One Kosher Statistic About Ian Kinsler's Hitting for the Cycle We'd Hate to Pass Over

Now, Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler doesn't necessarily identify himself as Jewish -- his dad is, his mom ain't, and the guy was never bar mitzvahed. Though, as he told ESPN.com last August, he knows he's beloved in the Jewish community: "If you have any kind of Jewish ancestry...

By Robert Wilonsky

April 16, 2009

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Now, Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler doesn't necessarily identify himself as Jewish -- his dad is, his mom ain't, and the guy was never bar mitzvahed. Though, as he told ESPN.com last August, he knows he's beloved in the Jewish community: "If you have any kind of Jewish ancestry attached to your name, people are going to notice it. Whenever we're in New York, Boston or Chicago, I always get some kind of question about it."

Which is why last night, shortly after the Rangers pounded the Orioles 19-6 in Arlington and Kinsler went 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle, Friend of Unfair Park and fellow MOT "The Big Guy" sent along this note: The last Jewish player to hit for the cycle was Harry "The Horse" Danning in 1940 -- "until Ian Kinsler tonight." And, yeah, looking at the full list and talking to some Rangers front-office folks this morning, that sounds about right -- though I seem to recall Oddibe McDowell could do a mean Torah portion.

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