Matt Johnson

Minnesota Native Fatally Beaned 23-year-old Albany, Minnesota native Linus "Skeets" Ebnet was beaned playing for the Northern League Winnipeg Maroons on this date in 1938. He died five days later. 21-year-old Scott Young (Neil's dad) was covering the game for the local paper. Ebnet had been a player/coach for St. John's University that spring. Carew Steals Home for 7th Time of Season Second baseman Rod Carew stole home for the seventh time of the season on this date in 1969. He went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored altogether in the 9-8 Twins win in Game 1 of a doubleheader sweep against the White Sox at Met Stadium. The single-season record for steals of home is eight by Ty Cobb in 1912. Several sources insist Carew rightfully should have had his eighth steal of home in Seattle on September 26, but the umpire—whose view was possibly obstructed—made the incorrect call. Carew started throwing stuff and got himself ejected. Manager Billy Martin was also displeased. Big Fella Attends First Big League Game Remarkably, the All-Star Game at the Metrodome on this date in 1985 was the first major league game Wayne "Big Fella" Hattaway ever attended in his life! He was 45 years old and had been working in the Twins minor league system for 23 years at that point. He came close way back in 1969. Farm director George Brophy told him if the Twins beat the Orioles in the ALCS, they would fly him to Minnesota for the World Series. Unfortunately, Baltimore swept Minnesota in three games that year and again in 1970. Twins Acquire Stewart The Twins traded Bobby Kielty to the Blue Jays for Shannon Stewart and a player to be named later (pitcher Dave Gassner) on this date in 2003. Stewart was instrumental in getting the Twins to their second consecutive postseason, batting .322 in 65 games with the team and coming in fourth in AL MVP balloting. Arráez Works Famous Walk On This Date in 2019: Luis Arráez famously entered for the injured Jonathan Schoop down in the count 0-2 to Edwin Diaz, who was throwing 98–100 miles per hour, and worked this epic walk. View full article

Justin Morneau scored the winning run in the 15th inning of the All-Star Game on this date in 2008, extending the American League's unbeaten streak to 12 years. Mudcat Pitches 13-Hit Shutout Despite giving up 13 hits and a walk, Jim "Mudcat" Grant pitched a complete game shutout of the Senators for a 6-0 Twins win in Bloomington on this date in 1964. He allowed a baserunner in eight of nine innings. Thirteen is the most hits ever allowed by a Twins pitcher in a shutout. Twins Hit Back-to-Back Homers for Walk-Off Win Trailing the Kansas City A's 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva homered on the first two pitches of the inning for a walk-off win on this date in 1967. The Twins' first run came on a Killebrew homer in the first. Twins Win On Third Straight Walk-Off The Twins had their third straight walk-off win on this date in 1974. On the 13th, it was a Rod Carew single. On the 14th, a Steve Braun homer. And on this date, a Steve Brye single for a 4-3 win over the Brewers. St. Cloud State Alumni Meet in the Majors 1977 St. Cloud Tech graduate Jim Eisenreich went 1-for-2 with a walk and a double versus 1979 Fairfax graduate and former St. Cloud State teammate Dana Kiecker in a 13-4 Royals win at Fenway on this date in 1990. It was the first time that St. Cloud State alumni played against each other in the major leagues. In total, Eisenreich went 4-for-8 with a walk and two doubles versus Kiecker between 1990 and 1991. Torii Hunter/Wayne Hattaway Story "I flew into Fort Myers on July 15, 1993, a wide-eyed 17-year-old kid from Arkansas," Torii Hunter told PatrickReusse for a May 2, 2020 article. "First guy I met in the organization was Wayne [Hattaway]. He shakes my hand and says, ‘I hope you’re better than our last No. 1 choice.'" “The thing about Wayne, behind all the one-liners, he was an encyclopedia of baseball. We had great, long talks. He was an important friend to me.” Torii was among the group of Twins who picked up the tab for road expenses to have the retired Big Fella in clubhouses and dugouts. View full article

