Cuban Baseball Hall of Famer Julio Becquer
Julio (Villegas) Becquer was born in Havana, Cuba on December 20, 1931. Becquer batted and threw left handed and was 5’11” and about 178 lbs. Julio attended the University of Havana and was signed to play for the Washington Senators as a free agent prior to the 1952 season by super scout Joe Cambria who was famous for signing numerous Cuban players. After spending 1952-1954 in the minors, Julio got his first call to the big leagues in late 1955 but in 1956 he was back in the minors. Becquer made the Senators team in 1957 and played there through the 1960 season but never could get a full time job. After the 1960 season the Los Angeles Angels claimed Julio in the expansion draft but again Becquer was behind some big name players and could not get the full time role he coveted. Julio’s stay with the Angels was short and they sold him to the Phillies who kept him for a short time in their minor league system before Calvin Griffith brought him back to the organization but this time as a Minnesota Twin. Julio only played in 57 games with 84 at bats in 1961 but that pinch hit grand slam on July 4th of that season is one of the Twins all-time highlights. Julio made one more appearance in a Twins uniform, in 1963 when Calvin Griffith activated Julio so that he would qualify for his major league pension.
Julio was in the big leagues for seven different seasons playing primarily first base with a few games in the outfield and during that time he played in 488 games, had 1,029 plate appearances, hit 12 homeruns and stole 8 bases and finishing with a career batting average of .244. Julio also made two pitching appearances, one for the Senators and one for the Twins pitching a total of 2.1 innings and giving up 4 earned runs.
Julio was inducted in to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 joining seven other Twins enshrined there. Today Julio is retired and living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and enjoying the good life.
HIt the "play" button to listen to the Julio Becquer interview
Our next interview will be with former Twins pitcher Bill Zepp. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall, John Sevcik, Ron Davis, Lee Stange, Allan Worthington, Mike Cubbage, and Bill Dailey? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
I would like you to meet closer Bill Dailey
William (Bill) Garland Dailey was born on March 13, 1935 in Arlington, Virginia. The 6’3” and 185 pound Dailey, a right handed pitcher, signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians in 1953 after graduating from high school. Dailey began his professional career in 1953 in class “C” ball with Sherbrooke and worked his way up the chain through Fargo-Moorhead, Keokuk, Mobile, San Diego, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City before finally get that call to the major leagues with the Cleveland Indians on August 17, 1961. Although he was primarily a starter in the minors, Bill never started a game in the major leagues, pitching all 119 of his games in relief. Bill pitched with Cleveland for parts of 1961 and 1962 before being sold to the Minnesota Twins in April of 1963.
Shortly after being acquired by the Twins, Bill Daily became the Twins closer and had an amazing year in 1963. That season, the 28 year old Bill Dailey appeared in 66 games, had a 6-3 record with 21 saves, pitched 108+ innings while striking out 72 and finished the season with an ERA of 1.99 and a 1.19 WHIP. He was so good in fact that a song was written about him by Bill McGrane of the Minneapolis Tribune called “Won’t you come in Bill Dailey” and the song went like this-
Won't you come in Bill Dailey Won't you come in, Bill Dailey,
Won't you come in,
We blew a three-run lead.
You do the pitchin', baby, we'll get 'em back,
We like your sidearm speed.
Remember last Tuesday evening,
You bailed us out,
With nothin' but an infield hit.
Camilo's to blame, ain't it a shame,
Bill Dailey, won't you please come in.
But in 1964 Dailey hurt his arm (rotor cuff injury) and he was never the same pitcher again. After consulting with several doctors Dailey determined that it was unlikely that he could ever pitch again, with or without surgery and at the age of 29, Bill walked away from the game of baseball. Baseball can be a fun and exciting game but it can also be very cruel. Dailey worked hard to fight his way to the big leagues after spending all that time in the minors and to have your big league hopes dashed by injury at the age of 29, a year short of a major league pension has got to be a frustrating event. But Bill didn’t let this keep him down as he started his after-baseball life and today Bill is enjoying life with his family and friends in Dublin, Virginia.
