Matt Johnson

Read up on this weekend in Minnesota baseball history with notes on Bob Casey, Wayne Terwilliger, Carl Pohlad, Shane Mack, Gary Ward, Kerry Taylor, Jerry Koosman, Jesse Orosco, Wally Backman, and the Minnesotan who gave up Babe Ruth's only minor league home run. Dec. 7: The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked on this date in 1941. The Greatest Generation met the global crisis head on. Legendary Twins public address announcer Bob Casey served as a B-17 aircraft turret gunner and was decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. Wayne Terwilliger enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17 and served heroically in the 2nd Armored Amphibian Battalion in the South Pacific. Carl Pohlad served as an infantryman in France, Germany, and Austria and was decorated with three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. Dec. 7: Happy 61st birthday to one of the most underrated players in Twins history, Shane Mack. After being claimed from the Padres in the Rule 5 Draft, Mack posted a .309 average over five seasons in Minnesota, from 1990 to '94. His 5.0 WAR was the highest among positions players on the 1991 World Series Championship team. (Kevin Tapani actually led the team with a 6.8 WAR.) In 1992, Mack's .315 batting average and 6.5 WAR were both fifth-best among American League position players. My favorite Mack fun fact is that the left fielder led off the 1992 home opener with a home run. (You can imagine the atmosphere for the Twins' very first plate appearance inside the Dome since winning the World Series the previous October.) What makes the story really interesting, though, is that left fielder Dan Gladden did the exact same thing leading off the 1988 home opener. And they both went 4-for-5 in the game. Dec. 7: The Twins traded All-Star outfielder Gary Ward to the Rangers for pitchers Mike Smithson and John Butcher, and catcher Sam Sorce on this date in 1983. In just his 14th major league game, Ward hit for the sixth cycle in Twins history on September 18, 1980. His son Daryle Ward hit for the cycle with the Pirates in 2004, making the Wards the first father-son duo in major league history to do so. (The Biggios joined the club in 2019.) Ward made his second All-Star team with the Rangers in 1985. Butcher pitched a remarkable 81-pitch, one hour and 55 minute three-hit shutout on April 21, 1985. (He faced only one over the minimum thanks to a double play and caught stealing.) The Twins had lost nine in a row, falling to 2-9 on the season entering the Sunday series finale in Oakland. Leadoff hitter Kirby Puckett went 3-for-5, driving in both Twins runs in the 2-0 victory. It was the beginning of a 10-game winning streak. Mike Smithson had a one-hitter going through 8 1/3 innings in Chicago on June 29, 1985. Frank Eufemia came in and gave up two hits, but held one for a 1-0 Twins win. Smithson started 20 games for the 1987 World Series champion Twins, going 4-7. Dec. 7: The Twins acquired second baseman Wally Backman from the Mets on this date in 1988. His one season with the Twins got off to a productive start, scoring 12 runs in the team's first 11 games. Dec. 7: The San Diego Padres claimed 1989 Roseau graduate Kerry Taylor from the Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 Draft on this date in 1992. Taylor, who had signed with the Twins as an amateur free agent out of high school, made it to the majors for 36 appearances with the Padres in 1993, and one in 1994. His final season in MLB-affiliated ball was 2000 at triple-A in the Blue Jays organization where he was teammates with Roy Halladay. His final season in professional baseball was 2001 in South Korea with the Hyundai Unicorns where he was teammates with fellow Minnesotan Tom Quinlan (who the year earlier became the first foreign-born Korean Series MVP). Dec. 8: Pitcher Ellis Johnson was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1892. He made his major league debut at age 19. I couldn't find a box score, but he almost certainly faced Ty Cobb in that game. Fun Fact: Johnson gave up Babe Ruth's ONLY minor league home run. (On a related note, fellow Minnesotan Rube Walberg gave up more major league home runs to Babe Ruth than any other pitcher.) Dec. 8: After pitching a no-hitter in his final start of the season, the Rangers sent Bert Blyleven to Pittsburgh as part of a four-team, 11-player trade on this date in 1977. Blyleven won his first World Series ring with the Pirates in 1979 and brought some championship know-how with him back to Minnesota. Dec. 8: The Twins acquired West Central School of Agriculture (Morris, MN) graduate Jerry Koosman from the Mets for pitchers Greg Fields and Jesse Orosco on this date in 1978. Koosman had the best season for a pitcher over 30 in Twins history in 1979, when, at age 36, he led the team with 20 wins. His 7.2 WAR that season is tied for seventh-best by a pitcher in team history (only Bert Blyleven, Johan Santana, and Frank Viola have posted better single-season WARs). Koosman also led the team with 16 wins in 1980. 1967 Rothsay graduate Dave Goltz led the team in wins from 1976 to ‘78, meaning a Minnesotan led the Twins in wins for five straight seasons. Jesse Orosco eventually pitched for the Twins 25 years later, in 2003 at age 46. It was the 24th and final major league season for Orosco, who pitched in more games than anyone in major league history. View full article

