Julio Bécquer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Julio Bécquer |
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: December 20, 1931 Havana, Cuba |
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| Died: November 1, 2020 (aged 88) Hopkins, Minnesota |
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| debut | |||
| September 13, 1955, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 18, 1963, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .244 | ||
| Home runs | 12 | ||
| Hits | 238 | ||
| Runs batted in | 114 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Julio Bécquer Villegas (born December 20, 1931 – died November 1, 2020) was a professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Julio played for the Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels, and Minnesota Twins. He was from Havana, Cuba. Julio batted and threw with his left hand. He was 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds.
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Early Baseball Days
Julio Bécquer went to the University of Havana in Cuba. He started his professional baseball career in 1952. This was with the Washington Senators' team system.
Making it to the Major Leagues
Julio made his big league debut in September 1955. He played for the Washington Senators. He played in ten games that year. He got three hits in 14 tries. In 1956, he played for the Triple-A Louisville Colonels. He hit 15 home runs that season.
Playing for the Senators
Julio then played four full seasons with the Washington Senators. He played in more than 100 games three times. These years were 1957, 1959, and 1960. In 1960, he was the team's main first baseman. This was the last year the original Senators played in Washington.
Best Season with Washington
In 1960, Julio had his best year. He played in 110 games. He got 75 hits and had 35 runs batted in (RBI). An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. After this season, the team moved. A new team, the Los Angeles Angels, picked him in a special draft.
Moving to New Teams
In 1961, Julio played for the new Los Angeles Angels team. He played in nine games. He was often used as a pinch hitter. This means he would bat instead of another player. He didn't get any hits in his eight tries with the Angels.
Joining the Minnesota Twins
Later in 1961, Julio joined the Minnesota Twins. This was his original team, but it had moved and changed its name. He played in 57 games for the Twins. He hit five home runs, which was his career high.
The Grand Slam Moment
On July 4, 1961, Julio had a very exciting moment. He hit a walk-off grand slam. This happened in the bottom of the ninth inning. A walk-off home run means the game ends right after you hit it. A grand slam means he hit a home run with the bases loaded. This scored four runs and won the game! He hit it off a pitcher named Warren Hacker.
Later Career and Retirement
Julio spent most of 1962 and 1963 playing in the minor leagues. These are teams below the major leagues. But late in 1963, the Twins' owner bought his contract. This allowed Julio to play one more game in the MLB.
Final MLB Appearance
Julio's last game in the major leagues was on September 18, 1963. He was a pinch runner for catcher Earl Battey. He scored his last MLB run in that game.
Career Totals
Overall, Julio Bécquer had 238 hits in his MLB career. He hit 37 doubles, 16 triples, and 12 home runs. He also had 114 RBI. His career batting average was .244. He was also a very good fielder. His fielding percentage at first base was .993. This means he made very few errors.
Julio retired from baseball after the 1964 minor league season. He lived in Minneapolis. Julio Bécquer passed away on November 1, 2020, at the age of 88. He died in Hopkins.
