Article: Twins Bite-Sized History: A Rocky Start

[John Bonnes]

The Minnesota Twins first home baseball game was played on April 21st, 1961, but that 5-3 loss was the tip of a large and rocky iceberg. Minneapolis and St. Paul civic leaders, yearning for their metro area to be considered “big league,” had been chasing a major league team for almost a decade. It did not go smoothly.The St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Athletics, New York Giants, and Cleveland Indians had been wooed unsuccessfully. In their pursuit, the Twin Cities sibling rivalry flared up so that each built a major league stadium–but neither had a major league team.

 

Civic leaders went so far as to back a new major league, the Continental League, which was to begin play in 1961 along with New York, Denver, Houston, Toronto, and other frustrated metro areas. To short-circuit the new league, Major League Baseball responded by expanding by four teams - but even then it looked like Minnesota would miss the cut.

 

 

Part 1 of a 12-part series that breaks Twins history into fun-sized chunks.

 

When the expansion meetings ended, however, Minnesota had their team. They weren’t awarded one of the expansion teams, but the Washington Senators, owned by Calvin Griffith, were relocating to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. To ease the political backlash of that move--the American League owners rightly feared the nation’s lawmakers retaliating with additional antitrust hearings or other potentially punitive legislation--the D.C. area was awarded one of the two American League expansion teams.

 

Griffith and the Twin Cities leaders had been talking about moving his franchise to the region for several years. In the face of pressure from minority owners and politicians, Griffith had never committed. However, with guarantees in place for attendance, moving expenses and bank credit, the quest had finally been completed.

 

The franchise which Minnesota adopted was a team on the rise, though not by a terribly high standard. The Senators had not finished higher than fifth in the American League since 1946. Their inaugural season as the Twins didn’t change that trend; the team finished 70-90 and in seventh place in 1961. It also led to manager Cookie Lavagetto being replaced by Sam Mele, who would manage into the 1967 season.

 

But Mele inherited a solid core of players. Catcher Earl Battey’s work in the 1960 season had earned him Most Valuable Player (MVP) votes, and he would garner multiple Gold Gloves and All-star appearances. Outfielder Bob Allison had been named Rookie of the Year just two years earlier, and would rank in the top ten in home runs eight times. Starting pitcher Camilo Pascual would win 20 or more games in 1962 and 1963 and be recognized as an All-Star five times. And 22-year-old Jim Kaat was beginning a career that would end with 283 wins and 16 Gold Gloves.

 

Each was capable of doing significant harm to an opposing team, but they were joined by an absolute Killer.

Next: Harmon Killebrew Leads A Revival

 

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[JB_Iowa]

John, this is you writing at your best.  I really enjoyed this.  Looking forward to the rest of the series,

[OldTimeTwinkie]

Pascual should be ahead of steady eddie in twins hof.

[Kevin]

Washington Senators:  First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.

[Tibs]

Cookie Lavagetto. What a name

[IndyTwinsFan]

John -- Fantastic article.  Definitely piqued my interest in what the remainder of the series will bring.

 

Thanks for writing it!

[IndyTwinsFan]

Washington Senators:  First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.

Almost seems like the polar opposite of what's going on now in DC.  Certainly in regards to the Nationals status in the NL heirarchy.

[mikelink45]

I had the good fortune of being an usher for the Twins in their inaugural season and I loved Pascaul and Pedro Ramos. Those two were always underrated and I believe Pascual was close to HOF caliber at that time.  There were some fun players to watch and a feeling in the evening twilight that we were really BIG LEAGUE.  It made me a fan for life.

 

In that year the home town hero was Paul Giel and Jim Kaat was an after thought.

 

Imagine Bill Tuttle and Reno Bertoia in your starting lineup and fielding metrics would have had fun with Jim Lemon.

[dxpavelka]

Almost seems like the polar opposite of what's going on now in DC.  Certainly in regards to the Nationals status in the NL heirarchy.

One MIGHT be able to make such a statement about the current state of the Nationals, but in reality, they haven't done anything yet.  The last time a Washington baseball club won a Post-Season series, Walter Johnson was on the mound.

[bird]

I had to put the covers and my pillow over my head and keep the volume way down on my Philco transistor radio, a secret purchase from my paper route money. My dad absolutely hated baseball, which he considered a drain on our gross national product. But I wasn't about to miss a game pitched by Camilo Pascual.

[Seth Stohs]

Cookie Lavagetto. What a name

 

Great baseball name... there aren't great names/nicknames in baseball anymore... 

 

It's fun reading these comments from those who remember this era of Twins baseball. Keep 'em coming!

[John Bonnes]

"...a drain on our gross national product."

 

Dads are the best.

[John Bonnes]

There is, obviously a lot that needed to be left out. The various courtships the cities went through were maddening. Griffith teased the area for years. And the fact that both cities built competing stadiums is amazing to me and the St. Paul essentially went unused. It was truly a mess that they somehow muddled through.

[bird]

Yes, I vaguely recall that sense of rivalry as being a real thing for my dad and grandparents, all of whom probably hated Minneapolis as much as they hated baseball.

 

For my poor mother, there were bigger fish to fry. For at least 20 years, there was a clipping from Letters to the Editor of the Pioneer Press taped to the refrigerator, penned by my mom after a decision was made to close down the Pig's Eye Landfill in an austerity move. It read:

 

"Thanks a lot for shutting down the Pig's Eye Landfill. My husband and I used to go there every weekend. Now we don't go anywhere at all."

 

Sorry about the threadjack.

