Minnesota Twins in History

Events in Sport

  • 1960-10-26 MLB: American League approves existing Washington Senators move to become Minnesota Twins, and two new expansion franchises - Los Angeles Angels & Washington (D.C.) Senators; 1961 season schedule grows from 154 to 162 games
  • 1961-05-09 Baltimore Oriole Jim Gentile hits 2 grand slams (9 RBIs) vs Minnesota Twins

Sports History

1962-07-18 Minnesota Twins Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew hit grand slams in 1st inn & Harmon Killebrew connect in a club-record, 11-run 1st inning

World Series

1965-10-14 Baseball World Series: LA Dodgers edge Minnesota Twins, 2-0 in Game 7 at Metropolitan Stadium; Dodgers 3rd title since move to LA; MVP: LA pitcher Sandy Koufax

  • 1966-06-09 5 Minnesota Twins (Rich Rollins, Zolio Versailes, Tony Oliva, Don Michner, & Harmon Killebrew) all homer in 7th inning to beat A's 9-4
  • 1967-08-06 Minnesota Twins pitcher Dean Chance throws a perfect no-hitter vs Boston Red Sox, 2-0 in 5 innings before game is called because of weather
  • 1967-08-25 Minn Twin Dean Chance 2nd no-hitter of month beats Cleveland, 2-1
  • 1968-07-03 Cleveland pitcher Luis Tiant strikes out MLB record 19 Minnesota Twins in 1-0 win; record for 10 inning game; also record 32 Ks in consecutive games
  • 1968-09-22 Minnesota Twins utility César Tovar pitches a hitless inning & plays all 9 positions in a 2-1 win over Oakland A's at Metropolitan Stadium

Twins Appoint Martin

1968-10-11 MLB star Billy Martin named manager of the Minnesota Twins

Baseball Record

1969-07-16 Minnesota Twins' Rod Carew steals home for his career best 7th time of the season, against Chicago

  • 1969-10-04 MLB holds first league championship games; National League Championship Series: New York Mets beat Atlanta Braves, 9-5; Baltimore Orioles beat Minnesota Twins, 4-3 in American League Championship Series
  • 1969-10-06 MLB American League Championship: Baltimore Orioles beat Minnesota Twins, 3 games to 0
  • 1969-12-13 MLB manager Billy Martin fired by the Minnesota Twins

Sports History

1970-09-21 Oakland A's Vida Blue no-hits Minnesota Twins, 6-0

  • 1970-10-05 MLB Championship Series both end on the same day with same score; (AL) Baltimore Orioles beat Minnesota Twins, 3-0; (NL) Cincinnati Reds down Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0; Orioles win WS, 4-1
  • 1972-05-12 Milwaukee Brewers beat Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in 22 innings (completed 5/13)
  • 1972-05-13 Milwaukee Brewers beat Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in 22 innings (started 5/12)
  • 1972-07-31 Chicago infielder Dick Allen becomes only 7th player in MLB history to hit 2 inside-the-park home runs in a game; both off Bert Blyleven in 8-1 White Sox win over Minnesota Twins
  • 1974-02-11 First Major League Baseball arbitration case; Minnesota Twins pitcher Dick Woodson seeking $29,000 wins; Twins offered $23,000

Sports History

1974-09-28 California Angel Nolan Ryan 3rd no-hitter beats Minn Twin, 4-0

  • 1975-07-19 New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson's 1st-inning single & RBI are nullified because tar on his bat handle exceeds 18" limit; Minnesota Twins win, 2-1
  • 1977-09-22 Minnesota Twin Bert Blyleven no-hits California Angels, 9-0
  • 1978-07-19 New York Yankees start historic 14 game comeback with 2-0 win over the Minnesota Twins at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN
  • 1979-02-03 Minnesota Twins trade Rod Carew to California for 4 players

