Athletics George Hall Hits for First Major League Cycle

Hitting for the cycle is still a fairly rare accomplishment. It is one of the ultimate showcases of speed and power, or, as can be the case depending on the hitter, a great display of how fluky the accomplishment can be. It was on this day in 1876 that the first cycle was ever recorded, with Philadelphia Athletics outfielder George Hall recording the feat.

It is always exciting to watch a player go for a cycle. More often than not, the player is missing either the triple or a home run, and if a ball is roped into the gap, the crowd roars in anticipation, urging the player on to get that extra bag needed to accomplish that feat.

Back in the early days of baseball, when doubles and triples were commonplace, that elusive home run tended to be the hit that kept players from hitting for the cycle. Even if a player hit that home run, another hit would evade their grasp, keeping the game without a cycle for the first few years. That is, until Philadelphia Athletics outfielder George Hall hit for the first cycle in baseball history on this day in 1876.

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Hall was one of the premier sluggers of his day, ranking among the leaders in slugging, home runs and total bases. In 1876, the first year of the National League, Hall led the league in homers, with five. He also had a total of seven doubles, even though he hit 13 triples. Considering his low totals in doubles and homers, the fact that Hall hit for the cycle is somewhat amazing.

Alas, his story would not end on a positive note. He was one of four players implicated in throwing games, as the Louisville Grays struggled down the stretch in 1877, losing a three game lead with 12 games left to lose the pennant. Hall, along with Jim Devlin, threw a game against Cincinnati for $25 each, a nice sum in those days. After the season ended, they were a part of four players suspended for life for throwing games. That ended Hall’s playing career, as he never played for another team.

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George Hall would have been remembered as the first player to hit for the cycle. Instead, the former Philadelphia Athletics outfielder is typically remembered for his involvement with gamblers, and his subsequent ban from the game.