Read up on this weekend in Minnesota baseball history with notes on Juan Berenguer, César Tovar, Gary Wayne, Swede Hollow native Andy Nelson and Richfield legend Mike Sadek. Nov. 30: Happy 70th birthday to Señor Smoke, Juan Berenguer. El Gasolino. He always carried that briefcase with him because it contained some of his most cherished possessions, such as family photos— including some of his father who died when he was a kid—and a doll given to him by a fellow Panamanian when he signed his first professional contract that he carried with him throughout his career. And that trademark fedora? That was a gift from Tony Oliva. Here's an impressive stat: Berenguer struck out 220 batters in 166 innings down at triple-A Tacoma in 1979. Juan is undoubtedly one of the most beloved figures in Twins' history. Share your favorite stories, stats, or fun facts in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Nov. 30, 1884: Pitcher Andy Nelson was born in Swede Hollow—an immigrant settlement down in a ravine on St. Paul's Lower East Side—on this date in 1884. He briefly made it to the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 1908. Nov. 30: Happy 62nd birthday to former Twins pitcher Gary Wayne. He pitched for Michigan in the College World Series three years! 1981, '83, and '84. Pitching for the Twins, he gave up Frank Thomas's first major league home run at the Metrodome on August 28, 1990. Thomas also hit his 500th home run at the Metrodome off Carlos Silva in 2007. Altogether, the Big Hurt hit 52 against the Twins—his most against any team by a longshot. Nov. 30, 1972: The Twins traded César Tovar to the Phillies for first baseman Joe Lis and pitchers Ken Reynolds and Ken Sanders on this date in 1972. Speaking of pitchers, Tovar toed the rubber and struck out Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson when he played all nine positions on September 22, 1968. Tovar led the American League with 36 doubles and 13 triples in 1970, and led the league with 204 hits in 1971. He received MVP votes five-straight seasons from 1967 to 1971. (He averaged about 18th place in the balloting.) Dec. 1, 1969: The San Francisco Giants claimed Richfield High School graduate and two-year Golden Gopher Mike Sadek from the Twins in the Rule 5 Draft on this date in 1969. Sadek was a popular backup during his eight seasons in San Francisco, so much so, in fact, that he was named the starting catcher on the Giants All-Decade team for the 1970s. Sadek helped lead Richfield to the state championship as a sophomore in 1962. He was a teammate at the University of Minnesota with 1964 Anoka graduate Bob Fenwick, who was drafted by the Giants and played briefly in the majors with the Astros and Cardinals. View full article

