Julio (Villegas) Becquer was born in Havana, Cuba on December 20, 1931. The 88 year-old Becquer passed away in Hopkins, Minnesota on November 1, 2020.
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.
In ’56 While playing for the Washington Senators AAA Louisville Colonels they opened the newly built Metropolitan Stadium against the Minneapolis Millers that were managed by Eddie Stanky and due to a number of Louisville injuries, Becquer was asked to play third base and as I noted earlier, Becquer threw left-handed. Here is how Becquer remembered it in a recent Pat Reusse article
“The ballpark on the Bloomington prairie — Metropolitan Stadium — was not new to Becquer. “We opened the stadium in the [American] Association with Louisville in ’56,” Becquer said. “Eddie Stanky was the [Minneapolis] Millers manager, and he screamed at me the whole game. “I played some third base that season for Louisville. Seeing a left-handed third baseman … Stanky thought we were doing it as a joke or something. He was red in the face, screaming. I thought he was going to have a heart attack.”
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. But prior to that, on June 20th with the score tied 4-4 at the Met against the Baltimore Orioles, Julio Becquer is called upon to lead off the bottom of the ninth as a pinch-hitter against Jack Fisher and he smashes a 370 foot home run over the right-center field screen becoming not only the first Twin to pinch hit a home run but also becomes the first Twins player in history to hit a walk-off home run as the Twins win 5-4. 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 home runs 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. 
Back in May of 2010 I was able to spend almost an hour with Julio on the phone for an interview we recorded for this site that you can listen to here.
Julio Becquer was preceded in death by his wife Edith and son Jose. Survived by children, Frannie Becquer (David Osberg) and Pedro Becquer. Grandchildren, Pedro Jr., Aaron, Jordan and Ana Becquer and Soledad Osberg. Also survived by many loving family members both here and in Cuba. Internment will be at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens.
We at Twinstrivia.com would also like to pass on our condolences to Julio Becquer’s family, friends and fans.
Julio Becquer, member of Twins’ first team in 1961, dies at 88
ripbaseball.com did an obituary: Jose Becquer (1931-2020)
Patrick Reusse: Twins’ first Fourth a golden moment for Becquer, fans
How Julio Becquer Linked The Cuban Legacy Of The Washington Senators And Minnesota Twins Franchises