Twins Almanac 10/12: Postseason Heroics From Dan Gladden and Paul Molitor

[Matt Johnson]

Today's Almanac features two big ALCS wins for the Twins, two epic World Series performances by Minnesota natives, the retirement of the winningest manager in team history, a pitcher from the 1910s who settled down in Minnesota after retiring from baseball, and Hibbing hockey star Adam Johnson.  

Image courtesy of Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

78-year-old former Cardinals pitcher Rube Geyer died of a heart attack while walking in the woods near Whakon, Minnesota on this date in 1962. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Mora.

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Minnesota native Jerry Koosman pitched six no-hit innings before finally yielding a hit and a run in Game 2 of the World Series on this date in 1969. The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth and Koosman got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth before issuing walks to Frank Robinson and Boog Powell and yielding to the bullpen to retire Brooks Robinson for the final out. 

Koosman earned the complete-game victory in the decisive Game 5 over the Orioles, who had swept the Twins in the first-ever ALCS. There's a famous photo of Koosman leaping into the arms of catcher Jerry Grote after the Miracle Mets won the Series. 

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St. Paul native Paul Molitor set a World Series record with five hits as the Brewers shut out the Cardinals 10-0 in Game 1 on this date in 1982. (Albert Pujols tied the record in 2011.) Robin Yount had four hits in the game.

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The Twins won the American League Championship on this date in 1987, taking Game 5 in Detroit by a score of 9-5. Dan Gladden went 3-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored. Tom Brunansky went 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and three RBI. Bert Blyleven earned the win.

Gary Gaetti—who homered in his first two at-bats of the series—was named MVP.

General Mills immortalized the on-field celebration on a Wheaties box after the Twins went on to win the World Series.

The homecoming reception the Twins received from 50,000 fans at the Metrodome later that night is one of the coolest moments in professional sports history.

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Dan Gladden drove in three runs and Kirby Puckett homered as Jack Morris and the Twins took a commanding 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series on this date in 1991.

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Two-time World Series Champion manager Tom Kelly announced his retirement on this date in 2001.

TK presided over more wins (1,140) than any manager in Twins history. He was the longest tenured head coach or manager in all of professional sports at the time of his retirement.

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Former Hibbing High School and University of Minnesota Duluth star Adam Johnson scored his only NHL goal in St. Paul versus the Minnesota Wild on this date in 2019.

 

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