Read up on this weekend in Minnesota baseball history, featuring Tom Kelly, Joe Mauer, Gene Mauch, Luis Tiant, John Anderson, Angelo Giuliani, Tom Hall, Ken Schrom, and Crown native Elmer Hierlinger. Nov. 23, 2009: After leading the majors with a .365 average, Twins catcher Joe Mauer is named American League Most Valuable Player, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes (Keizo Konishi of Kyodo News voted for Miguel Cabrera, who finished fourth). Nov. 23: Happy 77th birthday to Tom "The Blade" Hall, who pitched a two-hit shutout in the 1969 home opener. In 1970, he averaged 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Nov 23: Happy 70th birthday to former Twins pitcher Ken Schrom. He one-hit the Royals at the Metrodome on June 26, 1985. The Twins trailed 1-0 in the bottom of ninth, and won on a Roy Smalley two-run walk-off single. Schrom was an All-Star with Cleveland in 1986. Nov 23, 1929: Former major league pitcher John Anderson was born in St. Paul on this date in 1929. The 16-year professional made a total of 24 MLB appearances (one start) with the Phillies, Orioles, Cardinals, and Houston Colt .45s between 1958 and 1962. Interestingly, I can't find much information about this major leaguer from Minnesota. (No, this is not longtime Golden Gophers coach John Anderson.) Anyone know anything about him—like where he went to high school? The 1930 and 1940 census show that John Charles Anderson was living with his family in Roseville... Nov. 23, 1940: The legendary Luis Tiant was born in Cuba on this date in 1940. He was an All-Star with Cleveland in 1968 but then led the majors with 21 losses in 1969, leading to speculation he was pitching hurt. The Twins acquired him as part of a trade that involved sending young Graig Nettles to Cleveland, but then released him after one lackluster season (though he did post a .406 batting average). He landed on his feet in Boston where, after a third-straight poor season, he reinvented himself, leading to a remarkable renaissance beginning in 1972 when he led the majors with a 1.91 ERA. Over the five seasons from 1972 to 1976, he averaged 19 wins and received MVP votes in three of those seasons. What are the odds the Twins would straight-up release not one but TWO players who would go on to become Red Sox legends? Nov. 23, 1924: Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Famer Elmer Hierlinger was born in Crown, Minnesota 100 years ago today. Nov. 24, 1912: Baseball lifer Angelo Giuliani was born in St. Paul on this date in 1912. The catcher played parts of seven seasons in the majors with the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, and Brooklyn Dodgers. He became a scout with the Senators and became a part of the Twins organization when the team moved to Minnesota. Giuliani lived a truly fascinating life and was a legendary figure in Minnesota baseball. I'd love to hear your stories about him (firsthand or otherwise). Let's get a conversation going in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Nov. 24, 1975: The Twins name Gene Mauch manager, succeeding all-time great human being Frank Quilici. It wasn't Mauch's first time in the manager seat in the Met Stadium dugout ... He managed the Minneapolis Millers to back-to-back league championships in 1958 and '59. Mauch managed both his brother-in-law Roy Smalley Jr. and his nephew Roy Smalley III. Nov. 24, 1986: After giving him the runaround, the Twins finally announce that interim skipper Tom Kelly will manage the team in 1987. Worked out pretty well... View full article

