The Twins Almanac for July 24: Twins Sign Future Hall of Famer, Bostock Hits for the Cycle, Erickson Pitches One-Hitter, Twins Turn Ahead the Clock

[Matt Johnson]

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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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Also on This Date:

• 2009: Hill-Murray graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Robb Quinlan hits his 25th and final major league home run off the Twins' Francisco Liriano in a 6-3 Angels win in Anaheim
   
• 2011: Bert Blyleven is inducted into the Hall of Fame
   
   

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[Doctor Wu]

I love these Twins History articles. Thank you for posting this one!

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.

I realize that good hitting pitchers are/were a rare thing, but I still miss that part of the game when pitchers HAD to bat in games. Sure, I know it defies all the stats and advanced metrics, but seeing guys like Jim Kaat hit home runs was pretty darn fun!