Matt Johnson

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April 2, 1962 Twins Trade Ramos For Stigman It what is commonly considered the first major trade in Twins history, Minnesota trades Pedro Ramos for Nimrod native, 1954 Sebeka High School graduate, and 1960 All-Star Dick Stigman. Pedro Ramos started the first regular season game in Twins history, pitching a complete game three-hit shutout vs. Whitey Ford at Yankee Stadium on April 11, 1961. He was involved in an interesting piece of Twins history on May 12, 1961 as he and Angels pitcher Eli Grba traded homers off of each other. Grba homered off of Ramos in the top of the fifth to give the Angels a 3-2 lead. Ramos returned the favor in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Ramos added a two-run single in the sixth. The Twins held on to win 5-4, with the pitcher driving in the Twins’ final three runs. April 2, 2010 First MLB Game at Target Field The Twins and St. Louis Cardinals play an exhibition game at Target Field, the first major league game at the new ballpark, and Denard Span has himself a day. The center fielder collects the stadium’s first hit (a triple, of course), first home run, and first run scored. Jacque Jones, attempting a comeback with the club, pitch-hits and receives a moving standing ovation. I sure wish the Twins would make this kind of footage available. If they want to monetize it, fine, but don’t just keep in the damn vault! April 3, 1982 First MLB Game at the Dumb Metrodome The Twins and Philadelphia Philles play an exhibition game at the Metrodome, the first major league game at the new ballpark, and 1978 Bloomington Kennedy grad Kent Hrbek has himself a day. The Phillies’ Pete Rose collects the Dome’s first basehit, but the hometown kid hits the first AND second home runs in Metrodome history, powering the Twins to a 5-0 win. April 3, 1997 Old Man Grand Slam 40-year-old Twins DH Paul Molitor hits a grand slam off Detroit’s Willie Blair at home in the Dome, driving in Todd Walker, Chuck Knoblauch, and Rich Becker. It is the third and final grand slam of Molitor’s career. The second came off of Minnesota’s Dave Stevens on July 5, 1994. The first was way back on April 22, 1981. April 4, 1990 Twins Trade Pomeranz for Ortiz The Twins trade future-KARE11 anchor Mike Pomeranz to Pittsburgh for Junior Oritz and minor league pitcher Orlando Lind. Oritz, who wore number 0, is best-rememberd as Scott Erickson’s peronal catcher during the Twins’ 1991 World Series Championship season. April 5, 2004 Michael Wuertz Makes MLB Debut 1997 Austin, Minnesota High School graduate Michael Wuertz strikes out the first two batters he faces in his major league debut, pitching a 1-2-3 sixth in a 7-4 Cubs win in Cincinnati. Wuertz would pitch 426 major league games over eight seasons with the Cubs and Oakland A’s. April 5, 2014 Gardy Gets Win 1,000 Brian Dozier homers on the second pitch of the game, leading the Twins to a 7-3 victory over the Cleveland ballclub for Ron Gardenhire’s 1,000th managerial win. The milestone victory doesn’t come without a new gray hair, however, as 2001 Stillwater grad Glen Perkins gives up two runs in the bottom of the ninth before securing the Kyle Gibson win. April 6 Happy 66th Birthday to Bert Blyleven It’s the birthday of Rik Aalbert “Bert” Blyleven, born in Zeist, Holland in 1951. Blyleven grew up in Garden Grove, California and was drafted by Minnesota out of high school in the 3rd round in 1969. After only 21 minor league starts, Bert made his major league debut on June 2, 1970 at age 19. Blyleven would pitch for 22 seasons, 11 in Minnesota (‘70-’76, ‘85-’88). He is a 2x World Series Champion, winning his first in 1979 as a Pittsburgh Pirate, and his second as a member of the ‘87 Twins. Blyleven won 149 games as a Twin, 2nd only to Jim Kaat (190). He pitched three one-hitters with the Twins, two in 1973 and another in 1974. He pitched a no-hitter in his final game as a Texas Ranger, September 22, 1977. His 3,701 career strikeouts rank fifth in major league history. Only Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and Steve Carlton had more strikeouts. Bert Blyleven was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011, his 14th year on the ballot. His number 28 is retired by the Minnesota Twins. April 6, 1973 First DH Home Run With Rod Carew aboard in the top of the first on Opening Day, Tony Oliva hits the first home run by a designated hitter in major league history off of Oakland’s Catfish Hunter. Bert Blyleven pitches the first of 25 complete games on the season in the Twins’ 8-3 victory. April 6, 1982 First Regular Season Game in the Dome The Twins opened the 1982 season vs. Seattle at home in the dumb new Dome. 1977 St. Cloud Tech graduate Jim Eisenreich had the honor of being the first Twins batter to the plate. He grounded out to short. Two batters later right fielder