I mean, the Twins have literally never won a World Series in a year in which they didn't retire someone's number. There was a lot of celebrating in 1991. In addition to retiring Tony Oliva's number and winning the World Series, that's also the year Rod Carew was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Twins retired Tony Oliva's number 6 on this date in 1991. Coincidentally, they retired Rod Carew's number in 1987. What else do those two seasons have in common? 🤣 Justin Morneau won the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium on this date in 2008, beating Josh Hamilton, who just didn't have the stamina to keep up. Ace Inducted into Team HOF Camilo Pascual was inducted as the 24th member of the Twins Hall of Fame on this date in 2012. He was already a bona fide ace when the Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961. Pascual—who Ted Williams said had the most feared curveball in the American League—was sensational over the Twins’ first four seasons in Minnesota. He led the American League in strikeouts in 1961, ’62, and ’63, and led the majors in shutouts in 1959, ’61, and ’62. He pitched back-to-back shutouts three separate times during the Twins’ inaugural 1961 season, and once again in 1962. Over the six-year period from 1958 to 1963, no pitcher in MLB racked up a higher cumulative WAR (32.0 as retroactively calculated by Baseball Reference). On April 27, 1965, he hit the only grand slam by a pitcher in Twins history. (He had also hit a grand slam on August 14, 1960—the Senators’ final season in Washington.) Following his playing career, Pascual became a scout. Two of his more noteworthy signings were Jose Canseco for the Athletics in 1982 and Alex Cora for the Dodgers in 1996. Dozier Sets New Team Leadoff HR Record On This Date in 2017: On the second pitch back from the All-Star break, Brian Dozier hit his 21st leadoff home run, passing Jacque Jones for most in Twins history. Dozier hit his 22nd leadoff home run the next day, and wound up hitting 28 for the Twins before being traded to the Dodgers on July 31, 2018. It doesn't count toward his official total, but Dozier led off the 2017 Wild Card Game with a home run. Eddie Rosario added a two-run homer to give the Twins a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Yankees tied it up in the bottom of the inning and went on to beat the Twins, because of course they did. It also doesn't count toward his leadoff home run total, but Dozier scored on a leadoff bunt in Detroit on September 23, 2017. The third baseman committed a throwing error and Dozier circled the bases (a "Little League home run," if you will). View full article

Yeah, I think everyone associated Martinez with the end of Kirby's career. Did people back then actually think there was a connection between that season-ending hit-by-pitch and Kirby's glaucoma, or is that something that emerged in the social media era?

Puckett Officially Retires 36-year-old Kirby Puckett held a press conference at the Metrodome, officially announcing his retirement on this date in 1996. Cleveland happened to be in town, and Dennis Martinez attended the press conference. Puckett had been hit in the face by a Martinez fastball at the Metrodome in what turned out to be Puckett's final regular season at-bat on September 28, 1995. Puckett appeared poised for a big season in 1996, batting .344 in spring training when he woke up on the final day of camp unable to see out of his right eye. He was diagnosed with glaucoma (unrelated to the season-ending hit-by-pitch), and placed on the Injured List for the first time in his career. Four surgeries did nothing to improve his vision before he officially announced his retirement. Blyleven Earns 1,000th Win in Twins History Bert Blyleven held the visiting Brewers to one run on five hits and two walks for a 7-1 win on this date in 1972—the 1,000th win in Twins history. In a remarkable coincidence, Blyleven also earned the 2,000th win in Twins history in his second stint with the team 13 years later, on September 25, 1985. Steinbach is All-Star Game MVP After being maligned by the press as an unworthy All-Star, New Ulm native and Golden Gophers all-time great Terry Steinbach was named All-Star Game MVP on this date in 1988, after driving in the American League's only runs with a homer and sac fly for a 2-1 win at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The runner who scored on Steinbach's sac fly was Dave Winfield, meaning that all the AL's runs were scored and driven in by Minnesota natives. Steinbach had missed most of the month of May and was batting just .217 with five home runs and 19 RBI at the break (with his fifth home run coming in the last game before the break). He was, nevertheless, the leading vote-getter for AL starting catcher. The AL's only other catcher in the game was another Minnesota high school graduate: Tim Laudner, named to the team by manager Tom Kelly (who was at the helm by virtue of the Twins being the 1987 league champions). Laudner doubled in his only at-bat (off 1989 NL Cy Young Award winner Mark Davis) and caught the final four innings. Frank Viola started the game, retiring all six batters he faced. Three Twins Have Two-HR Games The Twins hit seven home runs in a 13-5 win in their first game at Milwaukee's new Miller Park on this date in 2001. Torii Hunter, Corey Koskie, and Jacque Jones hit two each. Doug Mientkiewicz only hit one, as he, Koskie, and Hunter went back-to-back-to-back in the third inning. It was Hunter's fourth consecutive game with multiple extra-base hits, tying a team record set by Matt Lawton just three days earlier. Remarkably, they are still the only two such streaks in team history, and they overlapped! Also on this Date in Minnesota Baseball History: View full article