This weekend's Twins Almanac features notes on Rod Carew, Johan Santana, Ron Gardenhire, longtime Chisholm, Minnesota doctor Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, and Stillwater high school graduate Mike Strong. Nov. 16, 1977: After leading the majors with 239 hits and a .388 average, Rod Carew is named American League Most Valuable Player. He was the third of five players in Twins history to receive the award, succeeding Zoilo Versalles in 1965 and Harmon Killebrew in 1969, and preceding Justin Morneau in 2006 and Joe Mauer in 2009. Nov. 16, 2006: After leading the majors with a 2.77 ERA, 0.997 WHIP, 245 strikeouts, and 19 wins (tied with Chien-Ming Wang), Twins ace Johan Santana wins his second Cy Young Award, this time by unanimous decision. It was his third consecutive season leading the league (or majors) in strikeouts and WHIP. He also won the Cy Young in 2004 and probably should have in 2005, too, but the award went to Bartolo Colon instead. Nov. 17: Happy birthday to me (41) and 2007 Stillwater graduate Mike Strong (36), who pitched six seasons of professional baseball, making it as high as Triple-A in the Brewers organization in 2015. 2016 was his final pro season, pitching for both the double-A Chattanooga Lookouts in the Twins organization and for the independent St. Paul Saints. Anybody know what Mike is up to these days? Nov. 17, 2010: After five runner-up finishes, Ron Gardenhire finally win the American League Manager of the Year Award. The Twins won six division championships in Gardy's first nine seasons at the helm. Every Twins manager since Tom Kelly has been named AL Manager of the Year once: TK in 1991, Gardy in 2010, Paul Molitor in 2017, and Rocco Baldelli in 2019. Nov. 17, 1877: Doc Archibald "Moonlight" Graham was born on this date in eighteen seventy-something (probably 1877). Following his eight-year pro baseball career, he practiced medicine in Chisholm, Minnesota for over 50 years. Moonlight famously got into just one major league game but never made a plate appearance or got a defensive chance, just like Sauk Rapids graduate Bob Hegman who played half an inning in the field for the eventual 1985 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. View full article

This weekend's Twins Almanac features Minnesotan pro ballplayers born 106 years apart, awards for two lefties who played significant roles in Twins history, and the end of the road for one of the most prodigious power hitters in baseball history. Nov. 9: Happy 53rd birthday to Robbinsdale Armstrong graduate and 1994 Big Ten Player of the Year Mark Merila. Card collectors may remember Merila as one of three Minnesotans in the 1993 Topps Traded Team USA subset along with Perham graduate Charlie Nelson and Hill-Murray graduate Darren Grass. All three were teammates at the U of M. A brain tumor ended Merila's playing career after two seasons in the Padres farm system, but he served as Padres bullpen catcher for 17 years before the tumor returned. He is currently a scout for the Padres. Mark Merila first pitch September 4, 2024.mp4 Nov. 9, 1865: Eight-year major league infielder Jack Crooks was born in St. Paul on this date in 1865. He had the first four-home run game in professional baseball history playing for the visiting minor league Omaha Omahogs in his hometown of St. Paul in 1889. Two of his 21 major league home runs came off Cleveland Spiders ace Cy Young. Nov. 9, 1988: After leading the majors with 24 wins, Frank Viola becomes the second Cy Young Award winner in Minnesota Twins history, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes. (Dennis Eckersley received the other vote.) Jim Perry won the award in 1970, and Johan Santana in 2004 and 2006. (He got robbed in 2005.) Nov. 10, 1975: The Royals release 39-year-old Harmon Killebrew, ending his 22-year career. He had to wait until 1984—after four frickin' ballots—to finally be elected to the Hall of Fame, despite trailing only Babe Ruth on the American League home run list. Nov. 10, 2002: The Sporting News names Twins Vice President and General Manager Terry Ryan Executive of the Year. He also won the award in 2006. Fun Fact: Ryan (a left-handed reliever) went 10-0 with 13 saves and a 1.78 ERA at Class A Wisconsin Rapids in 1973. View full article