Dave Engle homered for the first regular season hit in Metrodome history. In his first at-bat in the dumb new Dome, Gary Gaetti was thrown at at home trying to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park home run. He put the ball over the fence in his next two at-bats, going 4-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. The Twins fell to the Mariners, however, 11-7. April 7, 1970 Alyea Has Record-Setting Opening Day Outifielder Brant Alyea, who the Twins had just acquired on March 21, drives in a Twins record seven runs to back Jim Perry on Opening Day. He will go on to drive in 21 runs in the Twins’ first 12 games. Quite remarkably, 19 of those 21 RBI come in Jim Perry’s first four starts. Alyea matched his own record, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and driving in all seven Twins runs in a 7-6 win on September 7, 1970. Glenn Adams broke Alyea’s record with 8 RBI on June 26, 1977. Randy Bush matched that on May 20, 1989. Alyea’s career had gotten off to an Eddie Rosario-esque start, homering on the first big league pitch he saw as a Washington Senator on September 11, 1965. April 8, 1988 The Dazzle Man Has Himself a Day Dan Gladden goes 4-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored in a 6-3 Twins win vs. Toronto at home in the Dome. Gladden homered to lead off the Twins’ half of the first, and knocked out another in the bottom of the eighth. With Kent Hrbek batting in the seventh, Gladden stole home off of David Wells. It was the first of three times that Gladden would steal home in his career. He would do so again later in the ‘88 season, and once more in 1989. He was caught trying to steal home five times in his career. Rod Carew stole home 17 times and in his caeer, and Paul Molitor did so 10 times. Keep in touch with @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter, and on Facebook.

March 26, 1989 Twins Trade Atherton for Castillo The Twins trade pitcher Keith Atherton to the Cleveland ballclub for outfielder Carmelo Castillo. Atherton’s name is attached to one of the more dubious records in team history as one of the record five Twins pitchers to work the eighth inning in a 14-8 loss to Toronto at the Metrodome. Atherton made 59 relief appearances for the 1987 World Series Champion Twins. He faced two batters in Game 4 of the ‘87 ALCS, and made two appearances in the World Series, pitching a perfect top of the ninth in the Twins’ 10-1 Game 1 victory. He would make 32 relief appearances for Cleveland in 1989, his final major league season. Carmelo Castillo’s major league career fizzled out early in the Twins’ 1991 World Series Championship season, going 2-for-12 over nine games. He played his final big league game on May 9, 1991. March 27 Happy 49th Birthday to Tom Quinlan It’s the birthday of 1986 Hill-Murray graduate Tom Quinlan. Tom was a “Mr. Hockey” finalist his senior season at Hill-Murray. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 4th round, and Toronto Blue Jays in the 27th round out of high school. He made his major league debut on September 4, 1990, doubling in his second at-bat vs. Frank Tanana for his first big league hit. His first at-bat was cut short when current Executive Vice President of the White Sox Ken Williams was caught trying to steal second. Quinlan would strike out leading off the following inning. Quinlan hit his only big league homer while playing for the Phillies on May 29, 1994 off of 1990 NL Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek. Despite winning 22 games in 1990, Drabek made his one and only All-Star team in 1994 as a member of the Astros. Quinlan appeared in only 42 games over parts of four seasons. He was briefly a Minnesota Twin in 1996, going 0-for-6 in his final four major league games. March 27 Happy 38th Birthday to Michael Cuddyer It’s the birthday of 2x All-Star, 2013 National League Batting Champion and current Twins Special Assistant Michael Cuddyer, born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1979. The Twins drafted Cuddy in the first round (9th overall) in 1997 out of high school. He made his major league debut as a September call-up in 2001. In June, 2006 he hit two grand slams in a span of four days. He hit for the cycle on May 22, 2009. And on August 23, 2009 he became the only player in Twins history to homer twice in the same inning. This past January 27 the Twins announced the Michael Cuddyer and Andy MacPhail were elected to the team Hall of Fame. March 27, 1973 Jim Perry Okays Trade to Tigers 37-year old pitcher Jim Perry okays a trade to Detroit for pitcher Danny Fife and cash money. The Twins had originally acquired Perry from the Cleveland ballclub for Jack Kralick on May 2, 1963. Kralick had pitched the first no-hitter in Twins history the previous season, on August 26, 1962. . During Perry’s first five seasons with the Twins he was