Sports History

1984-05-08 Minnesota Twins Kirby Puckett debuts with 4 singles

  • 1984-05-16 Mackay pays $218,718 for 44,166 tickets to keep Twins in Minnesota Twins sell 51,863 tickets but only 6,346 fans show up for the game
  • 1984-06-22 Carl Pohlad becomes CEO of Minnesota Twins
  • 1984-09-28 Cleveland Indians down 0-10 to Minnesota Twins, win 11-10
  • 1985-02-11 Kent Hrbek signs 5-year $6 million contract with Minnesota Twins
  • 1986-09-12 MLB Minnesota Twins fire manager Ray Miller and replace him with coach Tom Kelly
  • 1987-02-03 MLB Montreal Expos trade pitcher Jeff Reardon to Minnesota Twins for pitcher Neal Heaton
  • 1987-10-12 Minnesota Twins beat Detroit Tigers, 9-5 in ALCS Game 5 at Tiger Stadium for 4-1 series win; go on to win club's first Baseball World Series
  • 1987-10-25 Baseball World Series: Minnesota Twins beat St Louis Cardinals, 4-2 at HHH Metrodome for 4-3 series win and franchise first in Minneapolis; MVP: Twins pitcher Frank Viola
  • 1988-08-08 Minnesota Twins pull 2nd triple-play of year in 6-2 win over Cleveland
  • 1988-10-02 Minnesota Twins total 3,030,672 in attendance at Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome; first AL club ever to break 3 million in a MLB season
  • 1989-05-13 Minnesota Twin Kirby Puckett becomes 35th to hit 4 doubles in a game
  • 1989-05-14 Minnesota Twin Kirby Puckett becomes 1st player to hit 6 doubles across two consecutive games since St. Louis Cardinal Red Schoendienst in 1948
  • 1989-07-31 MLB Minnesota Twins trade AL Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola to New York Mets
  • 1989-11-22 MLB center fielder Kirby Puckett signs record $3,000,000 per year contract with Minnesota Twins
  • 1990-05-23 NY Yankees hit 6 home runs to beat Minnesota Twins 12-0
  • 1990-07-17 Minnesota Twins become 1st team to turn 2 triple plays in a game but lose to Boston Red Sox 1-0
  • 1991-06-16 Minnesota Twins win a team record 15 games in a row
  • 1991-06-16 With 3 runs in 9th, Baltimore Orioles end Minnesota Twins 15 game winning streak, with 6-5 win

Sports History

1991-08-14 MLB Minnesota Twins Dave Winfield is 23rd to hit 400 HR

  • 1991-10-13 Minnesota Twins win AL pennant beating Toronto in 5 games
  • 1991-10-13 MLB American League Championship: Minnesota Twins beat Toronto Blue Jays, 4 games to 1

World Series

1991-10-27 Baseball World Series: Minnesota Twins beat Atlanta Braves, 1-0 in 10 in Game 7 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome; win 2nd title since move to Minneapolis; MVP: Twins pitcher Jack Morris

Sports History

1995-09-28 Dennis Martínez' fastball breaks Minnesota Twins Kirby Puckett's jaw, in what becomes his final career plate appearance, in Cleveland Indians 12-4 win

  • 1996-04-02 Detroit Tigers slugger Cecil Fielder steals 1st base in 1,097th career game, a 10-6 win at Minnesota Twins; longest duration in MLB history without a stolen base
  • 1996-07-12 Kirby Puckett, MLB centerfielder, retires after 12 seasons from Minnesota Twins, due to loss of vision in one eye

Baseball Record

1996-09-16 MLB Minnesota Twins' Paul Molitor becomes 21st player to reach 3,000 hits

  • 1997-05-25 Minnesota Twins retire Kirby Puckett's uniform #
  • 1997-08-09 Yanks break Minnesota Twins Brad Radke's string of 12 straight wins
  • 1998-05-17 New York Yankees pitcher David Wells tosses a perfect game in a 4-0 win against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, NY
  • 2002-10-13 MLB American League Championship: Anaheim Angels beat Minnesota Twins, 4 games to 1
  • 2017-06-12 MLB Draft: JSerra Catholic HS, CA shortstop Royce Lewis first pick by Minnesota Twins
  • 2019-08-31 Minnesota Twins smash 6 HRs in 10-7 loss to the Tigers in Detroit; break MLB record by hitting 268th home run of the season

