July 1, 1961
Killebrew Starts Grand Slam Steak
Harmon Killebrew hit the first of three Twins grand slams over a four-day span in a 9-3 win in Kansas City on this date in 1961.
Bob Allison hit one two days later on July 3 in a 7-6 home win over the White Sox, and Julio Becquer hit a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam for a 6-4 Twins win over the White Sox in the first game of a Fourth of July doubleheader. (The Twins won the second game 4-2.)
The Twins hit eight grand slams during their inaugural season. That’s still the team record. Bob Allison hit three of them, establishing a team record tied by Rod Carew (1976), Kent Hrbek (1985), Kirby Puckett (1992), and Torii Hunter (2007), and broken by Royce Lewis with four in 2023. Killebrew holds the Twins career grand slam record with 10.
July 1, 1973
Kaat Pitches One-Hitter
Jim Kaat one-hit the Angels for a 2-1 Twins win in Anaheim on this date in 1973. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson hit one of his 586 home runs leading off the bottom of the second for the Angel’s only hit.
The Angels’ Bill Singer also pitched the complete game, allowing just four hits—three to the Twins’ nine-batter Jim Holt. Leadoff hitter Rod Carew had the Twins’ other hit, a third-inning single driving in the eight-hole hitter George Mitterwald and Jim Holt for the Twins’ only runs. The game was over in one hour and 40 minutes.
The Twins threw three-one-hitters that season, with Bert Blyleven pitching the other two.
See all single-pitcher one-hitters and no-hitters in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/play-index…
July 1, 1987
Eisenreich’s Return
In just his sixth game back in the majors after a two-year absence, St. Cloud legend Jim Eisenreich hit a pinch-hit walk-off double to beat the Twins on this date in 1987.
The Royals’ winning run reached on an uncharacteristic Gary Gaetti error. The next day, Eisenreich hit an RBI double off Joe Niekro and a three-run homer off George Frazier.
July 1, 2005
Crain Sets AL Reliever Record
Twins reliever Jesse Crain won his eighth-straight decision of the season, and set an American League reliever record by going 11-0 to begin his career.
The MLB record is 12 by the Cardinals’ Butch Metzger, who won one each in 1974 and ’75, and 10-straight in ’76.
Also On This Date in Minnesota Baseball History:
- 1865: The North Star Base Ball Club of St. Paul beats the Hastings Vermillions 55-21
- 1974: “Hit ‘Em Where They Ain’t”—Rod Carew appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated
- 1984: Playing for the Reds, Chaska graduate Brad Gulden hits his fifth and final major league home run off Expos closer Jeff Reardon
July 2, 1950
Future Twins Closer Pitches Townball No-Hitter
Fresh off pitching for the University of Alabama in the College World Series, Fulda Giants hired gun Al Worthingon no-hit Wilmont on this date in 1950.
Dick Reusse (Patrick‘s dad) was the manager of the Fulda townball team and recruited some marquee talent to the small Minnesota town. Just one year earlier, Reusse brought Kansas City Monarchs star Hilton Smith to Fulda. Smith was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001—the same class as Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield.
In 1950, Reusse went down to the College World Series in Omaha where he recruited Worthington. While in rural Minnesota, Worthington fell in love with and married manager Dick Reusse’s niece, Shirley Reusse, who was a lifeguard at Fulda’s Seven Mile Lake.
Worthington spent 14 years in the majors, including as the Twins first great closer (or “stopper”) at the end of his career, from 1964 to ’69.
July 2, 1969
Twins Play White Sox in Milwaukee
In an attempt to lure major league baseball back to Wisconsin, the Twins and White Sox played a regular season game in Milwaukee on this date in 1969. The Twins won 4-2, with Dave Boswell earning the win, and future Twins broadcaster Tommy John taking the loss. Harmon Killebrew homered, Tony Oliva and César Tovar doubled, and Bob Allison tripled.
The upstart Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee, becoming the Brewers in 1970.
July 2, 1972
Kaat Pitches with Broken Wrist
After breaking a bone in his pitching wrist while running the bases on this date in 1972, Twins workhorse Jim Kaat pitched 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings before getting into a jam in the eighth. He was out the rest of the season. Adrenaline is a helluva drug!
He was having an elite season, too, entering the game with a 9-2 record and even 2.00 ERA. (He earned the win in this game for number 10.) The American League adopted the designated hitter rule for the 1973 season.
July 2, 2016
Kepler Sets Team Rookie RBI Record
Max Kepler drove in a Twins rookie record seven runs on this date in 2016, hitting a pair of three-run homers and an RBI groundout.
It was the 18th seven-plus RBI game overall in Twins history. Of all the great sluggers in Twins history, it’s Glenn Adams and Randy Bush who hold the team record with eight RBI.
See all seven-plus RBI games in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/play-index/…
July 3, 1922
Birthdate of Howie Schultz
St. Paul Central graduate Howie “Stretch” Schultz was born on this date in 1922. At 6-foot-6, he was rejected for military service during World War II because he was too tall.
He played first base for parts of six major league seasons, beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1943 to 1947. The Dodgers traded him to the Phillies on May 10, 1947 when it became abundantly clear that a young man named Jackie Robinson had first base under control.
Following his major league career, Schultz played for the Willmar Rails from 1950 to ‘54, and was an inaugural member of the West Central Baseball Hall of Fame along with Blix Donnelly, Mike Kingery, and others.
He played a little pro basketball, too, winning an NBA championship with the 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers. (Bud Grant was a member of the ‘49–50 NBA Champ Lakers.)
Read Stew Thornley‘s essay on Schultz ⇨ SABR.org/bioproj/…
July 3, 1940
Birthdate of César Tovar
Twins all-time great César Tovar was born in Caracas, Venezuela on this date in 1940.
Pepito became the first player in Twins history with four extra-base hits in a game on May 21, 1967, connecting for two doubles and two homers in a 12-3 road win over the Angels. Kirby Puckett (1987 and ’89), Rich Becker (1996), Corey Koskie (2001) Michael Cuddyer (2005), Nelson Cruz (2019 & ’20), and Jorge Polanco (2021) have since tied Tovar’s record of four extra-base hits in a single game.
Interesting to note that there have been nine four-XBH games in Twins history and 13 three-HR games but the two events have never coincided.
He played all nine positions on September 22, 1968, striking out Reggie Jackson in the first inning.
He led the league with 36 doubles and 13 triples in 1970, and 204 hits in 1971.
He hit a two-out walk-off home run to complete the second cycle in Twins history. Only 4,240 fans were in attendance.
Tovar passed away in 1994 at age 54. Read his SABR bio by Rory Costello ⇨ SABR.org/bioproj/…
July 3, 1961
Allison Hits Third Grand Slam
Bob Allison hit a seventh-inning grand slam in a 7-6 home win over the White Sox on this date in 1961. It was his third grand slam of the season, establishing a team record tied by Rod Carew (1976), Kent Hrbek (1985), Kirby Puckett (1992), and Torii Hunter (2007), and broken by Royce Lewis with four in 2023.
Allison hit the first grand slam in Twins history on April 16—just the fourth game in team history.
July 3, 1968
Tiant K’s 19 Twins Over 10 Innings
Cleveland’s Luis Tiant pitched all 10 innings, striking out 19 in a 1-0 win over the Twins on this date in 1968. Tiant won 21 games that season, with a league-leading 1.60 ERA and 0.871 WHIP.
He pitched for the Twins in 1970 before being released and going on to become a Red Sox legend. More details in my blog post about the Twins releasing Tiant ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/March-31-1971/
July 3, 1973
Oliva Has Three-Homer Game
Designated hitter Tony Oliva hit three solo home runs in a 7-6 loss in Kansas City on this date in 1973.
To date, one other Twin has hit three home runs in a loss—Brian Dozier in an 11-5 home loss to Kansas City on September 5, 2016 (the worst season in franchise history).
There have been 13 three-HR games overall in Twins history and 19 games with at least seven RBI, but interestingly the two events have never coincided.
See all three-homer games in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/fodqd
July 3, 1980
Landreaux Ties Modern Single-Game Triples Record
Ken Landreaux tied the modern (since 1900) major league record with three triples in a 10-3 home win over the Rangers on this date in 1980.
Twins center fielder Denard Span also had a three-triple game in 2010.
July 3, 1985
Laudner Has Six-RBI Game
1976 Park Center graduate Tim Laudner went 3-for-3 with a sac fly, home run, and six RBI in a 7-0 Twins win in Cleveland. It was his first of two career six-RBI games, both against Cleveland. He hit a pair of three-run homers at the Dome on April 24, 1988.
July 3, 1996
Morris Pitches Three-Hit Shutout for St. Paul Saints
41-year-old Jack Morris threw a 99-pitch, three-hit shutout as the St. Paul Saints beat the Sioux Falls Canaries 12-0 on Fireworks Night on this date in 1996.
Darryl Strawberry hit his team-record 18th and final home run. He was removed from the game early, and it was later announced that the Yankees had signed him.
July 3, 2000
Ortiz Bats In Three Runs Without Official At-Bat
David Ortiz collected three RBI without recording an official at-bat in an 11-8 loss to Boston on this date in 2000. He walked with the bases loaded and hit two sacrifice flies.
