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  “Fun With Baseball Cycles Thru History” Photo Gallery

More Fun With Baseball Cycles:

Carson Kelly Hits First Cub Cycle Since 1993!

On Monday night, March 31, 2025, Cub catcher Carson Kelly hit the first Cub cycle since Mark Grace accomplished the feat back in 1992, 32 years ago. 

Immediately, my baseball history antenna and alarm bells went off. I’d be remiss in my duties as your friendly Baseball History Comes Alive editor if I didn’t follow up on this and report more details.  As usual, accompanying almost every cycle, there are some interesting facts to go with it. And certainly, this one was no exception.

For instance, I learned that the Cubs’ 32-year span without a cycle, was the longest for any team in the majors.  It’s been so long since a Cub player hit for a cycle that, consider this: When Grace hit his cycle, Carson Kelly wasn’t even born yet! In the intervening time, 342 Cub players had fallen one hit shy of a cycle.

Even more interesting is that Kelly is the first Cub catcher to hit for the cycle since Randy Hundley did it back in 1966, a span of 59 years. On top of that, catchers hitting for the cycle is a rare occurrence in itself. In my highly unofficial research, I count only 14 catchers since 1900 who are cyclers.  To go even further into the woods, Kelly’s one of only three players since 1900 to draw two walks in the same game, joining the Yankees’ Joe Gordon (1940), and Phillies’ Mickey Cochrane (1933).

After hitting a home run, a two-run single, and a double, Kelly needed a triple in his last at-bat to complete the cycle. What are the odds? Carson said it best himself:

“I’ve been in the same position before where I needed a triple for the cycle. And if anybody ever looked up my numbers, I have two triples, so the odds are not in my favor, right? (1)

Of course, whenever I write about cycles, I like to include some “Cycle Trivia.” So here’s a small sampling:

“Fun With Baseball Cycles” Update

• There have been only 349 cycles since the first one in 1882 by a player named Curry Foley. They are approximately as rare as no-hitters (326).
• The probability of an average major league ballplayer hitting for a cycle in a game is approximately 0.00590%. This comes to about 2.5 cycles in a 162-game season, about once every 686 games.
• The Miami Marlins are the only franchise that has never had a player hit for the cycle.
• Only six players have three cycles in their career: Christian Yelich, Trea Turner, Adrian Beltre, Babe Herman, Bob Musiel, and John Reilly.
• The natural cycle, in which the hits come in order (single, double, triple, and home run), has happened only 14 times in major league history. 
• The natural cycle has also been accomplished in reverse order (home run, triple, double, single) 10 times.
• Gee Walker is the only player to hit for the cycle on Opening Day.
• The most cycles hit in a single major league season is eight.
• There are only five players in history who have hit for the cycle twice in one season: John Reilly (1884), Tip O’Neill (1887), Babe Herman (1931), Aaron Hill (2012), and Christian Yelich (2018).
• Cycles have occurred on the same day twice in history: September 17, 1920 and September 1, 2008.
• Eight players have hit a grand slam as the home run of their cycle. The list includes recent players Miguel Tejada, Jason Kubel, and Bengie Molina.
• Five players have hit a walk-off home run as the final hit of their cycles: Ken Boyer, Cesar Tovar, George Brett, Dwight Evans, and Carlos Gonzalez.
• In 2009, Ian Kinsler had six hits in the game when he hit his cycle. The accomplishment came on Jackie Robinson Day, honoring the baseball pioneer who had himself hit for the cycle on August 29, 1948.
• Harry Danning, (June 15, 1940), is the last player to hit for the cycle with his home run coming on an inside-the-park home run.
• Family pairs to hit for the cycle: father and son Gary and Daryle Ward (1980 and 2004); and grandfather and grandson Gus and David Bell (1951 and 2004).
• Four batters hit for the cycle in the same season in which they won the Triple Crown: Nap Lojoie (1901), Jimmie Foxx (1933), Chuck Klein (1933); and Lou Gehrig (1934).
• Only three players, John Olerud, Michael Cuddyer, and Bob Watson—have hit for the cycle in both the National and American Leagues.
• The only player to hit for a cycle in the post-season is Brock Holt.

Harry Caray used to say: “You can’t beat fun at the old ball park!” and that includes when we’re having fun talking about baseball cycles!

Gary Livacari

We’d love to hear what you think about this or any other related baseball history topic…please leave comments below.

Photo Credits: All from Google search

Information: Background information and quote (1) from Chicago Sun-Times, April 2, 2025; Trivia excerpts edited from Baseball Cycles Wikipedia page

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