Ope! I originally wrote that Harmon's 1965 walk-off gave the Twins a seven-game lead heading into the All-Star break, but it was only five.

Very cool! Thanks for adding this. It was indeed Rich Rollins on base, but I'm not sure I knew it was a full count AND after spoiling multiple two-strike pitches. I'll have to read up on that and add on to this next year. Actually forgot about the All-Star Game being in Minnesota as I was typing this up yesterday. WAY before my time, but I've always gotten the impression this walk-off heading into the break generated A LOT of excitement across Twins Territory

Killebrew Hits Legendary Homer Heading into the Break Trailing the Yankees by a run with two out in the bottom of the ninth, Harmon Killebrew hit a walk-off home run to give the Twins a five-game lead heading into the All-Star break on this date in 1965. They never looked back. (This is a big home run in Twins lore.) By Championship Win Probability Added (the same as in-game WPA, but it gives the change in the likelihood of a team winning the World Series based on a given play), it was the ninth-biggest regular-season hit in Twins history. The eight in front of it all came at the tail ends of seasons: three games in the final weekend of the great 1967 pennant fight with Boston, and Game 163 from 2009. Killebrew's homer, a midseason blast, increased the Twins' Championship WPA by 3.2%. (Thank you, Stathead, for existing and for that nugget.) Birthdate of Bob Allison Bob Allison was born in Raytown, Missouri on this date in 1934. The 1959 Rookie of the Year made the move with the Washington Senators to Minnesota in 1961, where he hit the first home run, first grand slam, and had the first three-home run game in Twins history. In 1963, he led the American League with 7.4 WAR (retroactively calculated, of course), a .911 OPS, and 99 runs scored. He also led AL right fielders with four double plays started. How intimidating a slugger was he? He drew 15(!) bases-loaded walks in his career. Renick Homers off Lolich in First MLB At-Bat Twins shortstop Rick Renick hit a solo home run off Detroit's Mickey Lolich in his first major-league at-bat on this date in 1968. The Twins won 5-4. Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Luke Hughes, and Eddie Rosario are the other Twins to homer in their first major league at-bats. Renick was the third base coach for the 1987 World Series Championship team. Santana Has Double-Digit Strikeouts in Fifth Straight Game Johan Santana notched double-digit strikeouts in his fifth consecutive game on this date in 2004. He had three previous three-game streaks, and once had double-digit strikeouts in 9 of 12 games. No other Twins pitcher has had double-digit strikeouts in even two games in a row! (In franchise history, Camilo Pascual and Walter Johnson each had a three-game double-digit strikeout streak with the Washington Senators.) View full article

