three minor league seasons (193 games) before making the Montreal Expos roster in 1993. In his rookie season, Lansing appeared in 141 games, going .287-3-45, with 23 steals.
Never an All Star, Lansing proved a valuable, reliable and versatile roster addition during his MLB career (Expos/Rockies/Red Sox) – finishing with a .271 average, 84 home runs, 440 RBI and 119 steals in 1,110 games. Lansing reached 20 home runs once (1997), topped 20 steals three times (1993-95-96), and hit 40 or more doubles twice (1996-97). That 2000 season was the only campaign in which he hit more than two triples (a career-high six).
In addition to his fastest-ever cycle, Lansing shares the record for the most home runs in an inning (two). On May 7, 1997, he hit a two-run and three-run homer in a 13-run sixth inning as the Expos topped the Giants 19-3 in San Francisco. That was his best season in the majors, as he hit .281 and recorded his career highs in home runs (20), RBI (70) and doubles (45).
As long as we’re looking at cycles. Here are a few tidbits of cycle-driven trivia;
- Four players have hit for the cycle a record three times: Adrian Beltre (Mariners-2008, Rangers-2012 and 2015); Bob Meusel (Yankees-1921, 1922 and 1928); Babe Herman (Brooklyn Robins-1931 twice and Cubs-1933); John Reilly (Red Stockings-1883 twice and Reds 1890).
Gotta Love the Texas – and More of “We Track Pretty Much Everything in Baseball”
Adrian Beltre’s record-tying three cycles – although hit for two different teams – all took place at the Texas Rangers’ home park (Globe Life Park in Arlington). He cycled there twice for the hometown Rangers and once for the visiting Mariners, making him the only player to hit for the cycle in the same stadium for two different teams.
- Four players have hit for cycle twice in the same season: John Reilly (American Association Red Stockings-1883); Tip O’Neill (American Association St. Louis Browns-1887); Babe Herman (NL Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers-1931); Aaron Hill (NL Arizona Diamondbacks-2012). No American Leaguer has ever completed two cycles in the same season.
- John Reilly (Reds) and Tip O‘Neill (St. Louis Brown Stockings, American Association) had the shortest time between cycles at just seven days. Reilly’s came on September 12 and September 19, 1883. O’Neill’s came on April 30 and May 7, 1887. Reilly and Aaron Hill (Diamondbacks) are the only players with two cycles in the same calendar month. Hill achieved his on June 18 and 29, 2012.
It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night
The Expos’ Tim Foli is the only player to start a cycle one day and complete it the next. On April 21, 1976, Foli collected a single, double and triple in a contest against the Cubbies that was suspended (pre-Wrigley lights) in the top of the seventh due to darkness. When play resumed the following day, Foli added an eighth-inning home run. (The Expos prevailed 12-6.)
- The longest time between cycles for a player with multiple cycles goes to the Royals’ George Brett (May 28, 1979 and July 25, 1990) at 11-years-58 days.
- The youngest MLB player ever to hit for the cycle is the NY Giants’ Mel Ott (age 20, cycle on May 16, 1929).
- The oldest player to hit for the cycle is The Angels’ Dave Winfield (age 39, cycle on June 24, 1991).
Like Father … Like Son
When Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980), he not only recorded the earliest (in terms of MLB games played) cycle ever, he also set the stage for an event that would add to the “rare and unique” nature of his cycle nearly a quarter-century later. On May 26, 2004, Ward’s son Daryle Ward – playing 1B and batting third for the Pirates as they took on the Cardinals in St. Louis – also hit for the cycle. Gary and Daryle Ward are the only father-son combination (to date) to hit for the cycle.
- Three players have hit for the cycle in both the NL and AL: Bob Watson (NL Astros-1977 and AL Red Sox-1979); John Olerud (NL Mets-1997 and AL Mariners-2001); Michael Cuddyer (AL Twins-2009 and NL Rockies-2014).
The Marlins are the only MLB team to never
have a batter record a cycle.
- Only one player has hit for the cycle for teams in two different leagues, but from, the same city. John Reilly hit for the cycle for the American Association Cincinnati Red Stockings twice in 1883 and then for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League in 1890.
Cycled, But Not Quite All the Way Home
Photo by rchdj10
The Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig (kind of) earned a cycle by being tossed out at the plate. On June 25, 1934, as New York topped Chicago 13-2 at Yankee Stadium, Gehrig hit two-run home run in the first inning; a single in the third; and a double in the sixth. Gehrig came up needing just the triple for the cycle in the seventh and hit a smash to deep center (scoring Yankees’ CF Ben Chapman). Gehrig wasn’t satisfied with a three-bagger and was thrown out at home (8-6-2) trying for an inside-the-park home run – thus getting credit for the triple he needed for a cycle.
- On June 17 of last season, the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado completed his cycle with a bottom-of-the-ninth walk-off home run as Colorado topped San Francisco 7-5. It was just the sixth cycle to end in a walk-off long ball: Ken Boyer, Cardinals (September 14, 1961); Cesar Tovar, Twins (September 19, 1972); George Brett, Royals (May 28, 1979); Dwight Evans, Red Sox (June 28, 1984); Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies (July 31, 2010.)
- The most cycles (all MLB teams) in any given season is eight (1933 and 2009).
Skipping a Generation, but Still Hitting the Cycle Bell
Pirates’ RF Gus Bell and Phillies’ 3B David Bell are the only grandfather-grandson combination to hit for the cycle (June 4, 1951 and June 28, 2004, respectively) The Bells did have opportunities for three generation of cycles. Here are the Bell family major leaguers:
First Generation … Gus Bell, Outfield … (MLB 1950-64)
Second Generation … Buddy Bell, 3B … (MLB 1972-89)
Third Generation … David Bell, 3B-2B … (MLB 1995-2006) & Mike Bell, 3B … (MLB 20000)
Only once in professional baseball has a player hit for the “Home Run Cycle” – solo, two-run, three-run and GrandSlam homers in the same game. Read that story here.
Primary Resources: Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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