July 3, 2004
Mulholland Beats 30th Team
41-year-old lefty Terry Mulholland gave up four runs on five hits and a walk over five innings in a 8-4 Twins win in Arizona on this date in 2004, improving to 1-3 on the season, and becoming just the third pitcher in major league history to beat all 30 teams. (Beating every team was more difficult before interleague play.)
Bartolo Colón became the 18th pitcher to do so when he beat the Diamondbacks at Target Field on August 20, 2017.
June 11–July 3, 2006
Twins Go on a 19-1 Run
The Twins went 19-1 from June 11 to this date in 2006. Justin Morneau batted .423 over that stretch while Joe Mauer only hit an even .400.
July 4
Happy Birthday, Barry Wohler
Happy 63rd birthday to 1981 Bird Island-Lake Lillian graduate and former Dodgers minor leaguer Barry Wohler.
He pitched a no-hitter for single-A Vero Beach on July 17, 1985.
In the offseason, he took classes at St. Cloud State, and played on the Huskies basketball team that fell one win short of the Division II Final Four. If you have any fun facts or cool stories about Barry, please share them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
July 4, 1912
Hall of Famer Comes to Austin, Decides to Stay
Hall of Famer Burleigh Grimes came to Austin, MN to play in a doubleheader on the Fourth of July 1912, but wound up playing with Austin the rest of the summer, helping the Packers win the state championship.
Back in the day, it wasn’t uncommon for town teams to hire mercenary pitchers. Bud Grant was another arm for hire.
Grimes returned to Austin to much fanfare with a Brooklyn barnstorming team in 1921.
July 4, 1922
Birthdate of Loren Bain
Loren Bain was born in Staples, MN on this date in 1922. He made three relief appearances with the New York Giants in 1945, giving up seven earned runs over eight innings of work.
July 4, 1927
Wera Hits Only MLB HR In Front of 74,000
Winona native Julie Wera hit his only major league home run in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in front of a crowd of 74,000 on the Fourth of July 1927. It was the largest crowd ever to attend a baseball game to that point. Lou Gehrig homered off Walter Johnson in Game 1 as the Yankees swept the doubleheader against the second-place Senators by a combined score of 33-2.
The ‘27 Yankees are regarded by many as the greatest baseball team ever assembled. 32-year-old Babe Ruth swatted 60 home runs, while the team went 110-44 (.714), winning the American League pennant by a margin of 19 games. With that famous juggernaut of a lineup, Wera only got into 38 games (19 starts).
He suffered a gnarly knee injury in a late-season play at home, and was not a part of the World Series, in which the Yankees swept the Pirates. He did, however, receive the same $5,782 portion of the winners’ purse as Ruth, Gehrig, and the rest of the gang. Nice bonus, considering that Wera’s 1927 salary was $2,400.
Read a more detailed account in my blog post about Wera ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/JulieWera/
July 4, 1940
Millers Right Fielder Hits Four Homers
Minneapolis Millers right fielder Ab Wright hits four home runs in a 17-5 win over the St. Paul Saints at Nicollet Park.
Read my blog post on four-home run games in Minnesota baseball history ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/4-HR-Games/
July 4, 1961 (Game 1)
Becquer Hits Pinch-Hit Walk-Off Grand Slam
Trailing 4-2, Julio Becquer hit a two-out pinch-hit walk-off grand slam in the first game of a doubleheader on the Fourth of July 1961 (the Twins’ first season in Minnesota).
It was the Twins’ third grand slam in four days (Killebrew 7/1, and Allison 7/3). Altogether, the Twins hit eight grand slams during their inaugural season, which is still the team record.
Two weeks earlier, Becquer hit the first pinch-hit homer/first walk-off homer in Twins history. He only hit 12 home runs during his major league career, with his final coming on July 16, 1961.
July 4, 1961 (Game 2)
Killebrew Hits Twins’ First Inside-the-Park Home Run
With Jack Kralick and Zoilo Versalles aboard with two out in the bottom of the eighth, Harmon Killebrew hits the first inside-the-park home run in Twins history. The White Sox scored two in the ninth, but the Twins held on to win 4-2, sweeping the doubleheader.
July 4, 1973
Bane Makes MLB Debut in Front of Sellout Crowd
Without making an appearance in the minors, Twins first-round draft choice Eddie Bane made his major league debut in front of a sellout crowd on the Fourth of July 1973.
The Twins were struggling to put butts in the seats, so Calvin Griffth got the idea to bring Bane straight to the majors after wrapping up his stellar collegiate career at Arizona State. The 45,890 tickets sold far exceeded the Twins’ expectations and the start of the game had to be delayed 15 minutes. He pitched a heckuva game, too, holding Kansas City to just one run over seven innings. (The bullpen gave up four runs in the ninth for a 5-4 loss.)
Despite the auspicious start, Bane’s numbers were lackluster the rest of the season. He spent all of 1974 and most of 1975 at triple-A Tacoma and played his final major league game in 1976 at the age of 24.
Here’s a Fun Fact: Bane gave up Royals DH Harmon Killebrew’s 573rd and final career home run at Met Stadium on September 18, 1975.
Eddie began working as a scout in 1984. He was Angels scouting director when they drafted Mike Trout 25th-overall in 2009. Eddie’s brother, Dan Bane, was CEO of Trader Joe’s from 2001 until his retirement in 2023.
July 4, 1974
Blyleven Pitches One-Hitter
Bert Blyleven one-hit the Billy Martin-managed Rangers on the Fourth of July 1974. That one hit, however, was a Toby Harrah homer in the third. The Twins trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth before Jim Holt tied it up with a sac fly and Larry Hisle sent the fans home happy with a walk-off home run.
See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/MIN...
July 4, 2024
Minnesota Native Pitches Fourth of July Gem in Nation’s Capital
Bloomington native Jake Irvin had a one-hit shutout going through eight innings before giving way to the bullpen to secure a 1-0 Fourth of the July win for the Nationals in the nation’s capital in 2024. He issued a walk in the second and a single in the third before retiring the next 17-straight.
The 6-foot-6 Bloomington Jefferson grad tied for the MLB lead with 33 starts that season.
July 4, 2025
Minnesota Native Has Three-HR Game
Inver Grove Heights native Michael Busch hit three home runs playing for the Cubs at Wrigley Field on the Fourth of July 2025. His third home run was the Cubs’ eighth of the game, establishing a new team record. (The Twins record is also eight, occurring on August 29, 1963.)
To the best of my knowledge, Busch was just the third Minnesota high school graduate to hit three homers in a game, following Wes Westrum in 1950 and Dave Winfield playing for the Angels at the Metrodome in 1991. Hibbing-born, Fargo-raised Roger Maris also had a three-home run game. If you’re aware of anyone else with a Minnesota connection, please let me know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
In April 2024, Busch tied the Cubs record with a home run in five-straight games. (That is also the Twins record.)
Also on This Date in Minnesota Baseball History:
- 1982: Kent Hrbek had only gone hitless in six games entering play on this date in 1982
- 1978: Cretin gradaute Paul Molitor (Brewers) homers off Alexandria graduate Gary Serum (Twins)
- 1987: Atwater graduate Mike Kingery (Mariners) homers off Highland Park graduate Jack Morris (Tigers)
July 5
Happy Birthday, Nick Anderson
Happy 35th birthday to 2008 Brainerd graduate Nick Anderson, born in Crosby on this date in 1990. He spent five years as a major league reliever with Miami, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Kansas City. He got off to a heckuva start with the Marlins in 2019, striking out 27 of the first 51 batters he faced in the majors. He pitched in the 2020 World Series with the Rays.
See his page on Baseball Reference ⇨ https://www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/a/ander...
July 5, 1963
Hall Hits Fifth Home Run in Four Days
Twins rookie Jimmie Hall homered in Baltimore off Hall of Famer Robin Roberts on this date in 1963, giving him five home runs in four days. (He hit two off Hall of Famer Jim Bunning on July 3.)
The Twins and Orioles played a doubleheader that day, and future AL MVP Zoilo Versalles committed five errors between the two games!
Hall hit 33 home runs altogether on the season, breaking Ted Williams’ American League record for first-year players. Hall’s record stood for 50 years until 27-year-old rookie José Abreu hit 27 in 2014.
July 5, 1965
Twins Move Into First Place to Stay
The Twins swept the Red Sox in a doubleheader at Met Stadium on this date in 1965, moving into first place where they’d remain for the rest of the season.
July 5, 1982
Hrbek on the Cover of Sports Illustrated
The cover of Sports Illustrated on this date in 1982 read: “Best of the Worst—Rookie Sensation Kent Hrbek of the Terrible Twins.”
Who would have predicted that just 10 years later, Kent Hrbek and the Minnesota Twins would have won not one, but two World Series?
July 5, 1994
Molitor Hits Grand Slam vs. Twins
After Pat Mahomes retired him in the first inning, St. Paul native Paul Molitor went 4-for-5 with a double and a seventh-inning grand slam off Dave Stevens in a 14-3 Blue Jays win at the Metrodome on this date in 1994.
