The Twins Almanac for May 4th: Number 3 is Off Limits for Twins Players

[Matt Johnson]

Today's Almanac features notes on Royals slugger Harmon Killebrew and Minnesota natives Charles Bender and Jim Burnos. 

Image courtesy of © Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

 

On This Date in 1975: Killebrew's Number Retired
The Twins retired Harmon Killebrew's number 3 in a pregame ceremony on this date in 1975. A few minutes later, the new Royals DH slugged a first-inning, two-run homer, driving in Hal McRae.

Killebrew hit 14 home runs in his one season with the Royals, including his 573rd and final home run off the Twins' Eddie Bane at Met Stadium on September 18.

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Native Americans Charles Albert Bender (from Minnesota) and Louis Leroy (from Wisconsin) were the opposing pitchers in New York on this date in 1906.

Bender lost his cool and was ejected after supposedly enduring racial abuse from the Highlanders' Clark Griffith. Clark, of course, went on to own the Washington Senators before leaving the team to his nephew Calvin, who eventually moved them to Minnesota.

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Happy 63rd birthday to 1980 Cooper (New Hope) High School graduate Jim Burnos. 
He played two years in the Twins farm system and was teammates with Kirby Puckett in 1982. He was defensive partners on his high school hockey team with 13-year NHLer Jim Johnson. 

 

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[IndianaTwin]

I'm not sure I've seen the names Eddie Bane and Harmon Killebrew used in the same sentence before. 

 

[Russ]

Why can't the Twins feature HOF promotions.  Honor Killebrew, Carew, Oliva, Blyleven, Kaat, etc. Honor them like Jackie Robinson with players wearing their numbers

[Bodie]

1 hour ago, Russ said:

Why can't the Twins feature HOF promotions.  Honor Killebrew, Carew, Oliva, Blyleven, Kaat, etc. Honor them like Jackie Robinson with players wearing their numbers

I can't even imagine how painful it would be to see a collection ("team" is still a dream for this bunch) of .230ish hitters with no understanding of hitting wearing number 29...