George Hall (baseball player)

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George William Hall (March 29, 1849–June 11, 1923) was a professional baseball player who played in the National Association and later the National League. Born in Stepney, England, Hall later immigrated to the U.S. He made his professional debut on May 5, 1871.

Hall played for the following teams:

• Washington Olympics (1871)
• Baltimore Canaries (1872–1873)
• Boston Red Stockings (1874)
• Philadelphia Athletics (1875–1876)
• Louisville Grays (1877)

On June 14, 1876, he hit for the cycle, the first player ever to do so in Major League baseball.

On June 17, 1876, he became the first Major League baseball player to hit 2 home runs in one game, finishing the season with 5, which led the league. Since 1876 was the first year of the National League, it stood as the record until Charley Jones hit 9 in 1879.

He was banned from the game for life after the Louisville Grays Scandal of 1877, Major League Baseball's first gambling scandal. Hall and two other players on his team were implicated by some telegrams. (A fourth player who refused to cooperate with the investigation was also banned.)

Hall died in Ridgewood, New Jersey at the age of 74. He was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

[edit] External link

• Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis

Preceded by First Champion	National League Home Run Champion 1876	Succeeded by Lip Pike
Preceded by none	Single season home run record holder 1876-1879	Succeeded by Charley Jones