used as both a starter and a reliever, including the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. In 1969 he started 36 of the 46 games he appeared in, winning 20 as the Twins won the American League West pennant. Perry won the Cy Young Award in 1970, his first season in Minnesota in which he was used exclusively as a starter, and tied for the league lead with 24 wins as the Twins again won the West. Perry played ten seasons in Minnesota. He is fifth in Twins history in both wins (128) and innings pitched. In 2011 he became the sixteenth member of the Twins Hall of Fame. March 27, 2005 Bob Casey Passes Away Iconic Twins public address announcer Bob Casey passes away at the VA in Minneapolis as a result of complications of liver cancer and pneumonia, which he had contracted while visiting Twins Spring Training earlier in the month despite his poor health. He was 79 years old. Casey was the only public address announcer in the Twins’ 44-year history up until the day of his death. Casey, who was universally liked and respected, developed relationships with many players over the course of his career, one of whom was Alex Rodriguez. When A-Rod learned of Casey’s condition from Twins broadcasters John Gordon and Dan Gladden, he called Casey in the hospital. From Mark Sheldon’s story for the team website: Casey was hoping to work part-time for a 45th season and announce his retirement in June when Rodriguez and the Yankees were scheduled to be in town. "He spoke a lot, but it was hard to understand him," Rodriguez said of the final conversation with Casey. "His son was kind of translating what he was trying to say. His son told me that Puckett and myself were his favorites, and that he wanted to go out this year in June ... (and) have me take him out there and throw out the first pitch. It was very emotional." If you ask me, the Twins should find a way to play Bob Casey’s Kirby Puckett introduction at every home game. Maybe let two or three fans do their best impersonations during the seventh inning stretch. Thoughts? March 28, 1996 Kirby Puckett Wakes Up with Vision Problem 36-year-old Twins superstar Kirby Puckett appears poised for a big year, hitting .344 in spring training, when, on the last day of camp, he wakes up unable to see out of his right eye. He is diagnosed with glaucoma and placed on the Disabled List for the first time in his career. Four surgeries do nothing to improve his vision, and he officially retires on July 12. March 29 Happy 56th Birthday to Mike Kingery It's the birthday of 1979 Atwater High School graduate Mike Kingery, born in Saint James, Minnesota in 1961. When he was six months old the Kingerys moved to Atwater where Mike’s father was proprietor of the Atwater Bowling Center. Kingery signed with the Royals as an amateur free agent on August 27, 1979. He made his major league debut on July 7, 1986 and would go on to play 819 major league games over parts of 10 seasons with Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, Colorado, and Pittsburgh. A career .268 hitter, Kingery’s best season by far was with the Rockies in 1994, when, at age 33, he hit .349 over 105. Kingery hit .290 in 24 games vs. the Minnesota Twins, including a home run off of Les Straker on July 29, 1987. That same season he hit two home runs off of 1973 Highland Park High School graduate Jack Morris. Kingery and and Blix Donnelly headlined the seven-member 2014 inaugural class of the West Central Baseball Hall of Fame in Willmar. Mrs. Johnson and I swung into the Moose Lake Dairy Queen on our way home from Duluth last summer, and I was interested to see a poster for “The Kingery Family,” a travelling singing and ministry troupe. Turns out Mike and his wife Chris are parents of EIGHT children. In addition to his minstrel work, Mike Kingery operates the Solid Foundation Baseball School in Grove City, MN. March 29, 1996 Puckett Placed on 15-Day Disabled List Quoting directly from a New York Times article from March 31, 1996: “Kirby Puckett's blurry vision is being caused by a partial blockage of a blood vessel in his right eye, and the Minnesota outfielder will miss the season opener, the Twins said Friday after placing him on the 15-day disabled list … retroactive to Thursday, making him eligible to return April 12. During that time, he will undergo treatment and will be able to work out with the club. Matt Lawton, who went 2 for 4 with a run batted in in Puckett's place Friday, will start against the Tigers tomorrow.” March 30, 1981 Twins Trade Landreaux to Los Angeles The Twins trade Ken Landreaux to the Dodgers for Mickey Hatcher and minor leaguers Mathew Reeves and Kelly Snider. The Twins had acquired Landreaux from the Angels along with three other prospects just over two years earlier for Rod Carew. Lanreaux made Twins history twice during the 1980 season. He compiled a Twins record 31-game