July 23, 1964 - Howard (Doc) Edwards, Kansas City catcher, smacked his first home run of the season today in the 11th inning to defeat the staggering Twins, 4-3, at Metropolitan Stadium. The Athletics swept the three-game series to deal Minnesota its eighth straight setback.
Bert Campaneris (right), Kansas City shortstop from Birmingham of the Southern League, homered his first trip to the plate in the majors in the first inning on the first pitch from Jim Kaat.
The little Cuban did it again in the seventh, after Charlie Shoemaker’s single.
This placed Campaneris’ name alongside Bob Nieman (St. Louis Browns, Sept. 14, 1951), the only players in modern history to hit two homers in their first game in the major leagues.
“I was so happy, thinking to myself as I rounded the bases in the first inning, ‘A home run on the first pitch of my first trip to the plate in the major leagues.’” said Campaneris afterward. “Then when I hit another homer on the first pitch in the seventh inning to tie the score, I’m thinking to myself as I circled the bases — ‘I’m even happier.’”
Bert is only a 150-pounder, but he has strong arms. “I hit a few homers in the minors,” he said. “I can hit the long ball. I hit a homer for Birmingham last night the first time up.”
Then he rode the airplane all night, arriving in Minneapolis at 9 a.m. to supplant regular Kansas City shortstop Wayne Causey. Causey will be out a week to 10 days with an injured left elbow.
The 21-year-old Campaneris, playing his third season of organized baseball, can play any position on the diamond. He can throw with either arm. He averaged .325 with six homers and 40 RBI’s at Birmingham.
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