Light-hitting Toronto third baseman Darnell Coles—who hit .210 with four home runs in 1994 and hit just 75 home runs altogether over his 14-year major league career—hit three homers in the game.
July 5, 2006
Joe Mauer was batting .391 on this date in 2006.
July 6, 1972
Quilici Promoted to Manager
The Twins promoted 33-year-old Frank Quilici to manager after dismissing Bill Rigney on this date in 1972. Quilici played infield for the Twins for parts of five seasons (1965, 1967–’70) before becoming a coach. He tied a World Series record by getting two hits in one inning off the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale in Game 1 in 1965.
It was my great privilege to meet Mr. Quilici at the Fall 2016 Halsey Hall SABR meeting.
July 6, 1986
Newman Hits Only Career Home Run
Expos second baseman Al Newman hit his only major league home run off Atlanta’s Zane Smith on this date in 1986. I believe I’ve heard Newman’s mom was in attendance, but missed the historic moment because she was at the concession stand or bathroom or something like that. Let me know in the comments if you can confirm that story.
Atlanta first baseman Bob Horner, incidentally, hit four home runs in the game, with the fourth coming off Jeff Reardon in the ninth. Expos won 11-8.
July 6, 1990
Morris Pitches One-Hitter, Faces Minimum
Detroit ace Jack Morris pitched a one-hit shutout against the Royals at Tiger Stadium on this date in 1990. He did not issue a walk and faced the minimum. After surrendering a single to Kurt Stillwell in the top of the first, he promptly induced a 4-6-3 double play from George Brett.
Morris pitched a no-hitter in 1984, but he issued six walks in that game. I think you could argue that this 1990 one-hit shutout in which he faced the minimum was his most masterful regular-season pitching performance.
July 6, 1995
Twins Trade Aguilera
The Twins traded Rick Aguilera right in the middle of a game to the visiting Red Sox for Frankie Rodriguez and a minor leaguer on this date in 1995. Aggie jogged in from the bullpen partway through the game and switched clubhouses. He earned the save for the Red Sox at the Metrodome the next night.
He resigned with the Twins as a free agent following the season.
The Twins later traded first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to the Red Sox in the middle of a series between the two teams at the Metrodome in July 2004. Mientkiewicz played for the Twins on July 30, and for the visiting Red Sox on July 31.
July 6, 2001
Lawton Has Four-Game Multiple Extra-Base Hit Streak
Matt Lawton hit a home run and a double in a 5-4 Twins win over the Reds at home in the Dome on this date in 2001. It was his fourth consecutive game with multiple extra-base hits, establishing a Twins record.
In a remarkable coincidence, Torii Hunter also homered and doubled, beginning his own four-game multi-extra-base hit streak that same day. They are still the only two such streaks in team history. Crazy, right?
July 6, 2007
Kubel and Morneau Have Historic Doubleheader
Game 1: Jason Kubel had the 15th seven-plus RBI game in Twins history in Game 1 of the doubleheader in Chicago on this date in 2007, going 2-for-3 with two RBI-sac flies, a grand slam (driving in Mauer, Morneau, and Hunter), and bases-loaded walk in a 20-14 win over the White Sox.
Game 2: Justin Morneau had the fourth three-home run game in Twins history (and the first since Tony Oliva 34 years earlier in 1973) in a 12-0 Twins win to sweep the doubleheader. I guess another Almanac entry could be that “The Twins scored 32 runs on this date in 2007!”
Interesting to note that in the Twins’ first 55 seasons, there were just four 3-HR games, and then suddenly there were nine such performances in the six-year period from 2016 to 2021.
Also interesting to note that there have been 19 seven-plus RBI games and 13 three-home run games in Twins history, but the two events have never coincided.
July 6, 2010
Johan Santana Homers While Pitching 3-Hit Shutout
Mets pitcher Johan Santana hit his only MLB home run while pitching a three-hit shutout on this date in 2010. Remarkably, it was the 12th pitch of the at-bat! Heckuva two-strike approach.
In Twins history, Jim Kaat homered while pitching a shutout twice, and Jim Perry did it once.
July 6, 2024
Miranda Gets 12-Straight Hits
José Miranda connected for an astonishing 12-straight hits over three games between the Fourth of July and this date in 2024. That blew out of the water the previous Twins record of nine-straight hits by Tony Oliva, Mickey Hatcher, and Todd Walker.
Miranda was just the fourth player in MLB history to get a hit in 12-straight at-bats, and the first since 1952.
July 7, 1912
Meixell Makes Major League Debut
1907 Lake Crystal graduate Moxie Meixell made his major league debut with the Cleveland Naps as a late-inning defensive replacement for right fielder “Shoeless” Joe Jackson on this date in 1912. He got one at-bat, singling for his only major league hit.
He only got into three major league games altogether, making an unsuccessful pinch-hitting appearance, and entering as a pinch-runner. Guess he could always say he had a .500 career average! His final two minor league teams were the Newport News Shipbuilders and Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers. What would today’s Minnesota team be called if they had an occupational nickname?
Read Terry Bohn‘s SABR BioProject essay on Meixell ⇨ https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/3372f89a
July 7, 1953
Don Zimmer Knocked Unconscious
St. Paul Saints shortstop Don Zimmer was leading the league in home runs when he was knocked unconscious by a pitch that fractured his forehead on this date in 1953. He didn’t recognize teammates when they visited him in the hospital two days later. He missed the rest of the season, but remarkably made his major league debut a year later.
Zimmer of course went on to become the ultimate baseball lifer, continuing to wear a major league uniform as a coach into his 80s.
July 7, 1978
Rookie Pitches Three-Hit Shutout
Making just his fourth major league start, Darrell Jackson pitched a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 Twins win in Oakland on this date in 1978. Athletics’ pitcher Rick Langford went all nine, allowing just one unearned run. Talk about a tough-luck loss!
Fun Fact: Jackson pitched nine no-hit innings in his pro debut at double-A Orlando on April 14, 1978. (The Twins went on to win in 12 innings.)
July 7, 1989
Blyleven and Viola Square Off
Former teammates Bert Blyleven and Frank Viola dueled on this date in 1989, both going all nine innings in a 5-2 Angels win in Anaheim. The Twins’ only runs came on Tim Laudner‘s second-to-last home run, driving in Greg Gagne. Chili Davis scored two runs for the Angels.
July 7, 1995
Aggie Earns Save Versus Twins
The day after being traded mid-game to the visiting Red Sox, Rick Aguilera earned the save against the Twins on this date in 1995. The teams were tied 4-4 going into the ninth but the Red Sox took a one-run lead off Eddie Guardado in the top of the inning. Worth noting that Aguilera struck out Kirby Puckett for the second out with Chuck Knoblauch on second base, representing the tying run.
July 7, 2001
Brower Makes Only Appearance at Metrodome
During his nine-year major league career, Minnetonka graduate Jim Brower only played at the Metrodome once, allowing one run in 4 ⅓ innings of relief to take the loss for the Reds on this date in 2001. Denny Hocking went 2-for-2 off Brower and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth. LaTroy Hawkins locked down the save for a 7-6 Twins win.
Brower struck out Torii Hunter twice.
At age 52, Brower currently pitches for the Tonka Bay Lakers in the 35-and-over Federal League and operates Brower Baseball facilities in Eden Prairie and Plymouth, which I highly recommend.
July 5–7, 2004
Radke, Santana, and Lohse Pitch Three-Straight Shutouts
Brad Radke, Johan Santana, and Kyle Lohse pitched back-to-back-to-back complete-game shutouts as the Twins beat the Royals 9-0, 4-0, and 12-0 at home in the Dome between July 5 and this date in 2004.
July 7, 2010
Morneau Suffers Concussion
Justin Morneau suffered a season-ending (and career-altering) concussion breaking up a double play in Toronto on this date in 2010.
He was hitting .345 with 25 doubles and 18 home runs, and had already accumulated a career-high 4.7 WAR (Baseball Reference) through just 81 games.
He had a 4.3 WAR when he played 153 games and was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2006.
July 7, 2011
Hand Earns First Win
2008 Chaska graduate Brad Hand earned his first major league win on this date in 2011, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks in a 5-0 Marlins win over the Astros. It was Hand’s fifth MLB start overall.
He wound up playing 13 seasons in the majors, retiring with the third-most MLB pitching appearances of anyone from Minnesota (579). He made three-straight All-Stars teams from 2017 to 2019. He pitched in 82 games in 2016, becoming just the second Minnesotan to lead the majors in pitching appearances. He pitched in the World Series with the Phillies in 2022.
July 8, 2013
Thielbar Gives Up First Run
In his 18th major league appearance, 26-year-old Randolph High School graduate Caleb Thielbar finally gave up his first run on this date in 2013—a home run to Ben Zobrist in a 7-4 Twins loss at Tampa Bay.
He finished his rookie season 3-2 with a 1.76 ERA and 0.826 WHIP over 48 appearances (46 innings pitched). Read my blog post on Thielbar ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/CalebThielbar
July 9, 1968
Killebrew Tears Hamstring
Harmon Killebrew tore his hamstring stretching for a throw at first in the All-Star Game on this date in 1968. He was out of commission until September. (Guess he recovered okay, though, because he was the American League MVP the following year.)
