The Twins Almanac for July 18, 2025: Twins Hit Two Grand Slams in First Inning, Manager Punches Umpire

[Matt Johnson]

Twins Hit Two Grand Slams in First Inning
Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew both hit grand slams in the first inning on this date in 1962 (with Killebrew's coming off Cleveland pitcher Jim Perry). The Twins were the first team in American League history to hit two grand slams in an inning. Early Battey also homered in the 11-run bottom of the first.

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, Minn. native Dick Stigman earned the complete-game 14-3 win.

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Mele Gets in a Dustup
With American League president Joe Cronin in attendance, Twins manager Sam Mele got in a dustup with umpire Bill Valentine on this date in 1965. Valentine had umpired the All-Star Game at Met Stadium five days earlier. 

Cronin fired him—Valentine, not Mele—in 1968 for trying to unionize AL umpires. 

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Today's Birthdays:

• Happy 50th birthday to Twins all-time great Torii Hunter. The Twins drafted the Arkansas native at age 17 in the first round in 1993. He went on to play NINETEEN years in the majors (12 with the Twins), winning nine Gold Glove Awards and making five All-Star teams.
• 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. He ended his career 17-for-40.
• Happy 29th birthday to Mounds View graduate and four-year Cleveland Guardians pitcher Sam Hentges. (He is out this season with a shoulder injury.)

• Bert Brenner was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1887. He made two appearances (one start) with the Cleveland Naps in 1912

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