Let's begin today by wishing a happy 56th birthday to 1995 AL Rookie of the Year Marty Cordova. Morneau Goes 5-for-5 Justin Morneau went 5-for-5 with a walk and an 11th-inning game-winning home run in a 7-6 Twins win in Detroit on this date in 2008. Epic Ninth-Inning Comeback Brian Dozier hit the below walk-off home run on this date in 2015, culminating an epic ninth-inning comeback. Justin Verlander took a two-hit shutout into the eighth before Dozier knocked in the Twins' first run. The Tigers still led 6-1 going into the ninth. Twins Homer in 28 Straight Games The Twins homered in both games of a doubleheader in Chicago on this date in 2024, giving them a home run in 28 straight games, blowing out of the water the previous team record streak of 18 games just one year earlier. Winona Native Makes MLB Debut Winona native and Golden Gophers all-time great Paul Giel narrowly missed pitching to fellow Minnesota native Wes Westrum when he struck out the side in the ninth inning in his major league debut on this date in 1954. Future Twins manager Billy Gardner pinch ran for Westrum in the eighth. Giel made his second appearance a week later in St. Louis, entering to face just one batter: Sauk Rapids native Rip Repulski, who connected for an RBI single—the first major league hit allowed by Giel. (And this time Clearbrook native Wes Westrum was behind the plate.) On July 29, Giel again came in to face Repulski with a runner in scoring position, this time inducing an inning-ending double play. Also On This Date: View full article

Killebrew Tears Hamstring Harmon Killebrew tore his hamstring stretching for a throw at first in the All-Star Game on this date in 1968. He was out of commission until September. (Guess he recovered okay, though, because he was the American League MVP the following year.) Reese Ties MLB Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Record Batting for the pitcher—Lamberton, MN native and future Twins assistant general manager Bob Gebhard—Rich Reese tied the MLB record with his third career pinch-hit grand slam in a 9-6 loss to the Yankees at Met Stadium on this date in 1972. Reese is the only player in MLB history to hit three pinch-hit grand slams with the same team. Goltz Makes No-Hit Bid West Central Minnesota native Dave Goltz took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on this date in 1978 en route to completing a three-hit shutout. He pitched a one-hitter less than a year earlier, and led the Twins in wins in 1977 and '78. View full article

Thielbar Gives Up First Run In his 18th major league appearance, 26-year-old Randolph High School graduate Caleb Thielbar finally gave up his first run on this date in 2013—a home run to Ben Zobrist in a 7-4 Twins loss at Tampa Bay. He finished his rookie season 3-2 with a 1.76 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 48 appearances (46 innings pitched). Thielbar makes his return to Target Field in a new uniform tonight, as the Cubs come to town. Wallner Hits Historically Hard Homer Forest Lake native Matt Wallner hit a two-run, game-tying home run measured off the bat at 116.7 MPH one year ago today. That's the second-hardest-hit Twins homer of the Statcast era. (What do you think the exit velo was when Harmon Killebrew hit his 522-foot bomb in 1967?) This was game 26 of a team-record 28-game home run streak, which blew out of the water the previous team record of 18 games set just one year earlier. In the year since, Wallner has still been solid, overall, batting .234/.342/.484 in 445 plate appearances. He was the stalwart for much of the team's death spiral last summer and fall. Of late, though, he's been mired in the first real slump of his career. Miranda Named AL Player of the Week After connecting for a hit in a ridiculous 12 straight at-bats, Jose Miranda was announced as American League Player of the Week on this date in 2024. What ever happened to that guy? View full article