July 9, 1972
Reese Ties MLB Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Record
Batting for the pitcher—Lamberton, MN native and future Twins assistant general manager Bob Gebhard—Rich Reese tied the MLB record with his third career pinch-hit grand slam in a 9-6 loss to the Yankees at Met Stadium on this date in 1972. Reese is the only player in MLB history to hit three pinch-hit grand slams with the same team.
July 9, 1978
Goltz Makes No-Hit Bid
West Central Minnesota native Dave Goltz took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on this date in 1978 en route to completing a three-hit shutout.
He pitched a one-hitter less than a year earlier, and led the Twins in wins in 1977 and ’78.
July 10, 1954
Winona Native Makes MLB Debut
Winona native and Golden Gophers all-time great Paul Giel narrowly missed pitching to fellow Minnesota native Wes Westrum when he struck out the side in the ninth inning in his major league debut on this date in 1954. Future Twins manager Billy Gardner pinch ran for Westrum in the eighth.
Giel made his second appearance a week later in St. Louis, entering to face just one batter: Sauk Rapids native Rip Repulski, who connected for an RBI single—the first major league hit allowed by Giel. (And this time Clearbrook native Wes Westrum was behind the plate.) On July 29, Giel again came in to face Repulski with a runner in scoring position, this time inducing an inning-ending double play.
July 10, 2008
Morneau Goes 5-for-5 with Game-Winning HR
First baseman Justin Morneau goes 5-for-5 with a walk and an 11th-inning home run in a 7-6 Twins win in Detroit. See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/DET/...
July 11, 1934
Birthdate of Bob Allison
Bob Allison was born in Raytown, MO on this date in 1934. The 1959 Rookie of the Year made the move with the Washington Senators to Minnesota in 1961, where he hit the first home run, first grand slam, and had the first three-home run game in Twins history.
In 1963, he led the American League with a 7.4 WAR (retroactively calculated, of course), .911 OPS, and 99 runs scored. He also led AL right fielders with four double plays started.
How intimidating of a slugger was he? He drew 15(!) bases-loaded walks in his career.
July 11, 1965
Killebrew Hits Legendary Homer Heading into the Break
Trailing the Yankees by a run with two out in the bottom of the ninth, Harmon Killebrew hit a walk-off home run to give the Twins a five-game lead heading into the All-Star break on this date in 1965. They never looked back. (This is a big home run in Twins lore.)
July 11, 1968
Renick Homers in First Major League At-Bat
Twins shortstop Rick Renick hit a solo home run off Detroit’s Mickey Lolich in his first major league at-bat on this date in 1968. The Twins won 5-4.
Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Luke Hughes, and Eddie Rosario are the other Twins to homer in their first major league at-bats.
Renick was the third base coach for the 1987 World Series Championship team.
July 11, 2004
Santana Has Fifth-Straight Double-Digit K Game
Johan Santana notched double-digit strikeouts in his fifth consecutive game on this date in 2004. He had three previous three-game streaks, and had double-digit strikeouts in 9 of 12 games. No other Twins pitcher has had double-digit strikeouts in even two games in a row! (In franchise history, Camilo Pascual and Walter Johnson each had a three-game double-digit strikeout streak with the Washington Senators.)
See double-digit strikeout streaks in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/Rt3nV
Read my blog post on Santana ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/JohanSantana/
July 12, 1910
Rutherford Gets Into Only MLB Game
July 12, 1972
Blyleven Earns 1,000th Win in Twins History
Bert Blyleven held the visiting Brewers to one run on five hits and two walks for a 7-1 win on this date in 1972—the 1,000th win in Twins history.
In a remarkable coincidence, Blyleven also earned the 2,000th win in Twins history in his second stint with the team 13 years later, on September 25, 1985.
July 12, 1988
Steinbach is All-Star Game MVP
After being maligned by the press as an unworthy All-Star, New Ulm native and Golden Gophers all-time great Terry Steinbach was named All-Star Game MVP on this date in 1988, after driving in the American League’s only runs with a homer and sac fly for a 2-1 win at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. The runner who scored on Steinbach’s sac fly was Dave Winfield, meaning that all the AL’s runs were scored and driven in by Minnesota natives.
Steinbach had missed most of the month of May and was batting just .217 with five home runs and 19 RBI at the break (with his fifth home run coming in the last game before the break). He was, nevertheless, the leading vote-getter for AL starting catcher.
The AL’s only other catcher in the game was another Minnesota high school graduate: Tim Laudner, named to the team by manager Tom Kelly (who was at the helm by virtue of the Twins being the 1987 league champions). Laudner doubled in his only at-bat (off 1989 NL Cy Young Award winner Mark Davis) and caught the final four innings.
Frank Viola started the game, retiring all six batters he faced.
July 12, 1996
Puckett Officially Retires
36-year-old Kirby Puckett held a press conference at the Metrodome to officially announce his retirement on this date in 1996. Cleveland happened to be in town, and Dennis Martinez attended the press conference. Puckett had been hit in the face by a Martinez fastball at the Metrodome in what turned out to be Puckett’s final regular season at-bat on September 28, 1995.
Puckett appeared poised for a big season in 1996, batting .344 in spring training when he woke up on the final day of camp unable to see out of his right eye. He was diagnosed with glaucoma (unrelated to the season-ending hit-by-pitch), and placed on the Injured List for the first time in his career. Four surgeries did nothing to improve his vision before he officially announced his retirement.
July 12, 2001
Three Twins Have Two-HR Games
Torii Hunter, Corey Koskie, and Jacque Jones hit two home runs each in the Twins’ first-ever game at new Miller Park in Milwaukee on this date in 2001. Doug Mientkiewicz only hit one, as he, Koskie, and Hunter went back-to-back-to-back in the third inning.
It was Hunter’s fourth consecutive game with multiple extra-base hits, tying a team record set by Matt Lawton just three days earlier. Remarkably, they are still the only two such streaks in team history, and they overlapped!
July 13, 1894
Tigers Pitcher Born in Sturgeon Lake
Four-year major league pitcher George Cunningham was born in Sturgeon Lake, MN on this date in 1894. He made 123 appearances (36 starts) with the Detroit Tigers between 1916 and 1919.
July 13
Happy Birthday, Jerry Terrell
1964 Waterville High School graduate, Mankato State all-time great, and eight-year major league infielder Jerry Terrell was born in Waseca on this date in 1946.
Terrell played for the Twins from 1973 to ’77, and the Royals from 1978 to 1980.
He set a Twins record by grounding into three double plays in a 12-3 win in Seattle on April 11, 1977 (José Morales matched the feat on May 17, 1980).
July 13, 1971
Killebrew Homers in All-Star Game
Home runs from Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, and Harmon Killebrew powered the American League to a 6-4 victory in the All-Star Game at Tiger Stadium on this date in 1971.
Killer also homered in the 1961 and ’65 All-Star Games, with the ’65 midsummer classic being held at Met Stadium in Bloomington.
July 13, 1976
Wynegar Becomes Twins’ Youngest All-Star
20-year-old catcher Butch Wynegar became the youngest Twins player to appear in an All-Star Game on this date in 1976.
July 13, 1979
Smalley’s Average Finally Dips Below .350
Shortstop Roy Smalley went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 6-4 Twins win in Toronto on this date in 1979, dropping his average below .350 for the first time since Opening Day.
He was hitting over .400 as late as May 20.
Smalley started all 162 games that season—161 at shortstop. On August 6, he was suffering from a sprained ankle, so manager Gene Mauch asked if he could at least trot. The trainer taped him up and Mauch started him at first base. Sure enough, Smalley hit a home run and trotted around the bases!
July 13, 1993
Puckett Named All-Star Game MVP
Twins center fielder Kirby Puckett homered off future Twin Terry Mulholland and doubled to drive in Ken Griffey Jr. en route to being named Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game on this date in 1993
Rick Aguilera pitched a scoreless top of the eighth in the 9-3 American League win in Baltimore.
July 13, 1996
Becker Hits for 13 Total Bases
On This Date in 1996: The day after Kirby Puckett announced his retirement, Twins center fielder Rich Becker went 4-for-6 with two home runs, a triple, and a double in a 19-11 loss to Cleveland at home in the Dome. Those 13 total bases are tied for second-most in Twins history.
Kirby Puckett, of course, holds the team record with 14 total bases. Do you remember the year and the city? How about the day of the week? Flex your Twins Trivia knowledge in the comments at the bottom of the page.
July 14, 1991
Twins Retire Number 6
The Twins retired Tony Oliva‘s number 6 on this date in 1991.
They retired Rod Carew‘s number in 1987. Coincidence?
July 14, 2008
Morneau Wins Home Run Derby
Justin Morneau won the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium on this date in 2008, beating Josh Hamilton, who just didn’t have the stamina to keep up.
July 14, 2012
Ace Inducted into Team HOF
Camilo Pascual was inducted as the 24th member of the Twins Hall of Fame on this date in 2012. He was already a bona fide ace when the Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961.
