The Twins Almanac for June 23

[Matt Johnson]

It's the birthday of one of the best pitchers to ever grow up in Minnesota, and on this date in 1950 a future Twins all-time great made his Minnesota townball debut. 

Happy Birthday, Dave Goltz

Happy 75th birthday to 1967 Rothsay graduate Dave Goltz, born in nearby Pelican Rapids. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Twins as part of the team's 50th anniversary celebration in 2010.

He threw a remarkable 70-pitch two-hit shutout on October 1, 1974.

He pitched a one-hit shutout on August 23, 1977, and tied for the American League lead with 20 wins that season.

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Happy Birthday, Jim Deshaies

Happy 64th birthday to Jim Deshaies. The Twins signed him as a free agent twice. They signed the 33-year-old veteran prior to the 1993 season, traded him that August, and then signed him again prior to the 1994 season. His 25 starts during the strike-shortened '94 season were in a 10-way tie for the American League lead. 

As a rookie with the Astros in 1986, he became the only player in the entire 20th century to strike out the first eight batters to start a game. 

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June 23, 1950: Worthington Makes Minnesota Townball Debut

Fresh off of pitching for Alabama in the College World Series, Al Worthington beat Pipestone in his Fulda Giants debut on this date in 1950. (He no-hit Wilmont nine days later.)

Dick Reusse (Patrick's dad) was the manager of the Fulda townball team, and recruited some marquee talent to the small Minnesota town. Just one year earlier, Reusse had brought Kansas City Monarchs star Hilton Smith to Fulda. Smith was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001—the same class as Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield. 

In 1950, Reusse went down to the College World Series in Omaha where he recruited Worthington. While in rural Minnesota, Worthington fell in love with and married manager Dick Reusse's niece, Shirley Reusse, who was a lifeguard at Fulda's Seven Mile Lake.

Worthington spent 14 years in the majors, including as the Twins first great closer at the end of his career, from 1964 to '69.

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