I really enjoyed my conversation with Bill Dailey who I think is really a class act and a real gentleman who has a great outlook on life. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
HIt the "play" button to listen to part 1 of the Bill Dailey interview
HIt the "play" button to listen to part 2 of the Bill Dailey interview
Our next interview will be with Julio Becquer. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall, John Sevcik, Ron Davis, Lee Stange, Allan Worthington, and Mike Cubbage? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
A chat with Mike Cubbage
Michael Lee Cubbage was born on July 21, 1950 in Charlottesville, Virginia. After attending the University of Virginia, Cubbage was drafted in the second round by the Washington Senators in 1971. Mike signed and started his pro baseball career. The 6’ 180 pound left handed batting Cubbage played A ball in 1971 and 1972 before advancing to AA in 1973. In the spring of 1974 “Cubby” made the Texas Rangers team out of spring training but ended up splitting his time between the Rangers and AAA in 1974 and in 1975. In 1976 Cubbage was in the majors to stay but ended being traded to the Minnesota Twins along Jim Gideon, Bill Singer, and Roy Smalley and in turn Minnesota sent Bert Blyleven and Danny Thompson to the Rangers. Cubbage never really attained regular status with Minnesota between 1976 and 1980 but he did play 555 games in a Twins uniform splitting his time at 3B, 2B, 1B, and DH. After the 1980 season Cubbage became a free agent and signed with the Mets where he finished his career playing for the Mets in 1981 and for Tidewater, the Mets AAA team in 1982. In his 8 big league seasons, Mike played in 703 games, had 1,951 at bats, hit 34 homeruns, and finished with a career batting average of .258. Immediately after leaving the game as a player, Cubbage put on the manager’s hat in the Mets minor leagues where he managed between 1983 and 1989 leading his teams to a 539-376 won/lost record (.589 winning percentage). Each of the minor league teams that Cubbage managed ended up finishing above .500. Cubbage joined the Mets as a 1B coach in 1990 and in 1991 he served as the Mets 3B coach, hitting coach, and finally as their interim manager when Buddy Harrelson was let go by the team with about a week left in the season. Cubbage was expected by many to be named the new Mets skipper but unfortunately for Mike that was not to be when the Mets organization decided to go with Jeff Torborg instead. Mike stayed with the Mets for 5 more seasons as their 3B coach before heading out for Houston where he again served as a 3B and a bench coach between 1997 and 2001. The next stop in “Cubby’s” coaching career was with the Red Sox in 2002 and 2003 before he hung up his uniform to move into scouting. Today Mike Cubbage still lives in Charlottesville, Virginia and is a scout for the Tampa Rays organization. In his spare time Mike enjoys his grandchildren and playing a little golf. I really enjoyed my conversation with Mike and he was a lot of fun to talk with, I hope that our paths cross again.
HIt the "play" button to listen to the Mike Cubbage interview
Our next interview will be with former Twins closer Bill Dailey. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall, John Sevcik, Ron Davis, Lee Stange, and Allan Worthington? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
"Red" Worthington
Number 6 on all-time Twins Saves list
Courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Allan Fulton (Red) Worthington was born in Birmingham, Alabama on February 5, 1929. The right handed 6’2” 205 pound Worthington was an imposing site on a pitchers’ mound. After attending the University of Alabama, Al signed as an amateur free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 1951. “Red” made his major league debut in 1953 as a New York Giant and what a debut it was, pitching back to back 6-0 nine inning shutouts over the Phillies and the Dodgers and setting a NL record that stands to this day. In spite of this start, it turned out that relieving and not starting would be Al’s claim to baseball fame.
Al Worthington pitched in the big leagues for 14 seasons before retiring at the age of 40 after the 1969 season. Worthington was one of those rare pitchers that seemed to get better with age, arguably having his best seasons between 1964 and 1969 as a relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. During those 5 seasons, only one relief pitcher had more saves than Al accumulated in that time period. In his 14 seasons, Worthington’s career numbers are pretty impressive, a 75-82 won-lost record in 602 games (starting 62) and 1,246+ innings pitched. His career ERA is 3.39 and he struck out 834 batters. After retiring as an active player, Worthington served as a pitching coach for the Twins for several season before moving on and becoming the Baseball coach and Athletic Director at Liberty College. In 1986 Liberty College renamed their baseball field to Worthington Field in Al's honor. Al is also a published author having written the book “I Played and I Won”. Today Al is retired and enjoying his family and life in Sterrett, Alabama.