Pascual—who Ted Williams said had the most feared curveball in the American League—was sensational over the Twins’ first four seasons in Minnesota. He led the American League in strikeouts in 1961, ’62, and ’63, and led the majors in shutouts in 1959, ’61, and ’62.
He pitched back-to-back shutouts three separate times during the Twins’ inaugural 1961 season, and once again in 1962.
Over the six-year period from 1958 to 1963, no pitcher in MLB racked up a higher cumulative WAR (32.0 as retroactively calculated by Baseball Reference).
On April 27, 1965, he hit the only grand slam by a pitcher in Twins history. (He had also hit a grand slam on August 14, 1960—the Senators’ final season in Washington.)
Following his playing career, Pascual became a scout. Two of his more noteworthy signings were Jose Canseco for the Athletics in 1982 and Alex Cora for the Dodgers in 1996.
July 14, 2017
Dozier Breaks Team Leadoff Home Run Record
On the second pitch back from the All-Star break, Brian Dozier hit his 21st leadoff home run, passing Jacque Jones for most in Twins history.
Dozier hit his 22nd leadoff home run the next day, and wound up hitting 28 for the Twins before being traded to the Dodgers on July 31, 2018.
It doesn’t count toward his official total, but Dozier led off the 2017 Wild Card Game with a home run. Eddie Rosario added a two-run homer to give the Twins a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Yankees tied it up in the bottom of the inning and went on to beat the Twins, because of course they did.
It also doesn’t count toward his leadoff home run total, but Dozier scored on a leadoff bunt in Detroit on September 23, 2017. The third baseman committed a throwing error and Dozier circled the bases (a “Little League home run,” if you will).
July 15, 1964
Grant Pitches 13-Hit Shutout
Despite giving up 13 hits and a walk, Jim “Mudcat” Grant pitched a complete game shutout of the Senators for a 6-0 Twins win in Bloomington on this date in 1964. He allowed a baserunner in eight of nine innings.
Thirteen is the most hits ever allowed by a Twins pitcher in a shutout.
Read my blog post on high-hit shutouts in Twins history ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/high-hit-shutouts/
July 15, 1967
Twins Hit Back-to-Back Homers for Walk-Off Win
Trailing the Kansas City A’s 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva homered on the first two pitches of the inning for a walk-off win on this date in 1967.
The Twins’ first run came on a Killebrew homer in the first. See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/MIN/...
July 15, 1974
Twins Win On Third-Straight Walk-Off
The Twins had their third straight walk-off win on this date in 1974. On the 13th, it was a Rod Carew single. On the 14th, a Steve Braun homer. And on this date, a Steve Brye single for a 4-3 win over the Brewers.
July 15, 1990
St. Cloud State Alumni Meet in the Majors
1977 St. Cloud Tech graduate Jim Eisenreich went 1-for-2 with a walk and a double versus 1979 Fairfax graduate and former St. Cloud State teammate Dana Kiecker in a 13-4 Royals win at Fenway on this date in 1990. It was the first time that St. Cloud State alumni played against each other in the major leagues.
In total, Eisenreich went 4-for-8 with a walk and two doubles versus Kiecker between 1990 and 1991.
July 16, 1938
Minnesota Native Fatally Beaned
23-year-old Albany, Minnesota native Linus “Skeets” Ebnet was beaned playing for the Northern League Winnipeg Maroons on this date in 1938. He died five days later.
21-year-old Scott Young (Neil’s dad) was covering the game for the local paper.
Ebnet had been a player/coach for St. John’s University that spring.
July 16, 1969
Carew Steals Home for 7th Time of Season
Second baseman Rod Carew stole home for the seventh time of the season on this date in 1969. He went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored altogether in the 9-8 Twins win in Game 1 of a doubleheader sweep against the White Sox at Met Stadium.
The single-season record for steals of home is eight by Ty Cobb in 1912. Several sources insist Carew rightfully should have had his eighth steal of home in Seattle on September 26, but the umpire—whose view was possibly obstructed—made the incorrect call. Carew started throwing stuff and got himself ejected. Manager Billy Martin was also displeased.
July 16, 1985
Big Fella Attends First Big League Game
Remarkably, the All-Star Game at the Metrodome on this date in 1985 was the first major league game Wayne “Big Fella” Hattaway ever attended in his life! He was 45 years old and had been working in the Twins minor league system for 23 years at that point. He came close way back in 1969. Farm director George Brophy told him if the Twins beat the Orioles in the ALCS, they would fly him to Minnesota for the World Series. Unfortunately, Baltimore swept Minnesota in three games that year and again in 1970.
July 16, 2003
Twins Acquire Stewart
The Twins traded Bobby Kielty to the Blue Jays for Shannon Stewart and a player to be named later (pitcher Dave Gassner) on this date in 2003. Stewart was instrumental in getting the Twins to their second consecutive postseason, batting .322 in 65 games with the team and coming in fourth in AL MVP balloting.
July 17, 1921
Birthdate of Toni Stone
Trailblazing professional baseball player Toni Stone was born in West Virginia on this date in 1921. Her family moved to St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood when she was 10. She became the first woman to play regularly in men’s professional baseball, driving in two runs in her first at-bat with the Negro League San Francisco Sea Lions in 1949. In 1953, she played 50 games with the Indianapolis Clowns, primarily at second base. (The Clowns second baseman the previous year was Henry Aaron.)
One of her most memorable moments was getting a hit off Satchel Paige.
July 17, 1969
Kaat Commits Three Errors
Sixteen-time Gold Glove winner Jim Kaat committed three errors in an 8-5 Twins win over the White Sox at Met Stadium on this date in 1969.
Back when Kaat was on Twitter, he commented to me that he was playing through a groin injury and received a Novocaine shot before every start. He said he was glad teams didn’t bunt on him more!
July 16–17, 1982
Minnesotans Beat Twins in Back-to-Back Games
Minnesota natives Jack Morris and Jerry Ujdur earned the win for the Tigers at the Metrodome on consecutive nights on July 16 and this date in 1982. Morris graduated from St. Paul’s Highland Park High School. Ujdur graduated from Hermantown and is the second-winningest pitcher in University of Minnesota history.
July 17, 1990
Twins Turn Two Triple Plays
Gary Gaetti, Al Newman, and Kent Hrbek turned an unprecedented two triple plays at Fenway Park on this date in 1990, with Tom Brunansky hitting into the first one. (The Twins still lost the game 1-0.)
The next night the Twins tied an American League record by turning six double plays, and the two teams together tied the American League record with 10 combined double plays in a 5-4 Twins loss.
July 17, 1992
Puckett Plays Infield
Kirby Puckett played 3B, SS, and 2B in the ninth and 10th innings on this date in 1992.
It was Boston pitcher Frank Viola’s first game back at the Metrodome, and he pitched well, but the Twins walked it off against Jeff Reardon in the 10th.
In the 10th, Kent Hrbek reached on a fielder’s choice for the first out. Boston then brought in their closer Jeff Reardon. With reigning Rookie of the Year Chuck Knoblauch at-bat, Hrbie stole second and advanced to third on an error on the play, then scored the walk-off run on an infield-single by Knoblauch.
Tom Kelly was pulling a lot of strings late in this game, but I think what Kirby playing infield boils down to is Hrbek pinch-hitting for the shortstop Greg Gagne in the bottom of the eighth. TK brought Kirby into the infield, and I’m guessing moved him around each at-bat to where he was least likely to be hit to. (And he wasn’t.) The Twins used 14 position players in the game.
July 17–18, 1999
Hocking Leads Off Consecutive Games with a Home Run
Denny Hocking homered on Cubs pitcher Terry Mulholland’s first pitch of the game on this date in 1999. Hocking also led off the game with a homer the next night in St. Louis.
Fun Fact: Kirby Puckett homered on the first pitch of the game on back-to-back days in Detroit in May 1986, with the first coming off Jack Morris. That gave Kirby 11 homers in the Twins’ first 24 games (after hitting just four in 1985, and zero as a rookie in 1984).
July 17, 2011
Thome Hits Longest Home Run in Target Field History
Jim Thome hit a staggering 490-foot three-run blast in a 4-3 win over the Royals on this date in 2011. It was the longest home run in Target Field history until Miguel Sanó hit one 496 feet on September 17, 2019. (It’s still number two on the list according to the 2025 Media Guide.)
July 18, 1887
Birthdate of Bert Brenner
Bert Brenner was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1887. He made two appearances (one start) with the Cleveland Naps in 1912. Read his SABR bio by Chris Rainey ⇨ SABR.org/bioproj/person/98bfe462
July 18
Happy Birthday, Glenn Williams
Happy 48th birthday to former Twins third baseman Glenn Williams, owner of a career .425 major league batting average.
The Australia native connected for at least one hit in all 13 major league games in which he played in 2005 before being injured.
July 18, 1962
Twins Hit Two Grand Slams in First Inning
It was Killebrew’s fifth straight game with multiple runs batted in, setting a team record not matched until Paul Molitor in 1996.
Young Patrick Reusse—who had recently moved from Fulda to Prior Lake—was sitting solo in an unused seat four rows behind home plate.
Nimrod, MN native Dick Stigman earned the complete-game 14-3 win.
