The Twins Almanac for July 4, 2025: Fireworks from Julie Wera and Julio Becquer

[Matt Johnson]

In Today's Almanac:

• Winona native hits only career HR in front of record crowd
• Twin hits Fourth of July pinch-hit walk-off grand slam
• Killebrew hits first inside-the-park home run in Twins history
• Twin makes first professional start in front of largest regular-season crowd in team history
• Blyleven narrowly wins one-hitter
• Bloomington native pitches Fourth of July gem in the nation's capital
• Happy birthday, Barry Wohler
• Hall of Fame spitballer comes to play townball in Minnesota

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Winona Native 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. A 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 the plate, 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.

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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.

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Killebrew Hits First Inside-the-Park Home Run in Twins History
With two out in the bottom of the eighth in Game 2 of that 1961 doubleheader, Harmon Killebew hit the first inside-the-park home run in Twins history. It wound up being the difference in the game as the Twins swept the doubleheader versus the White Sox.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Hall of Famer Comes to Austin, Decides to Stay
Hall of Famer Burleigh Grimes came to Austin, Minn. 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.

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Also on This Date in Minnesota Baseball History:

• 1922: New York Giants relief pitcher Loren Bain born in Staples, MN
• 1940: Minneapolis Millers right fielder Ab Wright hits four home runs in a 17-5 win over the St. Paul Saints at Nicollet Park.
• 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)

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[USAFChief]

I was in attendance for Eddie Bane's debut. Remember it like it was yesterday. 

[Matt Johnson]

15 hours ago, USAFChief said:

I was in attendance for Eddie Bane's debut. Remember it like it was yesterday. 

Still have the photo card they handed out?

[USAFChief]

2 hours ago, Matt Johnson said:

Still have the photo card they handed out?

I wish

[Matt Johnson]

Just now, USAFChief said:

I wish

I wouldn't mind finding one on eBay for a garage sale price. Like $5. Pretty sure I've seen an autographed one for just under $10, which obviously wouldn't break the bank, but it's the principle of the damn thing. Am I cheap, or do I just enjoy the thrill of the hunt? :) 

 

[USAFChief]

Just now, Matt Johnson said:

 Am I cheap, or do I just enjoy the thrill of the hunt? :) 

 

Yes?