Edited January 30, 2015 by birdwatcher

[Jerr]

I remember all of this....so sweet and can't wait to see more.

[ScrapTheNickname]

I had the good fortune of being an usher for the Twins in their inaugural season and I loved Pascaul and Pedro Ramos. Those two were always underrated and I believe Pascual was close to HOF caliber at that time.  There were some fun players to watch and a feeling in the evening twilight that we were really BIG LEAGUE.  It made me a fan for life.

 

In that year the home town hero was Paul Giel and Jim Kaat was an after thought.

 

Imagine Bill Tuttle and Reno Bertoia in your starting lineup and fielding metrics would have had fun with Jim Lemon.

Here's a bookend for you. I was a security guard (Simms) in 1981, the Twins last year at the Met. A young Hrbek is basically all I remember.

[Jerr]

The coming suspense, was killed by this:

 

"Each was capable of doing significant harm to an opposing team, but they were joined by an absolute Killer."

 

 

Next: Harmon Killebrew Leads A Revival

 

 

 

 

I look forward for the next posting

Edited January 30, 2015 by Jerr

[Thrylos]

Washington Senators:  First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.

 

This is a suburban legend, since they finished last in their league only 10 out of their 60 seasons.   After the team relocated to MN, they finished last in their league 9 out of their 54 seasons.  So the Twins are at the same pace as the Senators

[ScrapTheNickname]

There is, obviously a lot that needed to be left out. The various courtships the cities went through were maddening. Griffith teased the area for years. And the fact that both cities built competing stadiums is amazing to me and the St. Paul essentially went unused. It was truly a mess that they somehow muddled through.

John,

 

Is that Midway Stadium, in St. Paul?

 

And the Millers played at Nicollet Park, which was built long before the Twins were a glint in anyone's eye, so what competing stadiums are you referring to?

 

Or is the Met in Bloomington the Minneapolis stadium?

 

(I sound stupider with each sentence I type!)

[stringer bell]

The Millers played one year at least at Metropolitan Stadium IIRC.  The Met was built to be expanded to a major league park if the area got a franchise.  Not sure about Midway.  I would presume it was the successor to Lexington.  Calvin did his best to involve both twin cities, naming the club "Minnesota Twins", but big brother Minneapolis remained big brother.

[Kevin]

This is a suburban legend, since they finished last in their league only 10 out of their 60 seasons.   After the team relocated to MN, they finished last in their league 9 out of their 54 seasons.  So the Twins are at the same pace as the Senators

Yes.

In the approximate decade I grew up in to a baseball (Yankee) fan in NYC, the records and standings:

1949:   50-105  8th place

1950:  67-87     5th place

1951:  62-92     7th place

1952:  78-76     5th

1953:  76-76     5th

1954:  66-88     6th

1955:  53-101   8th

1956:  59-95     7th

1957:  55-99     8th

1958:  61-93     8th

1959:  63-91     8th

1960:  73-81     5th

So for those 11 years, not exactly a myth, nor suburban.

[Brock Beauchamp]

My dad absolutely hated baseball, which he considered a drain on our gross national product.

Probably my favorite statement in the history of the Twins Daily forums.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Yes, I vaguely recall that sense of rivalry as being a real thing for my dad and grandparents, all of whom probably hated Minneapolis as much as they hated baseball.

 

For my poor mother, there were bigger fish to fry. For at least 20 years, there was a clipping from Letters to the Editor of the Pioneer Press taped to the refrigerator, penned by my mom after a decision was made to close down the Pig's Eye Landfill in an austerity move. It read:

 

"Thanks a lot for shutting down the Pig's Eye Landfill. My husband and I used to go there every weekend. Now we don't go anywhere at all."

 

Sorry about the threadjack.

Until I read this.

 

You're killing me, birdwatcher.

[PeanutsFromHeaven]

There is, obviously a lot that needed to be left out. 

Who cares? Awesome stuff, and like others I'm excited to read more, I don't feel any need for completist stuff (We're Gonna Win Twins covers everything including some of the "demographic" inspirations behind the Griffiths move), but this is a great way to appreciate a long view of the team before the next chapter begins in Fort Meyers.

[HitInAPinch]

Great baseball name... there aren't great names/nicknames in baseball anymore... 

 

It's fun reading these comments from those who remember this era of Twins baseball. Keep 'em coming!

Best ever:  Jeffery Leonard, Ol' Penitentiary Face

[ScrapTheNickname]

The Millers played one year at least at Metropolitan Stadium IIRC.  The Met was built to be expanded to a major league park if the area got a franchise.  Not sure about Midway.  I would presume it was the successor to Lexington.  Calvin did his best to involve both twin cities, naming the club "Minnesota Twins", but big brother Minneapolis remained big brother.

The Millers played at Metropolitan Stadium from 1956 through 1960, which means Yaz and Gene Mauch called the Met home.

[USAFChief]

Not sure about Midway.  I would presume it was the successor to Lexington.  Calvin did his best to involve both twin cities, naming the club "Minnesota Twins", but big brother Minneapolis remained big brother.

Correct. The Saints moved from Lexington to Midway in the mid 50's.

[alskntwnsfn]

My dad absolutely hated baseball, which he considered a drain on our gross national product.

That is hiliarious! I'd love to hear his take on March Madness.

[bird]

That is hiliarious! I'd love to hear his take on March Madness.

 

 

I believe he'd shot the picture tube out on the RCA with his deer rifle well before then.

[glunn]

Someone should write a book on the history of baseball in the Twin Cities.