![\"Lansing\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Lansing.jpg\")
<\/a>Baseball Roundtable, as regular readers know, likes to bring attention to baseball achievements and occurrences that both rare and unlikely to be seen again<\/em>.\u00a0 Now, hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple and home run in the same game) would not qualify as one of those \u2013 it\u2019s been done more than 300 times at the major-league level.\u00a0 Unique and rare, however, does describe the path Colorado Rockies\u2019 second baseman Mike Lansing<\/strong><\/span> took to achieve his cycle.<\/p>\nOn this date (June 18), 18 years ago, Lansing completed the cycle in just four innings<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>\u2013 making his the quickest cycle in MLB history \u2013 and earning him the \u201cyellow jersey\u201d of baseball cyclists.\u00a0 Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.<\/p>\n Quickest Cycle Ever … Career Perspective<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Minnesota Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th<\/sup>\u00a0MLB game <\/strong><\/span>(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.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 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<\/strong> and he fanned swinging.)<\/em>\u00a0 Lansing ended the day four-for-five, with three runs scored and five RBI, as the Rockies torched the Diamondbacks 19-2 in Denver.<\/p>\n 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 \u2013 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.\u00a0 In his rookie season, Lansing appeared in 141 games, going .287-3-45, with 23 steals.<\/p>\n Never an All Star, Lansing proved a valuable, reliable and versatile roster addition during his MLB career (Expos\/Rockies\/Red Sox) \u2013 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).<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 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).<\/p>\n As long as we\u2019re looking at cycles.\u00a0 Here are a few tidbits of cycle-driven trivia;<\/p>\n Gotta Love the Texas \u2013 and More of “We Track Pretty Much Everything in Baseball”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Adrian Beltre\u2019s record-tying three cycles – although hit for two different teams – all took place at the Texas Rangers\u2019 home park (Globe Life Park in Arlington).\u00a0 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.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s Been a Hard Day\u2019s Night<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Like Father \u2026 Like Son<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n When Twins outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th<\/sup> 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 \u201crare and unique\u201d nature of his cycle nearly a quarter-century later.\u00a0\u00a0 On May 26, 2004, Ward\u2019s son Daryle Ward \u2013 playing 1B and batting third for the Pirates as they took on the Cardinals in St. Louis \u2013 also hit for the cycle. Gary and Daryle Ward are the only father-son combination (to date) to hit for the cycle.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Marlins are the only MLB team to never <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n have a batter record a cycle.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Cycled, But Not Quite All the Way Home<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo by rchdj10<\/a> The Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig (kind of) earned a cycle by being tossed out at the plate. \u00a0On June 25, 1934, as New York topped Chicago 13-2\u00a0 at Yankee Stadium, Gehrig hit two-run home run in the first inning; a\u00a0 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\u2019 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.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Skipping a Generation, but Still Hitting the Cycle Bell<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Pirates\u2019 RF Gus Bell and Phillies\u2019 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.\u00a0 Here are the Bell family major leaguers:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n First Generation \u2026 Gus Bell, Outfield \u2026 (MLB 1950-64)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Second Generation \u2026 Buddy Bell, 3B \u2026 (MLB 1972-89)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Third Generation \u2026 David Bell, 3B-2B \u2026 (MLB 1995-2006) & Mike Bell, 3B \u2026 (MLB 20000)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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.\u00a0 Read that story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Primary Resources: Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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<\/a>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.)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
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\u00a0<\/em>I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT<\/h3>\n
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