Jerry Brooks facts for kids

Jerome Edward Brooks, born on March 23, 1967, is a former professional baseball player. He played as an Outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Florida Marlins teams. Jerry also played baseball in Japan for the Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Jerry's Early Baseball Days

Jerry went to Clemson University for college. He played baseball there for the Clemson Tigers. In 1987, he played summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers. This team is part of the famous Cape Cod Baseball League. He was chosen as one of the best players in that league.

Joining the Major Leagues

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked Jerry to play for them in 1988. This was part of the 1988 MLB Draft. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball in 1993. He played nine games for the Dodgers that year. Later, in 1996, he played five games for the Florida Marlins.

A Unique Baseball Record

Jerry Brooks holds a very special record in Major League Baseball. He is the only player in history to get exactly four hits in his career, and those four hits made up a "cycle."

What is a Baseball Cycle?

In baseball, a "cycle" means a player gets one of each type of hit in a single game. These hits are a single, a double, a triple, and a home run. It's very rare to do this in one game!

Jerry's Career Cycle

Jerry's cycle was unique because it happened over his entire career, not in one game.

• With the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993, he hit a double and a home run.
• With the Florida Marlins in 1996, he hit a single and a triple.

These four hits were the only ones he got in his MLB career. No other player has ever finished their career with exactly these four different types of hits.

Playing Baseball in Japan

After playing in the MLB, Jerry moved to Japan. He played for the Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Japanese Pacific League. He played there from 1997 to 1998. He hit many more home runs and drove in more runs during his time in Japan.