The Twins Almanac: Weekend Edition delivers two day's worth of Minnesota baseball history, going all the way back to 1881. Saturday Our World Series Champion Minnesota Twins were on the cover of Sports Illustrated on this date in 1987. Can you name all the guys in this picture? Flex your Twins knowledge in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Happy 50th birthday to one of my favorite Twins, Orlando Cabrera, born in Cartagena, Colombia in 1974. Happy 36th birthday to 2007 Mounds View graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Seth Rosin. He pitched in the majors for the Rangers in 2014 and Phillies in 2015. The Twins signed him to a minor league contract in February 2017 but released him in March. He wound up posting a 0.511 WHIP and 0.00 ERA in 15 relief appearances with the St. Paul Saints that summer. Happy 66th birthday to 1985 NL MVP Willie McGee. As great of a player as the two-time batting champion was, Twins fans may best remember him for the bouncing ball he hit to Gaetti for the final out of the 1987 World Series. Sunday Jack Hickey was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1881. He made two major league starts (one complete game) with the Cleveland Naps in 1904, giving up 13 runs (10 earned) on 14 hits and 11 walks over 12.1 innings pitched. He is one of at least eight Minnesotans featured in the 1909–11 Obak (T212) set, which was like a West Coast companion to the T206 set of Honus Wagner fame. After tying Tom Glavine for the MLB lead with 17 losses, the Twins traded Bert Blyleven along with Kevin Trudeau to the Angels for Paul Sorrento and two others on this date in 1988. (Trudeau was actually born in Forest Lake, Minnesota, but his family moved to California when he was nine.) Bert was named AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1989. He won 17 games, led the AL with five shutouts, and finished fourth in Cy Young balloting. His 6.0 bWAR was second in the league to Cy Youn-winner Bret Saberhagen. View full article

His stats in Games 1 through 5 in both 1987 and 1991 were pretty poor. Big Game 6 in 1987, and I wanna say Game 7, too. Fun Fact: Gary Gaetti led the majors in double plays grounded into in 1987. Pretty sure Killebrew did so one of the years they won the AL West, too.

Interesting point about the analytics. I'm not familiar with that. What analytics suggesting Olerud was the better option in that matchup?

Today's Twins Almanac features strong World Series starts by Les Straker and Kevin Tapani, as well as clutch moments by Chili Davis, Kent Hrbek, Scott Leius, and Holdingford High School graduate Joe Brinkman. Les Straker pitched six shutout innings in Game 3, becoming the first Venezuelan to start a World Series game on this date in 1987. Related Venezuelan Trivia: Johan Santana became the first Venezuelan 20-game winner pitching for the Twins in 2004. Straker left the game with a 1-0 lead but Juan Berenguer surrendered three in the seventh for a 3-1 Cardinals win. The Twins only connected for five hits in the game. Tim Laudner—who famously hit just .191 during the regular season—had two hits. Kevin Tapani pitched eight strong innings as the Twins won Game 2 of the World Series 3-2 on this date in 1991. It was the first of five games in the series decided by one run. The Twins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first as Chili Davis homered off Tom Glavine, driving in Chuck Knoblauch who reached on a walk. (Remember, kids: walks will haunt.) The damage actually might have been greater, but Kirby Puckett—who led the majors in double plays grounded into in 1991—grounded into a double play right before Chili came up. For Atlanta, David Justice scored in the second inning and Minnesota native Greg Olson scored in the fifth. The game was tied 2-2 when Scott Leius—who still lives in the Twin Cities—hit Glavine's first pitch in the bottom of the eighth over the fence for the game-winning home run. Rick Aguilera closed it out in the top of the ninth. Footnote: Ron Gant committed a seldom-remembered baserunning blunder in the top of the third, careening wildly out of control back toward first base. Fortunately, Good Samaritan Kent Hrbek was on the spot to prevent Gant from injuring himself, but in the process, did tag Gant for the final out of the inning. Scott Leius home run Game 2 1991 World Series.MP4 Hrbek Gant Game 2 1991 World Series (1).mp4 Hey, here's an obscure factoid: Joe Brinkman kicked the game-winning field goal for a 15-14 St. Cloud State win over Bemidji State on this date in 1962. The Holdingford High School graduate was a longtime major league umpire and was crew chief for the 1987 American League Championship Series. He was at third base in Game 4. Gee, anything noteworthy happen at third base in Game 4 of the '87 ALCS ... ? View full article