July 19, 1961
Pascual Establishes Longstanding Strikeout Record
Camilo Pascual struck out 15, pitching a five-hit (one-walk) shutout for a 6-0 Twins win in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on this date in 1961.
Those 15 strikeouts are still in a five-way tie for second-most in Twins history. After 46 years, Johan Santana finally broke the record with 17 strikeouts in just eight innings on August 19, 2007. Other Twins with 15 strikeouts in a game: Joe Decker, Jerry Koosman, Bert Blyleven, and Francisco Liriano.
See all six 15+ strikeout games in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/FLMfi
July 19, 1966
Twins third base coach Billy Martin gave traveling secretary Howard Fox a bloody nose in the lobby of a DC hotel on this date in 1966. Who remembers what this fight was about?
July 19, 1982
Brunansky Hits Inside-the-Park Grand Slam
Tom Brunansky hit the only inside-the-park grand slam in Twins history in the bottom of the third on this date in 1982. Remarkably, it was the Twins’ first hit of the game! Brewers shortstop Paul Molitor committed two errors in the inning, and Jerry Augustine walked a batter to load the bases. Center fielder Gorman Thomas dove for Bruno’s liner and totally missed. All four runs were unearned.
John Castino and Lenny Faedo added solo homers for a 6-4 Twins win.
July 19, 1986
Mets’ Wild Night Out
Future Twins closer Rick Aguilera, former Twins infielder Tim Teufel, and their Mets teammates Bobby Ojeda and Ron Darling were arrested after an altercation with policemen outside a Houston bar on this date in 1986. (Spoiler: They went on to win the World Series that year.)
July 19, 1987
Twins Retire Carew’s Number
The Twins retired Rod Carew‘s number 29 on this date in 1987. They retired Tony Oliva‘s number 6 in 1991. Coincidence?
July 19, 1989
Carter Hits Three Home Runs (Again)
Cleveland LF Joe Carter hit three homers at the Metrodome on this date in 1989. Remarkably, it was his second three-home run game in less than a month, and the fourth of his career. He did it a fifth time in 1993.
Kirby Puckett robbed rookie Albert Belle of a home run in the game (but he hit one later anyway). If anyone can find a clip of that catch, that would be awesome.
July 20, 1896
Birthdate of Ollie Fuhrman
Ollie Fuhrman was born in Jordan, MN on this date in 1896. He got into seven major league games with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1922 as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement at catcher (he never started a game) going 2-for-6 with a double and run scored. Hey, he has a lifetime .333 MLB batting average!
Major league baseball has been played for 149 years. Only 188 major leaguers have been born in Minnesota.
July 20, 1927
’27 Yankees Play in St. Paul
The Yankees narrowly beat the Saints 9-8 in an exhibition game in St. Paul on this date in 1927 (a pretty good season for the Yankees). Winona native Julie Wera played in the game for the Yankees and scored on a home run by catcher Pat Collins. (Wera hit his only MLB home run in front of a record crowd of 74,000 at Yankee Stadium on the Fourth of July that year.)
According to SABR historian Rich Bogovich, the Yankees were stealing signs! Can you believe it? The vaunted ’27 Yankees stealing signs to win an exhibition game against the minor-league St. Paul Saints.
How did Babe Ruth spend the winter prior to his famous 60-home run season in ’27? Well, in part by embarking on a 12-week vaudeville tour that included stops in Minneapolis and Duluth in November. He went duck hunting in northern Minnesota with Hall of Famers Harry Heilmann and Heinie Manush between tour engagements in Duluth and Fargo.
July 20
Happy Birthday, Tony Oliva
Hall of Famer Tony Oliva was born in Pinar del Río, Cuba on this date in 1938.
He is one of six players in major league history to lead their league in hits five times, along with Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Tony Gwynn, and Ichiro.
He and Kirby Puckett are two of only eight players to lead their league in hits for three-straight seasons. The others are Wisconsin native Ginger Beaumont, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Johnny Pesky (interrupted by service in WWII), Ichiro, and José Altuve*.
What’s your favorite memory, stat, or fun fact about Tony O? Let’s get a conversation going down in the comments sections below.
July 20, 1955
The photo for Clearbook, Minnesota native Wes Westrum’s 1956 Topps card was taken at the Polo Grounds on this date in 1955, as Giants second baseman Wayne Terwilliger threw out the Cardinals’ Ken Boyer attempting to score.
Esteemed SABR member Cary Smith did the sleuthing on this.
July 20, 1969
Pitcher Wins Two Games in One Day
Jim Perry earned two wins on this date in 1969, first pitching two perfect innings of relief before pitching a complete-game shutout.
In a game resumed from the night before, Perry pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 17th. Then, in the top of the 18th, he hit a double and eventually scored the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded balk. He then pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 18th to secure an 11-7 win in Seattle versus the short-lived Pilots.
Perry then went back out there and pitched a complete-game shutout for a 4-0 Twins win in the day’s regularly scheduled game.
The first win is officially listed as July 19—when the game began—but Perry did all of his pitching on July 20.
July 20, 2000
Catching Prospect Drives In 10 Runs
Twins catching prospect Justin Morneau set a Gulf Coast League record with TEN runs batted in on this date in 2000, going 5-for-5 with a grand slam and three-run homer.
July 20, 2009
Morneau Drives in Seven, But Twins Blow 10-Run Lead
Justin Morneau hit a grand slam in the second inning and three-run homer in the third but the Twins blew a 10-run lead for a tough loss in Oakland on this date in 2009.
The Twins led 12-2 after the top of the third (with Morneau driving in seven runs), and led 13-7 going into the bottom of the seventh, but ultimately lost 14-13.
1997 Austin graduate Michael Wuertz pitched the ninth for the A’s, and got Nick Punto and Justin Morneau swinging to start the inning. But then Michael Cuddyer doubled, putting the tying run on second with two out. Wuertz bounced a pitch that got past catcher Kurt Suzuki, who had trouble finding the ball. Cuddyer tried scoring the tying run all the way from second, but was called out. The video, however, clearly shows he was safe. Here it is on YouTube ⇨ www.YouTube.com/watch…
See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/OAK/...
Morneau’s seven-RBI game was the 16th such performance in Twins history.
July 21, 1950
Birthdate of Mike Cubbage
Former Twins third baseman Mike Cubbage was born in Virginia on this date in 1950. He hit for the fifth cycle in team history on July 27, 1978.
He had a 17-for-23 (.739) stretch in his first pro season at low-A Geneva, NY in 1971. His first major league hit was a grand slam with the Rangers in June 1975, after going 0-for-15 over two big-league stints in 1974. He came to the Twins as part of the June 1976 trade that also brought Roy Smalley to Minnesota and sent Bert Blyleven and Danny Thompson to Texas.
June 17–21, 1953
Repulski Hot Streak
Rookie Rip Repulski (Sauk Rapids class of ’46) went on a torrid six-game tear, going 15-for-24 (.625) with three home runs between July 17 and this date in 1953. He hit .447 altogether on the 12-game road trip, with at least one hit in all but one game. (Unfortunately, the Cardinals went 4-8.)
July 20–21, 1963
First Baseman Has Back-to-Back Multi-HR Games
Don Mincher hit two home runs each in consecutive home games on July 20 and 21, 1963.
He was the first of just four players in Twins history to have back-to-back multi-homer games:
• Kirby Puckett, 1987
• Eddie Rosario, 2019
• Byron Buxton, 2022
July 21, 1965
Oliva Has Five-Hit Game
There have been 61 five-hit games in Twins history, and Tony Oliva had two of them just eight days apart in 1965—on this date, and again on the 28th.
July 21, 1966
Pitcher Strikes Out Seven Straight
Jim Merritt struck out seven straight Senators while pitching a three-hit shutout on this date in 1966. Seven consecutive K’s established a Twins record tied by Francisco Liriano on June 11, 2010, and broken by Kenta Maeda when he K’ed eight straight on August 18, 2020.
The Twins’ only run in the 1-0 win came when Don Mincher scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth.
July 21, 1988
Lombardozzi Visits Gladden at Home
Steve Lombardozzi ill-advisedly showed up at Dan “Wrench” Gladden’s house on this morning in 1988.
July 21, 2018
New Twins Career Doubles Leader
Joe Mauer led off the game in Kansas City with his 415th career double on this date in 2018, surpassing Kirby Puckett as the Twins career leader.
July 21, 2018
Morris and Thome Inducted in Cooperstown
St. Paul native Jack Morris and former Twin Jim Thome were inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Allan Trammell, Chipper Jones, Trevor Hoffman, and Vladimir Guerrero on this date in 2018.
July 22, 1985
Hrbek Hits Second Grand Slam in Five Days
Bloomington native Kent Hrbek hit his second grand slam in five days on this date in 1985. He hit a third grand slam less than a month later—on August 15—tying the Twins’ single-season record. Royce Lewis set a new record by hitting four grand slams over a 20-day span as a rookie in 2023. (He only played 58 games in 2023. He originally came up in 2022 and hit a grand slam for his first career home run!)
