A great night, naturally

Seven years before homering to lift the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros in the pivotal Game 3 of the 2005 World Series, Geoff Blum is trying to revive his then-foundering career in Class AA on Harrisburg's City Island.

The highlight of that revival comes 25 years ago tonight on the island, where Blum hits for the ultra-rare natural cycle – a single, followed in order by double, triple and homer – in only four plate appearances during a 3-2 victory over New Haven.

After the game, Blum’s bat is sent to the Hall of Fame before being returned to Harrisburg and sold the following summer in a charity auction.

Now, just how rare is Blum’s feat?

Consider this: Of the 14 “natural cycles” in major league history, only one – in 2000 by Blum’s onetime Montreal Expos teammate, Brad Wilkerson – comes in only four plate appearances, as Blum’s did for Harrisburg in 1998.

As for Blum, he goes on to a 14-year career in the majors from 1999-2012.