Today's Twins Almanac features a clip of the incomparable Bob Casey that you're going to want to see (and hear), as well as postseason heroics by Greg Gagne and Minnesota natives Kent Hrbek, Jack Morris, and Paul Molitor. Greg Gagne and Kent Hrbek homered as Jack Morris and the Twins beat Atlanta 5-2 in Game 1 of the World Series on this date in 1991. After the Gagne home run clip below is Bob Casey introducing the American League Champs prior to the game. And below that, a later cover of Sports Illustrated featuring Minnesota native Greg Olson upended after tagging out Dan Gladden at the plate in Game 1. Greg Gagne HR Game 1 1991 World Series (1).mp4 Bob Casey Introductions Game 1 1991 World Series (1).mp4 "Twin Killing: Minnesota Charges Into the World Series." Greg Gagne was on the cover of Sports Illustrated on this date in 1987. Anybody still have their copy? (Check out who the Tiger is in this picture. Couldn't catch a break on the basepaths.) Getting the start at first base over AL Batting Champion John Olerud, St. Paul native Paul Molitor went 3-for-4 with a two-run triple and a home run as the Blue Jays beat the Phillies 10-3 in Game 3 of the World Series on this date in 1993. With the series shifting to the National League ballpark for Game 3, the Blue Jays weren't going to have Molitor as their DH, so manager Cito Gaston made the tough decision to play him at first base over Olerud, who led the league with a .363 batting average and was 10-for-29 (.345) to that point in the postseason. (Worth noting, of course, that Blue Jays batters had the top THREE batting averages in the league in '93, with Molitor coming in second at .332 followed by Roberto Alomar at .326. Their hitting coach? None other than Twins all-time fan favorite Larry Hisle.) In Games 4 and 5, Molitor played third base. Molly hit an even .500 with two home runs in the Series, and was named Most Valuable Player. Paul Molitor Game 3 1993 World Series.mp4 View full article

Today's Twins Almanac features an all-time great cast of characters including Kirby Puckett, Jack Morris, Mudcat Grant, Billy Martin, as well as a major leaguer from Bemidji. Happy 61st birthday to 1982 Bemidji graduate and five-year major leaguer Bryan Hickerson. Fun Fact: He won the first two "Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year Awards" given out by the University of Minnesota. The Twins drafted him out of the U of M but later sent him to San Francisco as part of the trade for Dan Gladden. 21-game winner Mudcat Grant pitched a complete-game gem and even hit a three-run homer in Game 6 of the World Series on this date in 1965, setting up a classic Game 7 duel between Jim Kaat and Sandy Koufax the next day. Every run in the game came via the long ball (unlike nowadays when teams play small ball to manufacture runs). Bob Allison hit an 0-2, two-run homer in the fourth, driving in Earl Battey. Then, with two out in the sixth and Allison already aboard via a walk, the Dodgers intentionally walked Frank Quilici to get to Mudcat who deposited the first pitch into the left-center field seats for a 5-0 Twins lead. Perhaps he overexerted himself on the home run swing and subsequent trot around the bases because the only run he gave up in the game was on a solo home run leading off the next half inning. Twins won 5-1. After being swept by Baltimore in the first-ever American League Championship Series, Twins owner Calvin Griffith fired manager Billy Martin on this date in 1969. Fan reaction to this move was MASSIVELY negative. It's actually pretty crazy to read about how upset many fans were with this move. If you have any stories or memories about this, please share in the comments section at the bottom of the page. St. Paul native Jack Morris earned the complete-game win as the Tigers beat the Padres 4-2 in Game 4 of the World Series on this date in 1984, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. Morris also earned the complete-game win in Game 1. The Tigers won the series in five games. The Twins won the American League Championship on this date in 1991, beating the Blue Jays 8-5 in Game 5. Kirby Puckett was named MVP after batting .429 (9-for-21) with home runs in Games 4 and 5. They were not the last home runs he would hit during the 1991 postseason... View full article

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. 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. 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. 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. 1987 homecoming (2).mp4 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. 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. 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. Adam Johnson only goal October 12, 2019.mp4 View full article