Other Twins with three grand slams in a season: Bob Allison (1961), Rod Carew (1976), Kirby Puckett (1992), and Torii Hunter (2007).
Hrbek’s July 22 grand slam came in the five-run second inning of a 5-4 Twins win over the Orioles at home in the Dome. The one five days earlier was a big game-winner in the bottom of the seventh of an 8-4 win over the Yankees.
July 22, 1991
Twins Play Midseason Exhibition in Cooperstown
The Twins played the San Francisco Giants (and Minnesota native Mike Kingery) in the Hall of Fame Game on this date in 1991—the year Rod Carew was inducted.
The Twins homered in each of the first three innings. Rumor has it Kent Hrbek’s homer cleared the bleachers.
July 22, 2001
Former Twin Goes Out with Four-K Inning
Former Twin Frankie Rodriguez struck out four batters in his final major league inning on this date in 2001.
Bonus Fact: Twins reliever Jesse Orosco’s final major league pitch resulted in a walk-off strikeout. (Batter swung at a wild pitch and the runner scored from third.)
July 22, 2002
Jones Goes 5-for-6 with Home Run
Leadoff hitter Jacque Jones went 5-for-6 with two doubles and a home run in an 11-6 Twins win at Comiskey Park on this date in 2002.
July 22, 2004
Baldelli Hits Grand Slam at the Metrodome
Devil Rays center fielder Rocco Baldelli hit a game-tying grand slam off Twins reliever Juan Rincón in the top of the eighth on this date in 2004.
Fortunately, Michael Cuddyer hit an 0-2 homer leading off the bottom of the inning to put the Twins back in front to stay.
July 22, 2012
Doumit Homers from Both Sides
Designated hitter Ryan Doumit homered from both sides of the plate, and hit a two-run single in a 7-5 Twins win in Kansas City on this date in 2012. To date, five Twins have homered from both sides in a game: Roy Smalley, Chili Davis, Doumit, Kennys Vargas, and Jorge Polanco.
Right after Doumit did it, Chili was in town with the A’s and Smalley was working the game for FSN. The three took a picture together and signed three baseballs for each other with the dates they accomplished the feat.
July 22, 2019
Catcher Has Third Multi-HR Game of the Season
Mitch Garver had his third multi-home run game of the season on this date in 2019, setting a new single-season record for Twins catchers.
He finished the season with five multi-homer games, setting a new team CAREER record for catchers in just one season.
July 23
Happy Birthday, Brad Skoglund
Happy 65th birthday to Willmar native Brad Skoglund.
Fun Fact: He was teammates with Mike Trout’s dad Jeff at Wisconsin Rapids in the Twins organization in 1983.
Longtime teacher and baseball coach in Paynesville. Reportedly an excellent badminton and floor hockey player.
July 23, 1895
Werden Hits Four Home Runs
Millers first baseman Perry Werden hit four home runs in an 18-5 win over the Detroit Tigers at Hiawatha Park in Minneapolis on this date in 1895.
He hit two home runs the day before, going 9-for-9 between the two games.
Werden hit .417 with a league-leading 43 home runs in 1894, and .428 with a league-leading 45 home runs in 1895. Those 45 home runs stood as professional baseball’s single-season record for 25 years until the Yankees’ Babe Ruth hit 54 in 1920.
Minnesota sports history writer Joel Rippel wrote about Werden’s record-setting 1895 season and the 1890s Minneapolis Millers ⇨ SABR.org/research/perry-werden…
Millers teammate Bill Kuehne also had a four-home run game back on June 11 of that year.
Bonus Fact: St. Paul native Jack Crooks had the first four-home run game in professional baseball history playing in St. Paul for the visiting Omaha Omahogs in 1889. See my blog post on four-homer games in Minnesota baseball history ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/4-HR-Games/
July 23, 1964
Campaneris Homers on First MLB Pitch
Kansas City A’s shortstop Bert Campaneris homered on his first major league pitch from Jim Kaat on this date in 1964. Campy hit his second career homer off Kitty in the seventh. The Athletics beat the Twins 4-3 in 11 innings at the Met.
Pretty remarkable debut, especially considering the six-time All-Star averaged just 5.5 home runs per 162 games over his 19-year MLB career. He led the American League in stolen bases six out of his first nine seasons.
July 23, 1987
Wohler Pitches a Gem
Bird Island-Lake Lillian graduate Barry Wohler pitched a four-hit shutout for the double-A San Antonio Dodgers on this date in 1987. The previous offseason, he was a standout member of the St. Cloud State basketball team that fell one win short of the Division II Final Four. (The 1981 high school graduate took classes at SCSU during the baseball offseasons.)
He pitched a no-hitter at single-A Vero Beach in 1985.
July 23, 2009
Buehrle Pitches Perfect Game
Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect game on this date in 2009. His next start was against the Twins at the Metrodome and he retired the first 17 batters for a record 45 straight batters retired (including one out in the game prior to his perfect game). Despite the Twins’ slow start in the July 28 game, they won 5-3.
July 23, 2019
The Hicks Game
Former Twin Aaron Hicks put his stamp on an incredible regular season game between the Twins and Yankees on this date in 2019, hitting a dramatic two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth and making a remarkable diving catch to end the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th.
July 24, 1961
Twins Sign Oliva
Twins scout Joe Cambria signed a hard-hitting 22-year-old Cuban kid named Tony Oliva on this date in 1961. Cambria—a legendary scout—also signed Camilo Pascual and Zoilo Versalles when the team was still in Washington.
July 24, 1963
Kaat Homers While Pitching a Shutout
Jim Kaat pitched a shutout and hit a three-run homer as the Twins swept a doubleheader in Cleveland on this date in 1963.
Nimrod native Dick Stigman pitched a shutout in Game 1.
A Twins pitcher has homered while pitching a shutout three times: Jim Perry did it in 1968, and Kitty did it a second time in 1970.
July 24, 1976
Fourth Cycle in Twins History
Lyman Bostock hit for the fourth cycle in Twins history on this date in 1976. Twelve players have hit for the cycle in Twins history. How many can you name? Flex your knowledge of Twins history down in the comments section below.
July 24, 1992
Erickson Pitches One-Hitter
Scott Erickson pitched a one-hit shutout at Fenway Park on this date in 1992. Designated hitter Tom Brunansky got Boston’s only hit leading off the second.
Randy Bush hit an RBI double and home run off Roger Clemens in the 5-0 Twins win. Scott Erickson got his no-hitter in April 1994.
July 24, 1998
Woman Wins First Game
Duluth-Superior Dukes starter Ila Borders became the first woman to win a men’s professional baseball game on this date in 1998, pitching six scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over the Sioux Falls Canaries at Wade Stadium.
July 24–27, 2010
Valencia Heats Up
Rookie third baseman Danny Valencia went 14-for-19 with four doubles and a home run over a four-game stretch between July 24 and this date in 2010 as the Twins outscored the Orioles and Royals 47-9 on the road.
July 24, 2020
Kepler Homers on First Pitch of the Season
After Opening Day was pushed back almost four months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, leadoff hitter Max Kepler homered on the first pitch of the season, and homered again in the second inning of a 10-5 Twins win in Chicago on this date in 2020.
July 25
Happy 51st birthday to Chris Schwab, who the Montreal Expos drafted in the first round, 18th overall, out of Cretin-Derham Hall in 1993, two spots ahead of Torii Hunter. (Alex Rodriguez was the first-overall pick that year.)
Unfortunately, he never made it past Double-A and played his final professional season at age 26 with the independent Duluth-Superior Dukes and St. Paul Saints.
July 25, 1961
Edina-Morningside Graduate Has Triumphant Homecoming
Edina-Morningside graduate Bob “Rocky” Johnson had a triumphant homecoming on this date in 1961. Playing for the new Washington Senators, he singled to center off the Twins’ Jack Kralick in each of his first two major-league at-bats on Minnesota soil. (Just to clarify, this was his 82nd MLB game overall, but his first playing in Minnesota.)
July 25, 1977
Goltz Earns 11-Inning Win
Minnesota native Dave Goltz went all 11 innings (180 pitches) in a 2-1 Twins win over Oakland on this date in 1977. He tied for the American League lead with 20 wins that season. Also worth noting that no American League pitcher has pitched 300 innings since Goltz and Jim Palmer did so that season.
Larry Hisle drove in Rod Carew with the walk-off single in this 11-inning game, which only took two hours and 39 minutes.
July 25, 1991
Bemidji Grad Makes MLB Debut
27-year-old Bemidji grad and Golden Gophers all-time great Bryan Hickerson made his major league debut on this date in 1991, pitching a 1-2-3 top of the ninth in an 8-1 Giants win over the Mets, striking out Kevin McReynolds and Howard Johnson, and grounding out Vince Coleman. Not a bad start in “The Show,” huh?
Hickerson was drafted by the Twins in 1986 but sent to San Francisco as part of the Dan Gladden trade in 1987.
July 25, 1997
40-Year-Old DH Has 2-HR Game
July 26, 1967
Merritt Pitches 13 Innings
Starting pitcher Jim Merritt pitched a Twins record 13 innings in a 3-2, 18-inning win at Yankee Stadium on this date in 1967. Mickey Mantle went 0-for-6 with a walk in the game. The winning run scored when Rod Carew walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, and scored on a Rich Rollins hit to the shortstop. Small ball for the win!