Birthdays in Sport

  • 1911-12-01 Calvin Griffith, Canadian baseball team owner (Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins 1955-84), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1999)
  • 1918-01-29 Bill Rigney, American baseball infielder (MLB All Star 1948; NY Giants) and manager (NY/SF Giants; LA Angels; Minnesota Twins), born in Alameda, California (d. 2001)
  • 1922-01-21 Sam Mele, American MLB outfielder/manager (Minnesota Twins record 102 wins 1965), born in Astoria, New York (d. 2017)
  • 1923-05-10 Herb Carneal, American sports broadcaster (Minnesota Twins 1962-2006; Ford C. Frick Award 1996), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 2007)
  • 1927-07-19 Billy Gardner, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins 1981–85, KC Royals 1987) and second baseman (World Series 1954 NY Giants, 1961 Minnesota Twins), born in Waterford, Connecticut (d. 2024)
  • 1932-05-26 Joe Altobelli, American baseball utility (Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins) and manager (SF Giants, World Series Baltimore Orioles 1983, Chicago Cubs), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2021)
  • 1935-06-01 Jack Kralick, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1964; no hitter 1962; Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians), born in Youngstown, Ohio (d. 2012)
  • 1935-08-13 Jim "Mudcat" Grant, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1963, 65; Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, and 5 other teams), singer, and writer (Black Aces), born in Lacoochee, Florida (d. 2021)
  • 1936-04-01 Ron Perranoski, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1963, 65; LA Dodgers; AL saves leader 1969, 70) and coach (World Series 1981, 88; LAD), born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 2020)

Harmon Killebrew (1936-2011)

1936-06-29 American Baseball HOF utility (13 × MLB All-Star; AL MVP 1969; 6 × AL HR leader; Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins), born in Payette, Idaho

  • 1938-11-07 Jim Kaat, American Baseball HOF pitcher (16 x Gold Glove; 3 x MLB All-Star; Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies) and broadcaster, (NY Yankees, Minnesota Twins, MLB Network), born in Zeeland, Michigan
  • 1940-07-20 Tony Oliva, Cuban Baseball HOF right fielder (World Series 1987, 91 Minnesota Twins; 8 x MLB All Star; AL Rookie of Year 1964), born in Pinar del Río, Cuba
  • 1941-06-01 Dean Chance, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1964, 67; Cy Young Award 1964; no-hitter 1967; LA / California Angels, Minnesota Twins), born in Wooster, Ohio (d. 2015)
  • 1942-07-24 Cotton Nash, American baseball outfielder (Chicago WS, Minnesota Twins) and basketball small forward (LA Lakers, SF Warriors, Kentucky Colonels), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2023)
  • 1945-04-30 Ray Miller, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles), born in Takoma Park, Maryland (d. 2021)

Rod Carew (78 years old)

1945-10-01 Panamanian Baseball HOF infielder (18 x MLB All Star; AL MVP 1977; 7 × AL batting champion; Minnesota Twins, California Angels), born in Gatún, Panama Canal Zone

  • 1948-08-09 Bill Campbell, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star, AL saves leader 1977; AL Rolaids Relief Man Award 1976, 77; Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox), born in Highland Park, Michigan (d. 2023)
  • 1950-08-15 Tom Kelly, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins), born in Graceville, Minnesota
  • 1951-04-06 Bert Blyleven, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (World Series 1979, 87 Minnesota Twins; MLB All-Star 1973, 85), born in Zeist, Netherlands

Jack Morris (68 years old)

1955-05-16 Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (5 x MLB All Star; World Series 1984 Detroit Tigers, 1991 [MVP] Minnesota Twins, 1992-93 Toronto Blue Jays), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

  • 1955-08-19 (Edgar) "Ned" Yost, American MLB baseball catcher, 1980-85 and manager, 2003-2019 (Minnesota Twins; Kansas City Royals - World Series win, 2015), born in Eureka, California
  • 1955-10-01 Jeff Reardon, American baseball pitcher (4-time MLB All Star; Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins), born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Paul Molitor (67 years old)