In Today's Almanac: Happy birthday to three Twins radio fan favorites Former MVP suffers career-altering injury St. Paul Saints slugger knocked unconscious Twins staff authors three-straight complete-game shutouts Aguilera earns save versus Twins day after being traded mid-game Blyleven and Viola face off Darrell Jackson pitches gem Jim Brower makes sole MLB appearance at the Dome Chaska graduate earns first MLB win Minnesotan makes MLB debut replacing "Shoeless" Joe Jackson Happy Birthday to John Gordon, Dan Gladden, and Cory Provus How crazy of a coincidence is it that these three men, who all shared the Twins radio booth at one time, also share a birthday?! Morneau Suffers Concussion Justin Morneau suffered a season-ending (and career-altering) concussion breaking up a double play in Toronto on this date in 2010. He was hitting .345 with 25 doubles and 18 home runs at the time, and had already accumulated a career-high 4.7 WAR (Baseball Reference) through just 81 games. He had 4.3 WAR when he played 153 games and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2006. Don Zimmer Knocked Unconscious St. Paul Saints shortstop Don Zimmer was leading the league in home runs when he was knocked unconscious by a pitch that fractured his forehead on this date in 1953. He didn't recognize teammates when they visited him in the hospital two days later. He missed the rest of the season, but remarkably made his major-league debut a year later. Zimmer, of course, went on to become the ultimate baseball lifer, continuing to wear a major-league uniform as a coach into his 80s. Radke, Santana, and Lohse Pitch Three-Straight Shutouts Brad Radke, Johan Santana, and Kyle Lohse pitched back-to-back-to-back complete-game shutouts as the Twins beat the Royals 9-0, 4-0, and 12-0 at home in the Dome between July 5 and this date in 2004. The only other times in the franchise's history that that's happened were all long before the team moved to Minnesota and became the Twins. It wad done by the 1908, 1910 and 1913 Washington Senators—including, in the first of those instances, being done by Walter Johnson all by himself in a September stretch against the New York Highlanders. Aggie Earns Save Versus Twins The day after being traded mid-game to the visiting Red Sox, Rick Aguilera earned the save against the Twins on this date in 1995. The teams were tied 4-4 going into the ninth, but the Red Sox took a one-run lead off Eddie Guardado in the top of the inning. It's worth noting that Aguilera struck out Kirby Puckett for the second out with Chuck Knoblauch on second base, representing the tying run. Blyleven and Viola Square Off Former teammates Bert Blyleven and Frank Viola dueled on this date in 1989, each going all nine innings in a 5-2 Angels win in Anaheim. The Twins' only runs came on Tim Laudner's second-to-last home run, driving in Greg Gagne. Chili Davis scored two runs for the Angels. Rookie Pitches Three-Hit Shutout Making just his fourth major-league start, Darrell Jackson pitched a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 Twins win in Oakland on this date in 1978. Athletics pitcher Rick Langford went all nine, allowing just one unearned run. Talk about a tough-luck loss! Fun Fact: Jackson pitched nine no-hit innings in his pro debut at Double-A Orlando on Apr. 14, 1978. (The Twins went on to win in 12 innings.) Brower Makes Only Appearance at Metrodome During his nine-year major-league career, Minnetonka graduate Jim Brower only played at the Metrodome once, allowing one run in 4 ⅓ innings of relief to take the loss for the Reds on this date in 2001. Denny Hocking went 2-for-2 off Brower and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth. LaTroy Hawkins locked down the save for a 7-6 Twins win. Brower struck out Torii Hunter twice. At age 52, Brower currently pitches for the Tonka Bay Lakers in the 35-and-over Federal League and operates Brower Baseball facilities in Eden Prairie and Plymouth, which I highly recommend. Hand Earns First Win Chaska High School graduate Brad Hand (2008) earned his first major-league win on this date in 2011, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks in a 5-0 Marlins win over the Astros. It was Hand's fifth MLB start. He wound up playing 13 seasons in the majors, retiring with the third-most pitching appearances of anyone from Minnesota (579). He made three-straight All-Star teams from 2017 to 2019. He pitched in 82 games in 2016, becoming just the second Minnesotan to lead the majors in pitching appearances. He also pitched in the World Series, with the Phillies in 2022. Meixell Makes Major-League Debut Lake Crystal graduate Moxie Meixell (1907) made his major-league debut with the Cleveland Naps as a late-inning defensive replacement for right fielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson on this date in 1912. He got one at-bat, singling for his only major-league hit. He only got into three major-league games altogether, making an unsuccessful pinch-hitting appearance, and entering as a pinch-runner. Guess he could always say he had a .500 career average! His final two minor-league teams were the Newport News Shipbuilders and Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers. What would today's Minnesota team be called, if they had an occupational nickname? [Ed. suggestions: The Twin Cities Medtechs, I think. Which actually sounds kind of cool. Free idea, Saints. Do a whole old-fashioned thing, but with the name Medtechs.] View full article

