Hitting for the cycle

[DrJay]

For the baseball fans out there. Guess how many times in major league history someone has hit for the cycle (a single, double, triple, and homer in the same game) then see how close you were, and check out interesting trivia about hitting for the cycle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_for_the_cycle#

[Halfmiler2]

I guessed about 500 but the reason I was on the high side is probably that the Mets have done it more than most teams. I had never heard of the baseball term "natural cycle" before.

[DrJay]

I never had either. Sounds more like a gynecologic term to me.

From the footnotes:

"On June 3, 1932, Tony Lazzeri became the only player in major league history to accomplish both feats listed above: hitting a natural cycle and ending it with a grand slam. This is often overlooked because Lazzeri did it in the same game that teammate Lou Gehrig hit four home runs"

What a game that was!

[cullman]

...and the sporting headlines for that day read, "John McGraw Retires" or something to that effect.

cman

[skyin' brian]

I've always thought that hitting for the cycle was overrated. Wouldn't a single, double, and two home runs be better, even though the 3-bagger is probably the toughest element of the four hits?

[dukehjsteve]

I'm amazed that no one has yet hit 5 home runs in a single game. How often has someone parked 4 of them, and then had any additional at bats to go for 5 ?

[mcgato]

Looks like a number of them had more chances at a fifth home run.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ma ... n_one_game

I seem to recall someone, maybe Bob Horner of the Braves, coming to bat late in the game already having a HR, triple, and double. He then doubled, so he didn't get the cycle.

[dj]

I'm amazed that no one has yet hit 5 home runs in a single game. How often has someone parked 4 of them, and then had any additional at bats to go for 5 ?

There have been about 15 4-home run games. Of them Carlos Delgado is the only person to have had only four plate appearances in his game.

[Conor Dary]

I'm amazed that no one has yet hit 5 home runs in a single game. How often has someone parked 4 of them, and then had any additional at bats to go for 5 ?

I don't know how many 3 home run games there are, but I suspect it is in the hundreds. Therefore if there are only 15 four home run games it is not too surprising there are no five home run games...yet.

[Conor Dary]

PS.

From wiki. there have been 491 games, by 344 players, with one player hitting 3 home runs. So it is about 33 to 1 in ratio of 3 home runs to 4 home run games.

So not surprising there are no 5 home run games...yet

[Daisy]

PS.

From wiki. there have been 491 games, by 344 players, with one player hitting 3 home runs. So it is about 33 to 1 in ratio of 3 home runs to 4 home run games.

So not surprising there are no 5 home run games...yet

Do players even get 5 at bats in most games?

[bad hammy]

Do players even get 5 at bats in most games?

It is not uncommon.

[Daisy]

Do players even get 5 at bats in most games?

It is not uncommon.

But not every time? If so, that makes five a far harder target as there are circumstances of the game that make it impossible some of the time.

[bad hammy]

Do players even get 5 at bats in most games?

It is not uncommon.

But not every time? If so, that makes five a far harder target as there are circumstances of the game that make it impossible some of the time.

Numerous players getting five at bats happens in almost every game. (As was mentioned, most folks who hit four home runs had additional non-HR at-bats.) By far the bigger problem getting to five home runs is getting the first four home runs, not getting the fifth at-bat.

[DrJay]

I wonder how many players who get three HRs and have one or two more at bats, get pitched around by the pitcher, instead of challenged?