Bert Campaneris---1977
On This Date in Major League
History.... July 23, 1964
Kansas City Athletics rookie Bert
Campaneris slugged a home run on
the first pitch of his first major league
at-bat.
The 21-year-old connected on the
big fly off of Minnesota's Jim Kaat in
the first inning of the contest against
the Twins. The shortstop had Kaat's
number for the day, as Campaneris
also connected on a 2-run homer in
the 7th inning. The second blast tied
the game at 3-3, in a contest that the
A's eventually won 4-3, courtesy of a
Doc Edwards' 11th-inning home run
off of Twins reliever Gerry Arrigo.
The second long ball also put Campy
in the record books, as the future
All-Star is one of just the three
players in history to hit two dingers in
his first big league game. The other
two first-game sluggers were Bob
Nieman of the St. Louis Browns in
1951 and Mark Quinn with the
Kansas City Royals in 1999.
Campaneris would hit 79 homers
during his 19-year career.
While most of us will remember him
for his slick glove work in the middle
of the skin, his 9-position trip around
the diamond on September 8, 1965
and his thievery on the base paths...
we also want to remember Campy's
first game, when the wiry kid from
Cuba played long ball.
History.... July 23, 1964
Kansas City Athletics rookie Bert
Campaneris slugged a home run on
the first pitch of his first major league
at-bat.
The 21-year-old connected on the
big fly off of Minnesota's Jim Kaat in
the first inning of the contest against
the Twins. The shortstop had Kaat's
number for the day, as Campaneris
also connected on a 2-run homer in
the 7th inning. The second blast tied
the game at 3-3, in a contest that the
A's eventually won 4-3, courtesy of a
Doc Edwards' 11th-inning home run
off of Twins reliever Gerry Arrigo.
The second long ball also put Campy
in the record books, as the future
All-Star is one of just the three
players in history to hit two dingers in
his first big league game. The other
two first-game sluggers were Bob
Nieman of the St. Louis Browns in
1951 and Mark Quinn with the
Kansas City Royals in 1999.
Campaneris would hit 79 homers
during his 19-year career.
While most of us will remember him
for his slick glove work in the middle
of the skin, his 9-position trip around
the diamond on September 8, 1965
and his thievery on the base paths...
we also want to remember Campy's
first game, when the wiry kid from
Cuba played long ball.
