Hoot Evers (Photos from Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library)
The Detroit Tigers’ Hoot Evers became the only major league player to notch two triples while hitting for the cycle, 66 years ago today.
Evers accomplished the feat on Thursday, September 7, 1950, at home at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium, and the Indians had already built a 7-0 lead and knocked Tigers starter Art Houtteman off the mound before Evers got his first at bat. Evers immediately got the toughest part out of the way by tripling off the Indians’ Bob Feller to score Vic Wertz and cut the Indians’ lead to 7-3. That led Cleveland skipper Lou Boudreau to yank Feller after just a third of an inning in place of Jesse Flores.
Evers came up in the third inning and hit an RBI double off Flores, which again prompted Boudreau to go to the bullpen. Evers grounded out to short in the fifth before hitting a second RBI triple in the sixth, this one off of Al Benton. He then hit a two-run home run off in the eighth off Sam Zoldak before singling off Marino Pieretti to complete the cycle in the bottom of the 10th. The game was called after 10 as a 13-13 tie.
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Interesting story, but Briggs Stadium was the home of the Tigers; in 1950 the Indians were playing in Cleveland Stadium, and had been since 1946.
Should have read “Detroit’s Briggs Stadium.” Fixed.
Evers played for the Tigers AT HOME at Briggs Stadium, not on the road.
Noted and fixed.