Today's Almanac features one of the all-time fan favorites and the most exciting regular season game in Twins history. Image courtesy of © Leon Halip-Imagn Images On this date in 1965, Twins second baseman Frank Quilici tied the World Series record by getting two hits in one inning off Hall of Famer Don Drysdale in the third inning of Game 1. Don Mincher and Zoilo Versalles homered off Drysdale, who only lasted 2 2/3 innings. Mudcat Grant, meanwhile, went the distance in the 8-2 Twins win. Quilici, of course, was a fan favorite around here, as a player, coach, and broadcaster. Please share your favorite memories of Frank in the comments section at the bottom of this page. Happy 39th birthday to Andrew Albers. He had a heck of an MLB debut back in 2013, pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings in Kansas City. He had a three-run lead before even taking the mound, as Brian Dozier hit a leadoff homer and Justin Morneau added a two-run tater. The Twins went on to win 7-0. Albers actually had three different stints with the Twins: 2013, 2016, and 2021, with stints in Toronto, Seattle, and Japan in between. Alexi Casilla drove in Carlos Gómez for the most exciting regular-season run in Twins history in the bottom of the 12th frame of Game 163, on this date in 2009. After falling behind in the top of the 10th, they tied it up off Fernando Rodney, who was still out there in the 12th. Honestly, doing a longer write-up of this game felt overwhelming, so why don't you tell me your favorite fun facts or cool stories about this game in the comments section at the bottom of this page. This game feels like it must be up there with the 1987 ALCS homecoming in terms of people reminiscing about their own personal experiences of it. Inarguably, it's one of the best regular-season games not only in team history, but in the entire league, going back to the start of this century. Game 163 Casilla Gomez (2).mp4 View full article

Today's Almanac features postseason heroes Randy Bush, Torii Hunter, Johan Santana, and Jeff Reboulet, and Minnesota natives Blix Donnelly and Roger "Peaceful Valley" Denzer. Major league pitcher Roger "Peaceful Valley" Denzer was born in Le Sueur, MN on this date in 1871. He passed away in Le Sueur in 1949 (age 77) and is buried there. If anyone has any interesting stories or facts about Denzer, please share them in the comments section below. Olivia, MN native Blix Donnelly was a World Series hero for the Cardinals on this date in 1944, entering in a jam in the top of the eighth and pitching four scoreless innings as the Cards beat the St. Louis Browns 3-2 in 11 innings in Game 2. Soon after the Cardinals won the Series in six games, over 1,000 people crammed into the Olivia Armory to honor Donnelly at an event broadcast by WCCO’s Halsey Hall and Cedric Adams. Happy 66th birthday to Randy Bush, co-owner of the Twins single-game RBI record with eight on May 20, 1989. He had a .500 on-base percentage in 43 pinch-hitting appearances and tied the AL record with seven-straight pinch hits during the Twins' 1991 World Series Championship season. Altogether, he connected for 74 pinch hits over his 12-year career, which is the most in team history. Good at sliding. Bush slide Laudner RBI Game 2 1987 World Series.mp4 Former Twins infielder Jeff Reboulet hit a clutch 3-2 first-inning homer off Randy Johnson in Game 4 of the ALDS on this date in 1997. Reboulet was starting at second base over Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar. Heckuva hunch by manager Davey Johnson. Mike Mussina was dominant as the Orioles won 3-1 to clinch a trip to the ALCS. Jeff Reboulet HR Game 4 1997 ALDS Randy Johnson.mp4 Johan Santana pitched seven shutout innings and Torii Hunter robbed A-Roid of a home run leading off the bottom of the eighth as the Twins beat the Yankees 2-0 in Game 1 of the ALDS on this date in 2004. Hunter threw out Jorge Posada tagging up from third and attempting to score in the second. The Twins' two runs off Mike Mussina came on a Shannon Stewart single driving in Michael Cuddyer, and a Jacque Jones homer. The Twins famously went 0-18 in the postseason after this, not winning another playoff game until 2023—19 years later. Uff da. Hunter catch Game 1 2004 ALDS.mp4 View full article