HIt the "play" button to listen to the Al Worthington interview
Our next interview is still to be determined. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall, John Sevcik, Ron Davis, and Lee Stange? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
A chat with the Stinger
courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Albert Lee (Stinger) Stange was born on October 27, 1936 in Chicago Illinois. Lee was a great athlete in high school playing baseball, basketball, and football and winning all-state honors in the latter two sports. After graduating from high school and attending Drake University, Lee signed as a free agent with the Washington Senators in 1957. Stange spent 1957 and 1958 in class “D” ball at Fort Walton Beach before moving up to class “B” in 1959. In 1960 while still in class “B”, Stange won 20 games while losing 13 when he threw for 251 innings and finished the season with a 3.59 ERA. The following spring, 1961, in the Minnesota Twins initial spring training, Lee made the big league club, pitching in a couple of games before getting sent down and spending most of the season in AAA Syracuse before he was recalled to Minnesota in September. Stange spent the entire 1962 season with the Twins, starting 6 games but pitching primarily in relief. In 1963 Stange again started the season with Minnesota but in early May was again sent down to AAA where he ripped off a string of victories that forced the Twins hand and he was once again in the majors. After being recalled, Stange pitched primarily as a starter and won 12 games while losing just 5 and putting up an exceptional 2.62 ERA in 164+ innings. In June of 1964 Lee Stange and George Banks were traded to the Cleveland Indians for Jim “Mudcat” Grant. After pitching for the Indians for a couple of seasons Stange was once again traded, this time to the Red Sox in 1966. Stange pitched very well for the 1967 Red Sox and was involved in one of the greatest pennant races the American league history. Even though he finished with an 8-10 record, he led the Red Sox pitching staff with an ERA of just 2.77. The race was so tight that it was thought that a playoff game might be necessary to determine a pennant winner and Red Sox manager Dick Williams saved Stange to pitch that game. It turned out that an extra game was not needed and the Red Sox won the pennant and got the right to play the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Losing to Bob Gibson three times, the Red Sox went on to lose the World Series to the Cardinals 4 games to 3. Stange pitched for the Red Sox until June of 1970 when he was sold to the White Sox. After the 1970 season Stange’s body told him that enough was enough and Lee retired as an active player and went on to coaching and managing in the minors as well as serving as a pitching coach in the major leagues for the Minnesota Twins, the Oakland A’s, and the Boston Red Sox on two separate occasions. Today, Lee is semi-retired and serves as the pitching coach for Florida Tech, participates in fantasy baseball camps with the Twins and Red Sox, plays golf and is enjoying his family and life in Melbourne, Florida.
HIt the "play" button to listen to the Lee Stange interview
Our next interview is still to be determined. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall, John Sevcik, and Ron Davis? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
An interview with closer Ron Davis
courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Ronald Cline Davis was born on August 6, 1955 in Houston, Texas. The 6’4” 207 pound hard throwing right hander pitched in the major leagues for 11 seasons, all in relief, for the New York Yankees (78-81), Minnesota Twins (82-86), Chicago Cubs (86-87), Los Angeles Dodgers (87), and the San Francisco Giants (88). Ron spent the 1989 season in Japan playing for the Yakult Swallows and in 1990 he played in the Senior Professional Baseball league before that folded.
Davis, an All-Star in 1981, had a very nice 11 year big league career pitching 746.2 innings in 481 games with a 47-53 won/lost record; he also had 130 saves while striking out 597 batters. Ron’s life time ERA was 4.05 to go along with a WHIP of 1.386. Of those 130 lifetime saves, 108 came as a member of the Minnesota Twins when he came out of the bullpen to the tune of “Eye of the Tiger” blaring out of the loudspeakers at the Metrodome. I think one of the best ways to describe Ron Davis is to say that he was “a ballplayer”, a man who loved putting on a major league uniform, getting his glove and ball and looking to go against the very best.Sure, he did not win them all but he did his very best. Currently Ron Davis is fourth on the Twins all time saves list behind Rick Aguilera, Joe Nathan, and “Everyday Eddie” Guardado.
