The Twins Almanac (4/12): WCCO helicopter rescues Twins starters stranded in Burnsville

1965: The starting pitcher had to be airlifted to the ballpark for the Twins home opener on this date in 1965. Jim Kaat, Dick Stigman, Rich Rollins, and Bill Bethea were marooned at their homes in Burnsville—the wrong side of the flooded Minnesota River. Kaat called up former Twins teammate (and Golden Gophers legend) Paul Giel, who was the sports director at WCCO radio, and he arranged for the station's traffic helicopter to pick up the players from the Burnsville High School parking lot.

The Twins beat the Yankees in 11 innings on a but César Tovar walk-off single off former Twin Pedro Ramos (who pitched a three-hit shutout in the first regular-season game in Twins history at Yankee Stadium in 1961). 

2018: First baseman Joe Mauer connected for his 2,000th career hit—a two-RBI grounder right up the middle (identical to his first career hit) in the seventh inning of a 4-0 victory over the White Sox at Target Field. Mauer also lined an RBI-single to right-center in the third inning.

2010: Carl Pavano and the Twins beat the Red Sox 5-2 in the first regular season game in Target Field history. (The Red Sox first run came on a David Ortiz RBI double in the fourth.)

Orlando Hudson had the Twins' first hit, Denard Span scored the first run, Michael Cuddyer had the first RBI, Jason Kubel hit the first home run, and Jon Rauch recorded the first save. Joe Mauer had an RBI-double and RBI-single.

Walt Moryn, born in St. Paul in 1926. He played 785 major league games over eight seasons with the Dodgers (1954–'55), Cubs (1956–1960), Cardinals (1960–'61), and Pirates (1961). His teammates included Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, and Roberto Clemente.

He hit 101 home runs, including six off Robin Roberts. He had nine multi-home run games. He hit three on May 30, 1958, including a walk-off homer against Sandy Koufax, who entered the game in the ninth.

Moryn made his only All-Star team in 1958, but did not get into the game.

Moryn is best remembered by Cubs fans for making a dramatic shoestring catch in left for the final out of Don Cardwell's no-hitter on May 15, 1960. Biographer Art Mugalian points out that Moryn had spoiled a no-hitter a month earlier, hitting a two-out pinch-hit home run in the eighth off Sam Jones at Candlestick Park on April 16 (Jones completed the one-hitter for a 6-1 Giants win).

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!