In Today's Almanac: Newman hits only career home run Santana homers while pitching 3-hit shutout Twins trade closer to visiting team mid-game Twins score 32 runs in doubleheader Lawton has fourth-straight game with multiple extra-base hits Miranda has historic hit streak Minnesota native pitches one-hit shutout, faces the minimum Former player promoted to manager Newman Hits Only Career Home Run Expos second baseman Al Newman hit his only major league home run off Atlanta's Zane Smith on this date in 1986. Atlanta first baseman Bob Horner, incidentally, hit four home runs in the game, with the fourth coming off Jeff Reardon in the ninth. Expos won 11-8. Johan Santana Homers While Pitching 3-Hit Shutout Mets pitcher Johan Santana hit his only MLB home run while pitching a three-hit shutout on this date in 2010. Remarkably, it was the 12th pitch of the at-bat! Heckuva two-strike approach. In Twins history, Jim Kaat homered while pitching a shutout twice, and Jim Perry did it once. Twins Trade Aguilera The Twins traded Rick Aguilera right in the middle of a game to the visiting Red Sox for Frankie Rodriguez and a minor leaguer on this date in 1995. Aggie jogged in from the bullpen partway through the game and switched clubhouses. He earned the save for the Red Sox at the Metrodome the next night. He re-signed with the Twins as a free agent following the season. The Twins later traded first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to the Red Sox in the middle of a series between the two teams at the Metrodome in July 2004. Mientkiewicz played for the Twins on July 30, and for the visiting Red Sox on July 31. Kubel and Morneau Have Historic Doubleheader Game 1: Jason Kubel had the 15th seven-plus RBI game in Twins history in Game 1 of the doubleheader in Chicago on this date in 2007, going 2-for-3 with two RBI-sac flies, a grand slam (driving in Mauer, Morneau, and Hunter), and bases-loaded walk in a 20-14 win over the White Sox. Game 2: Justin Morneau had the fourth three-home run game in Twins history (and the first since Tony Oliva 34 years earlier in 1973) in a 12-0 Twins win to sweep the doubleheader. I guess another Almanac entry could be that "The Twins scored 32 runs on this date in 2007!" It is interesting to note that in the Twins' first 55 seasons, there were only four 3-HR games, and then suddenly, there were nine such performances in the six-year period from 2016 to 2021. Also interesting to note that there have been 19 seven-plus RBI games and 13 three-home run games in Twins history, but the two events have never coincided. Lawton Has Four-Game Multiple Extra-Base Hit Streak Matt Lawton hit a home run and a double in a 5-4 Twins win over the Reds at home in the Dome on this date in 2001. It was his fourth consecutive game with multiple extra-base hits, establishing a Twins record. In a remarkable coincidence, Torii Hunter also homered and doubled, beginning his own four-game multi-extra-base hit streak that same day. They are still the only two such streaks in team history. Crazy, right? Miranda Gets 12-Straight Hits José Miranda connected for an astonishing 12-straight hits over three games between the Fourth of July and this date in 2024. That blew out of the water the previous Twins record of nine-straight hits by Tony Oliva, Mickey Hatcher, and Todd Walker. Miranda was just the fourth player in MLB history to get a hit in 12-straight at-bats, and the first since 1952. Morris Pitches One-Hitter, Faces Minimum Detroit ace Jack Morris pitched a one-hit shutout against the Royals at Tiger Stadium on this date in 1990. He did not issue a walk and faced the minimum. After surrendering a single to Kurt Stillwell in the top of the first, he promptly induced a 4-6-3 double play from George Brett. Morris pitched a no-hitter in 1984, but he issued six walks in that game. I think you could argue that this 1990 one-hit shutout in which he faced the minimum was his most masterful regular-season pitching performance. Quilici Promoted to Manager The Twins promoted 33-year-old Frank Quilici to manager after dismissing Bill Rigney on this date in 1972. Quilici played infield for the Twins for parts of five seasons (1965, 1967–'70) before becoming a coach. He tied a World Series record by getting two hits in one inning off the Dodgers' Don Drysdale in Game 1 in 1965. View full article

"Best of the Worst"

He didn't have a three-home run game, but he did have a three-grand slam season, which was tied for the Twins record until Royce Lewis hit four.