Today Ron lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and owns and runs the Major League School of Baseball in Scottsdale. In his spare time Ron enjoys fishing and watching his son Ike play ball and progress through the New York Mets farm system for which he was the first round and 18th overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft.
HIt the "play" button to listen to part 1 of the Ron Davis interview
HIt the "play" button to listen to part 2 of the Ron Davis interview
Our next interview will be with former Twins pitcher Lee Stange. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins, Tommy Hall and John Sevcik? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.
A chat with John Sevcik
John Joseph Sevcik was born in Oak Park, Illinois on July 11, 1942. After graduating from high school, John attended the University of Missouri where he starred in both football and baseball. The Missouri Tigers made it to the College World Series three times between 1962-1964 (finishing second overall to the Minnesota Gophers in 1964) with John Sevcik as their catcher. After their college careers had ended John and his twin brother Jim signed bonus contracts with the Minnesota Twins. After signing his contract, John played 59 games for Wisconsin Rapids in the Midwest league in 1964 hitting .284. Due to the bonus rule that was then in effect, John had to spend the entire 1965 season on the Minnesota Twins roster or they would stand a chance of losing him to another team. Luckily for John, the 1965 team won the American league pennant winning 102 games and went on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. John played sparingly, appearing in only 12 games that year, getting a total of 16 at bats. John had one hit, a double off the Baltimore Orioles Wally Bunker. It turned out to be John’s only hit in the major leagues. The Twins lost to the Dodgers 4 games to 3 and John watched the 1965 World Series from the bullpen, but still, 1965 was a magical year for John and the Minnesota Twins and John has a World Series ring to prove it. Sevcik played in the Twins minor league system from 1966-1971 before retiring from professional baseball. Today John is enjoying retirement in Austin, Texas.
Press the "play" button to listen to the interview with John Sevcik
Our next interview is still undetermined but we will work out something. Have you checked out my previous Q & A sessions with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, Rich Rollins and Tommy Hall? If not, click on the Interview Archive button now.
Meet Tommy "The Blade" Hall
Tommy “The Blade” Hall was born in Thomasville, North Carolina on November 23, 1947. When Tommy, a lefthander, pitched for the Minnesota Twins he was a 6’0” and weighed only 155 dripping wet and thus the nickname “The Blade” was born. Hall was drafted by the Twins in the third round off the 1966 amateur draft and quickly found his way through the Twins minor league system. After signing in 1966 he played rookie league ball and single A ball for the Twins, winning 7 games. In 1967 he played single A ball in the Midwest league winning 14 games and had an ERA of 2.16. In 1968 Tommy won 10 games playing for Charlotte in the AA Southern league and Denver in AAA PCL before being called up by the Twins.
Hall made his major league debut in relief against the Washington Senators on June 9, 1968 at RFK Stadium in Washington. Hall pitched for the Minnesota Twins from 1968-1971 compiling a 25-21 record. During those four seasons with Minnesota, Hall pitched in 139 games starting 44 times. In 455+ innings, Hall ended up only giving up 354 hits while striking out 431 batters and had an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.186. After the 1971 season, the Twins traded Hall to the Cincinnati Reds for relief pitcher Wayne Granger who pitched in Minnesota for one season before the Twins sent him packing. Hall ended up pitching in the big leagues for 10 seasons with the Twins, Reds, Mets, and the Royals and finished his career with a 52-33 record in 358 games. Tommy was lucky enough to appear in the ALCS with the Twins in 1969 and again in 1970, the NLCS and the World Series in 1972 with the Reds and the NLCS in 1973 again with the Reds and a final ALCS with the Kansas City Royals in 1976.
I think the thing that amazes me the most when I look at Tommy Hall’s numbers is that in every season that he pitched both in the minors and in the majors, he always had more innings pitched then hits allowed, to me that is incredible. Today, Tommy Hall is retired and enjoying life in Riverside, California.
Press the "play" button to listen to the interview with Tommy Hall
Our next interview is still undetermined but we will work out something. Have you checked out my previous interviews with Jim Kaat, Mike Trombley, Dick Woodson, Dave Boswell, Dick Stigman, Dr. Mike Marshall, Glenn Borgmann, Jerry Koosman, Kevin Tapani, Bernie Allen, Frank Quilici, Sam Mele, and Rich Rollins? If not, you can find them in the Interview Archives.