July 26, 1976
Blyleven Dominates in Return to Minnesota
In his first game against the Twins since being traded to the Rangers at the beginning of June, Bert Blyleven pitched a two-hit shutout at Met Stadium on this date in 1976. Dave Goltz took the tough-luck loss for the Twins, holding the Rangers to three runs (two earned) over 8.1 innings.
July 26, 1987
Molitor Steals Second, Third, and Home
St. Paul native Paul Molitor singled and stole second, third, and home in the bottom of the first on this date in 1987. The leadoff-hitting DH finished a home run shy of the cycle in the 7-4 Brewers win over Oakland.
July 26, 1992
Twins fans must have been feeling pretty good on this date in 1992, as their defending World Series Champions had a three-game lead in the AL West.
“There was no single explanation for their collapse,” wrote legendary sportswriter Roger Angell, “because so many things went wrong at the same time.”
July 26, 2004
Hunter Steamrolls Catcher
Torii Hunter steamrolled White Sox catcher Jamie Burke on this date in 2004. Burke spent the night in the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion. “I feel like a truck hit me,” Burke said.
July 26, 2010
Twins Connect for 11 Extra-Base Hits
The Twins connected for 20 hits—11 for extra bases—in a 19-1 win in Kansas City on this date in 2010.
Mauer went 5-for-5 with a home run and seven RBI. Danny Valencia went 4-for-4, hitting his first major league home run—a two-out opposite field grand slam off reigning Cy Young winner Zack Greinke in the first.
Joe Mauer was just the third catcher in major league history with five hits and seven RBI in a game. (The first two were Walker Cooper in 1949 and Victor Martinez in 2004.)
Danny Valencia is the only player in Twins history to hit a grand slam for his first major league home run.
July 26, 2019
Cruz Homers in Fifth Straight Game
Nelson Cruz homered in his fifth straight game on this date in 2019, tying the Twins record. He hit three home runs the previous day, and, remarkably, had a second three-home run game just nine days later.
Three previous Twins had five-game home run streaks. Harmon Killebrew did it in 1964 and on two separate occasions in 1970. Marty Cordova did it in 1995 in just his 23rd major league game. And Brian Dozier did it in 2016, also with a three-homer game mixed in.
July 26, 2020
40-Year-Old Hits for 12 Total Bases, Drives In Seven
On This Date in 2020: In just the third game of the COVID-shortened season, 40-year-old DH Nelson Cruz hit two home runs, two doubles, knocked in seven, and scored four runs in a 14-2 Twins win in Chicago.
He was just the sixth player in MLB history age 40+ with 12 or more total bases in a game. Babe Ruth holds the record with 13, and Stan Musial, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson, and Jason Giambi also had 12-total base games after age 40. Cruz was just the fourth player in his 40s with seven RBI in a game (Musial, Jackson, Giambi).
July 27, 1896
World Series Champion Born in Pine City
Fifteen-year major league pitcher and two-time World Series Champion Rube Walberg was born in Pine City, Minnesota on this date in 1896. Remarkably, Walberg was one of three pitchers from northern Minnesota to win rings under Philadelphia A’s manager Connie Mack, along with Hall of Famer Charles Bender and “Bullet” Joe Bush, both born near Brainerd.
Fun Fact: Walberg gave up more home runs to Babe Ruth (17) than any other pitcher.
July 27, 1971
Killebrew-Oliva One-Two Punch
The Twins and Senators entered the ninth inning tied 2-2 on this date in 1971, but two Hall of Famers wrapped things up pretty efficiently. Harmon Killebrew led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left and the next batter, Tony Oliva, sent the Met Stadium crowd home with a walk-off homer.
July 27, 1978
Fifth Cycle in Team History
Mike Cubbage hit for the fifth cycle in Twins history on this date in 1978, driving in four runs in a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays at Met Stadium. Stan Perzanowski earned the complete-game win in his Twins debut. Remarkably, it was Perzanowski’s first major league appearance in over two years.
July 27, 1983
Longest Home Run in Metrodome History
Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ben Oglivie hit the longest home run in Metrodome history on this date in 1983, measured at 481 feet. Interestingly, hometown hero Kent Hrbek hit a home run off knuckleballer Charlie Hough the next season measured at 480 feet. Considering what an imprecise science estimating home run distances is, it’s interesting that they couldn’t tack on another foot or two on to Hrbie’s.
July 27, 1996
Molly’s Multiple-RBI Streak
Paul Molitor went 4-for-4 with two triples and two RBI in a Twins loss to the Red Sox on this date in 1996. It was his fifth straight game with multiple runs batted in, tying Harmon Killebrew’s team record established in 1962. Molly went 13-for-20 with 12 RBI over the five games.
July 27, 2004
Koskie Plunked Three Times
White Sox pitchers plunked Corey Koskie three times in a Twins win in Chicago on this date in 2004. What arcane unwritten rule do you think Koskie violated to incur the wrath of Ozzie Guillén?
July 27, 2010
Road Warriors
The Twins scored double-digit runs in three-straight road games from July 25 to this date in 2010, outscoring the Orioles and Royals 40-7. They connected for 58 hits over the three games. Danny Valencia had four straight games with at least three hits (one game shy of Rod Carew’s team record for consecutive three-hit games).
July 28, 1925
Duluth Native Hits First MLB Home Run
After connecting for a pinch-hit RBI single off Walter Johnson in the sixth inning, Duluth native Spence Harris hit an inside-the-park grand slam off the Senators’ Curly Ogden in the ninth for his first major league homer on this date in 1925.
Harris—who spent his formative years in Seattle—is minor league baseball’s all-time hits, doubles, and runs leader.
July 28, 1965
Oliva Gets Five Hits—Again
There have been 61 five-hit games in Twins history. Tony Oliva had his second in the span of just eight days on this date in 1965.
Can you name all three Twins players to have five-hit games in the past two seasons? Flex your Twins trivia knowledge in the comments section below.
July 28, 1974
Killer and Carew Hit Pinch-Hit Homers off Reliever Nolan Ryan
Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew both hit pinch-hit home runs off Nolan Ryan in his final career relief appearance on this date in 1974. (Killebrew and Carew pinch hitting? Ryan relieving? What a strange entry this was for me to write.)
Ryan had pitched a complete game three days earlier, and would pitch a 10-inning complete game two days later. Built different.
July 28, 1993
Griffey Jr. Homers in Eighth Straight
On this date in 1993, Ken Griffey Jr. led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run off Willie Banks, giving Junior a homer in eight straight games, tying Dale Long and Don Mattingly’s major league record.
Banks may have lost the battle with Griffey, but he won the war, holding the Mariners to just the one run on three hits over seven innings.
Dave Winfield homered off Randy Johnson in the 5-1 Twins win.
July 28, 1995
Masteller Hits First HR off Cy Young Winner
Twins first baseman Dan Masteller’s first career home run was a walk-off off former Cy Young winner Jack McDowell on this date in 1995.
His second homer was a pinch-hit game-tying homer off Hall of Famer Lee Smith in September. And his third and final career home run came off All-Star Kevin Appier. If you’re only going to hit three career home runs, those are three pretty good names to do it against.
July 24–28, 1998
Walker Connects for Nine-Straight Hits
Second baseman Todd Walker collected nine-straight hits between July 24 and this date in 1998, which at the time tied Tony Oliva and Mickey Hatcher’s team record until José Miranda upped the record to 12-straight earlier this month.
Walker’s streak raised his average to .352, and he finished the season batting a career-high .316.
July 28, 2002
Hill-Murray Grad Hits for Cycle
1995 Hill-Murray graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Robb Quinlan hit for the cycle, going 5-for-6 with two home runs for the triple-A Salt Lake Bees on this date in 2002.
(Fun Fact: His brother Tom Quinlan hit three home runs for the Salt Lake Buzz on this same date in 1995.)
July 28, 2009
Buehrle Makes History
After pitching a perfect game in his previous start, White Sox ace Mark Buehrle retired the first 17 batters faced at the Metrodome on this date in 2009, for a record 45 consecutive batters retired. Despite the slow start, the Twins won the game 5-3.
July 24–28, 2010
Eighty-Six Hits in Five Games
The Twins connected for an eye-popping 86 hits over a five-game stretch on the road in Baltimore and Kansas City between July 24 and this date in 2010. That’s an average of over 17 hits per game!
July 28, 2012
Twins Trade Liriano for Escobar
The Twins traded Francisco Liriano to the White Sox for all-time fan favorite Eduardo Escobar and pitcher Pedro Hernández on this date in 2012.
July 28, 2021
Twins Hit Seven Homers and Lose
The Twins outhomered the Tigers seven-to-none at Target Field on this date in 2021, but still lost 17-14. The Twins are the only team in MLB history to outhomer their opponent of seven and lose (and the Tigers are the only team to be outhomered by seven and win). The fourth inning alone saw a lot of offense, with the Tigers scoring eight runs and the Twins six.
July 30, 1966
Boswell Pitches One-Hitter