First Ever, or first-ever, adjective. Being the first that has happened. It’s the first-ever meeting between leaders of the two countries. ~ Collins English Dictionary
The first person to do something is always “famous”. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to reach the top of Mount Everest. Sir Roger Bannister was the first to run a sub-4-minute mile. Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon. Sometimes being first just happens, other times many have failed and through hard work and dedication others achieve those firsts.
In baseball there are countless records and players achieving feats that are special. One of those feats in “hitting for the cycle”. This is when a player hits a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. If the hits are done in that order it is known as a “natural cycle”. No matter how it occurs, it’s special and very hard to do; it has only happened 334 time in Major League Baseball history. Very rare indeed.
The first player to do this was Charles Joseph “Curry” Foley. Foley was born in Milltown, County Kerry, Ireland on January 16, 1856, and passed on October 20, 1898, in Boston, Massachusetts. He batted and threw left-handed. Stood 5’10” and weighted 160lbs. He played in the National League for the Boston Red Caps (1879-80) and the Buffalo Bisons (1881-83). He did play for some town team leagues from 1875-1878 as well.
(Photo Public Domain)
Foley played in 337 games: 204 as an outfielder, 69 as a pitcher, and 54 at first baseman. He had a respectable .286 batting average, with 6 home runs and 128 runs batted in. As a pitcher in 442 innings, he posted a 27-27 win-loss record. A 3.54 earned run average while striking out 127 batsmen. Not Hall of Fame numbers, but a solid 5-year career.
But his big moment came on May 25, 1882, while playing for the Buffalo Bisons against the Cleveland Blues at Riverside Park in Buffalo. That historic park was located between West and Fargo Avenues and Vermont and Rhode Island Streets. Admission was 25 cents and due to cold weather, less than 1000 people were in attendance. In that game, he hit a home run in the first inning, a triple in the second inning, a single in the third inning and a double in the fifth. On the day, he was 4-6. Runs batted in weren’t officially counted at this time, so there is no record of that stat for the game. Needless to say, nothing was said about the “cycle” in the paper the next day, because the term wasn’t being used yet. The Bisons won the game 20-1 with a total of 28 hits.
Foley played one more year for Buffalo. He became a naturalized citizen on October 23, 1883. He was 42 when he passed away from cirrhosis of the liver. If it wasn’t for that one game, his name would have been “lost to history”. So, when next a player hits for the cycle politely turn to the folks watching the game and mention Charles Joseph “Curry” Foley, he deserves the mention.
~ Coach Mike
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Was at Comerica a few years back Gary Matthews Jr of the Rangers hit a natural cycle, first 3 were off of Verlander of all guys. Pretty cool to live, took awhile for the crowd to realize what happened. Cant remember what year though.