hitting streak from April 23 to May 30. Then, on July 3, he tied the modern major league record with three triples in a 10-3 home victory vs. Texas. Denard Span matched that record on June 29, 2010. Landreaux made his lone All-Star team in 1980, despite having one of his least productive seasons according to Baseball Reference who calculates his 1980 WAR as -0.2. Mickey Hatcher also appears in the Twins record book, and just for having the largest glove anyone has ever seen. On April 28, 1985 Hatcher went 4-for-5 in a 10-1 Twins win over Oakland at the Metrodome. He had gone 5-for-5 the previous day, giving him nine consecutive hits, tying Tony Oliva’s 1967 club record. Todd Walker matched the feat in 1998. The Twins released Hatcher on March 31, 1987 to make room for Dan Gladden who they had acquired in a trade with the Giants. March 30, 2005 Bob Casey Laid to Rest The inimitable Bob Casey, who had passed away three days prior from complications of liver cancer and pneumonia, is eulogized at St. Olaf Catholic Church and laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, Dan Gladden, Jack Morris, John Gordon, and Dave St. Peter served as pallbearers. Also in attendance were Carl Pohlad, Roy Smalley, Juan Berenguer, Tim Laudner, and Scott Leius. March 31, 1987 Twins Trade for Gladden The Twins release fan-favorite Mickey Hatcher and pick up San Francisco outfielder Dan Gladden for two minor league pitchers and a player to be named later, who would turn out to be Bemidji native and 2x Gophers Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year Bryan Hickerson. Hatcher was still owed $650,000 for 1987 and a $100,000 buyout clause for the ‘88 season. At the time it was the most expensive contract the Twins had eaten. It would prove to be a prudent business move. Gladden, of course, was a key contributor to both World Series Championship teams, coming up with clutch hits in both Series. He hit a grand slam in Game 1 of the 1987 Series, and hustled out one of the most important hits in Twins history, a broken-bat AstroTurf double leading off the bottom of the tenth in Game 7 of the ‘91 Series. Chuck Knoblauch then executed one of the most underrated plays in Twins history, a textbook sacrifice bunt to move Gladden to third with one out. Atlanta then intentionally walked Kirby and Hrbie to set up a potential inning-ending double play. Pinch-hitter Gene Larkin foiled that strategy, however, elevating the first pitch he saw to left-center giving the Twins a 1-0 walk-off victory. The Gladden trade was the third significant move of the ‘87 off season. Back in February the Twins had acquired Jeff Reardon and Al Newman in separate tradres with Montral. The Twins would make several more significant moves during the season, including trades for Joe Niekro and Don Baylor. Dan Gladden signed with Detroit as a free agent following the ‘91 World Series. March 31, 2010 Span Hits His Mother Leading off a Spring Training game vs. the Yankees in his hometown of Tampa, Denard Span fouls Phil Hughes’s 3-2 pitch over the third base dugout striking his own mother square in the chest. It was a scary moment at the ballpark but she was not seriously hurt. March 31, 2014 Mounds View’s Seth Rosin Makes MLB Debut With his Rangers trailing the Phillies 14-10 on Opening Day, 2007 Mound View graduate and three-year Golden Gopher Seth Rosin makes his major league debut, pitching a scoreless ninth, striking out 2006 National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Howard on three pitches for his first Big League K. Rosin signed a minor league deal with the Twins on February 23, 2017. April 1, 2002 Twins Hit 5 HRs on Opening Day The Twins tie an American League record by clubbing five home runs on Opening Day in Kansas City. Jacque Jones hit a solo and three-run home run, while David Ortiz, Brian Buchanan, and Torii Hunter each hit solo shots in the 8-6 Twins win. The Twins are the most recent of five American League teams to hit five home runs on Opening Day. The previous four were the Yankees in 1932, Red Sox in 1965, Brewers in 1980, and the Cleveland ballclub in 1995. The Mets set the major league record with six Opening Day home runs in 1988. April 1, 2007 Herb Carneal Passes Away Legendary Twins radio broadcaster Herb Carneal passes away at the age of 83. Carneal spent 44 years with the Twins, joining Ray Scott and Halsey Hall in 1962, the Twins’ second season in Minnesota. Carneal received the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award in 1996. He and Jim Kaat comprised the sophomore class of the Twins Hall of Fame, inducted on July 7, 2001. On a personal note, when I was in elementary school I won a drawing at Hardee’s (true story) and got to spend an inning in the booth with Herb Carneal and John Gordon. Keep in touch with @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter, and on Facebook.