1956-08-22 American Baseball HOF infielder (7 x MLB All-Star Milwaukee Brewers; World Series MVP 1993 Toronto Blue Jays) and manager (Minnesota Twins 2015-18), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

  • 1958-08-19 Gary Gaetti, American baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1988, 89; World Series 1987; Gold Glove Award 1986–89; Minnesota Twins), born in Centralia Illinois
  • 1959-04-18 Jim Eisenreich, American MLB outfielder (Tourette syndrome, Florida Marlins WS 1997), born in St. Cloud, Minnesota
  • 1960-01-17 Chili Davis, American baseball outfielder (MLB All-Star 1984, 86, 94; World Series 1991 Minnesota Twins; 1998, 99 NY Yankees), born in Kingston, Jamaica

Kirby Puckett (1960-2006)

1960-03-14 American Baseball HOF centerfielder (10 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1987, 91; ALCS MVP 1991; 6 × Gold Glove Award; Minnesota Twins), born in Chicago, Illinois

  • 1960-05-21 Kent Hrbek, American baseball player (Minnesota Twins), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • 1961-12-31 Rick Aguilera, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1991, 92, 93; World Series 1986 NY Mets, 1991 Minnesota Twins), born in San Gabriel, California
  • 1964-02-18 Kevin Tapani, American baseball pitcher (Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins), born in Des Moines, Iowa
  • 1964-04-30 Jeff Reboulet, infielder (Minnesota Twins), born in Dayton, Ohio
  • 1964-09-01 David West, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1988-98 (Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, and 3 other teams), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2022)
  • 1964-10-01 Roberto Kelly, Panamanian baseball outfielder and coach (NY Yankees; MLB All Star 1992-93), born in Panama City, Panama
  • 1964-12-02 Chip Hale, American baseball infielder, coach and manager (Minnesota Twins; Arizona Diamondbacks; Washington Nationals), born in Santa Clara, California
  • 1965-09-22 Mark Guthrie, American MLB pitcher, 1989-2003 (Minnesota Twins, LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and 6 other teams), born in Buffalo, New York
  • 1966-04-14 Greg Myers, American catcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Riverside, California
  • 1966-11-18 Ron Coomer, American MLB infielder (Minnesota Twins), born in Crest Hill, Illinois
  • 1967-04-14 Mike Trombley, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1992-2002 (Minnesota Twins and 2 other teams), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
  • 1968-02-02 Scott Erickson, American baseball pitcher (World Series, MLB All Star, AL wins leader 1991; Minnesota Twins), born in Long Beach, California
  • 1968-02-28 Mike Milchin, pitcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Knoxville, Tennessee
  • 1968-07-07 Chuck Knoblauch, American baseball shortstop (NY Yankees, Minnesota Twins), born in Houston, Texas
  • 1968-09-06 Pat Meares, American baseball infielder (Minnesota Twins), born in Salina, Kansas
  • 1968-09-15 Rich Robertson, American pitcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Nacogdoches, Texas
  • 1970-01-06 Daniel Naulty, American pitcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1970-03-04 Dave Stevens, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1994-2000 (Minnesota Twins, and 3 other teams), born in Fullerton, California
  • 1970-10-02 Eddie Guardado, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2002-03; AL saves leader 2002; Minnesota Twins), born in Stockton, California
  • 1971-11-30 Matthew Lawton, American baseball outfielder (MLB All-Star 2000, 04; Minnesota Twins), born in Gulfport, Mississippi
  • 1972-10-27 Brad Radke, American baseball pitcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
  • 1972-12-11 Francisco Rodriguez, American pitcher (Minnesota Twins), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1974-11-22 Joe Nathan, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 2004, 05, 08, 09, 12, 13; SF Giants, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers), born in Houston, Texas
  • 1975-07-18 Torii Hunter, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 2002, 07, 09, 10, 13; Gold Glove Award 2001–09; Minnesota Twins, LA Angels of Anaheim, Detroit Tigers), born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas

David Ortiz (48 years old)

1975-11-18 Dominican Baseball HOF first baseman/DH (10 × MLB All-Star; World Series 2004, 07, 13; World Series MVP 2013 Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins), born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

  • 1977-11-08 Nick Punto, American MLB baseball player, 2001-14 (Philadelphia Phillies; Minnesota Twins, and 4 other teams), born in San Diego, California
  • 1978-10-04 Kyle Lohse, American baseball pitcher (14th pitcher to beat all 30 MLB teams; Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals), born in Chico, California
  • 1979-03-13 Johan Santana, Venezuelan baseball pitcher (4 × MLB All-Star; AL Cy Young 2004, 06; Triple Crown 2006; Gold Glove 2007; no-hitter 2012; Minnesota Twins, NY Mets), born in Tovar Municipality, Mérida, Venezuela
  • 1979-03-27 Michael Cuddyer, American baseball player (Minnesota Twins), born in Norfolk, Virginia
  • 1981-07-05 Jesse Crain, Canadian baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2013; Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox; career W-L 45-30), born in Toronto, Ontario
  • 1983-03-02 Glen Perkins, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2013-15; Minnesota Twins), born in St. Paul, Minnesota
  • 1983-04-19 Joe Mauer, American baseball player (Minnesota Twins), born in St. Paul, Minnesota
  • 1994-09-22 Carlos Correa, Puerto Rican MLB player (Minnesota Twins), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Weddings in Sport

  • 2012-12-01 Minnesota Twins baseball catcher Joe Mauer (29) weds Maddie Bisanz at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota

Deaths in Sport

  • 1999-10-20 Calvin Griffith, Canadian baseball team owner (Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins 1955-84), dies at 87
  • 2001-02-20 Bill Rigney, American baseball infielder (MLB All Star 1948; NY Giants) and manager (NY/SF Giants; LA Angels; Minnesota Twins), dies at 83

Kirby Puckett (1960-2006)

2006-03-06 American Baseball HOF centerfielder (10 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1987, 91; ALCS MVP 1991; 6 × Gold Glove Award; Minnesota Twins), dies of a stroke at 45

  • 2007-04-01 Herb Carneal, American sports broadcaster (Minnesota Twins 1962-2006; Ford C. Frick Award 1996), dies of congestive heart failure at 83

Harmon Killebrew (1936-2011)

2011-05-17 American Baseball HOF utility (13 × MLB All-Star; AL MVP 1969; 6 × AL HR leader; Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins), dies from esophageal cancer at 74

  • 2012-09-18 Jack Kralick, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1964; no hitter 1962; Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians), dies from complications of strokes at 77
  • 2015-10-11 Dean Chance, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1964, 67; Cy Young Award 1964; no-hitter 1967; LA / California Angels, Minnesota Twins), dies at 74
  • 2017-05-01 Sam Mele, American MLB outfielder/manager (Minnesota Twins record 102 wins 1965), dies at 95
  • 2021-03-03 Joe Altobelli, American baseball utility (Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins) and manager (SF Giants, World Series Baltimore Orioles 1983, Chicago Cubs), dies at 88
  • 2021-05-04 Ray Miller, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles), dies at 76
  • 2021-06-12 Jim "Mudcat" Grant, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1963, 65; Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, and 5 other teams), singer, and writer (Black Aces), dies at 85 [1]
  • 2022-05-14 David West, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1988-98 (Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, and 3 other teams), dies of brain cancer at 57
  • 2023-01-06 Bill Campbell, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star, AL saves leader 1977; AL Rolaids Relief Man Award 1976, 77; Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox), dies from cancer at 74
  • 2023-05-23 Cotton Nash, American baseball outfielder (Chicago WS, Minnesota Twins) and basketball small forward (LA Lakers, SF Warriors, Kentucky Colonels), dies at 80
  • 2024-01-03 Billy Gardner, American baseball manager (Minnesota Twins 1981–85, KC Royals 1987) and second baseman (World Series 1954 NY Giants, 1961 Minnesota Twins), dies at 96