The Twins Almanac for July 16, 2025: Minnesotan Fatally Hit by Pitch, Luis Arraez Works Famous Walk, and More

Minnesota Native Fatally Beaned
A 23-year-old Albany, Minnesota native named Linus "Skeets" Ebnet was beaned playing for the Northern League Winnipeg Maroons on this date in 1938. He died five days later. A 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.

Carew Steals Home for 7th Time of Season
Second baseman Rod Carew stole home for the seventh time in one season on this date in 1969. He went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored 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.

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. 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.

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. Kielty had a terrific rookie campaign in 2002, but after the trade, he became little more than a data point in the argument for trading a youngster when the chance to acquire an impactful veteran during a playoff race arises.

Arráez Works Famous Walk
On This Date in 2019: Luis Arráez famously entered for the injured Jonathan Schoop, down in the count 0-2 to Edwin Díaz, who was throwing 98-100 miles per hour, and worked this epic walk. The Twins couldn't finish out the comeback, but that at-bat was a sign of great things to come.

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!