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8 unusual facts about Minnesota Twins


Bear River, Minnesota

Bear River is the home town of the Minnesota Twins mascot TC Bear.

Bill Valentine

A few days after the All-Star game, in the same ballpark, Valentine got into an argument with Minnesota Twins manager Sam Mele, in which Mele appeared to throw a punch at Valentine.

David D. Halverson

LTG Halverson is a die-hard Minnesota sports fan, well known for his love of the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins and the Wild.

Frédéric Hanvi

He was signed to a seven-year Minor League Contract with the Minnesota Twins organization.

Jason Bartlett

Jason Bartlett (baseball) (born 1979), Major League Baseball player who is currently plays for the Minnesota Twins

Jerry Akers

Albert Earl "Jerry" Akers (November 1, 1887 – May 15, 1979) was a professional baseball player whose career spanned seven season, including a part of one in Major League Baseball with the Washington Senators (1912).

Kai Gronauer

In the year 2008 the Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates were interested in him but he declined the offer in order to finish his vocational education in Germany.

Walt Masterson

Walter Edward Masterson III (June 22, 1920 – April 5, 2008) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.


Aaron Miles

He had his first home run as a Dodger and first in over 530 at-bats over two years vs Minnesota Twins starter Brian Duensing at Target Field on June 28, 2011.

Bill Pohlad

He is the son of Eloise (O'Rourke) and banker and businessman Carl Pohlad, who owned the Minnesota Twins baseball franchise from 1984 to 2009, and brother of current owner Jim Pohlad.

Bill Rigney

Returning to the field the next year, Rigney and led the Minnesota Twins to the 1970 AL West championship before being replaced midway through the 1972 season.

Brock Gillespie

He is the son of notable long-time college basketball coach, Marty Gillespie, who had his own standout athletic career as a two-sport athlete (baseball/basketball) at Iowa State University in the 1970s and was drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft twice; once by the St. Louis Cardinals and once by the Minnesota Twins.

Cal Ermer

Most of Ermer's 60-plus-year career in baseball was spent as an employee of the Minnesota Twins and its predecessor franchise (before 1961), the Washington Senators.

Calvin Griffith

As president, majority owner and de facto general manager of the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise of the American League from 19551984, he was famous for his devotion to the game and for his sayings.

Deltaville Ballpark

Former Minnesota Twins pitcher Keith Atherton, a native of nearby Mathews County, pitched several post-MLB years for the Deltas, and Dave Cunningham, formally a minor league ballplayer in the Houston Astros organization, played for several seasons.

Dick Brodowski

Richard Stanley Brodowski (born July 26, 1932) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1952 through 1955 for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, and Cleveland Indians.

Downtown East, Minneapolis

Downtown East is home to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, where the Minnesota Twins (MLB baseball), Minnesota Vikings (NFL football), and Minnesota Gophers (NCAA University of Minnesota football) have all played home games.

Frank Croucher

On December 12, 1941, Croucher was traded by the Detroit Tigers with Bruce Campbell to the Washington Senators for Jimmy Bloodworth and Doc Cramer.

George Brophy

George M. Brophy (September 15, 1926 – November 20, 1998) was an American professional baseball executive who served as farm system director for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball for over 15 seasons.

Grant Gillis

Grant Gillis (January 24, 1901 – February 4, 1981) was a utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1927 through 1929 for the Washington Senators (1927–28) and Boston Red Sox (1929).

Halsey Hall

He later did radio broadcasts for Minneapolis Millers and Minnesota Twins baseball and Minnesota Golden Gophers football.

Jack Thoney

John Thoney Bullet Jack (December 8, 1879 – October 24, 1948) was a reserve outfielder / infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1902 through 1911 for the Cleveland Bronchos (1902–1903), Baltimore Orioles (1902), Washington Senators (1904), New York Highlanders (1904), and Boston Red Sox (1908–1911).

Jean Havlish

She later started to play bowling recreationally in a 3M Company league that met in the upstairs of a St. Paul bar owned by Jake Mauer, grandfather of the Minnesota Twinscatcher Joe Mauer.

Jeff Reboulet

Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft, Reboulet would make his major league debut with the Twins on May 12, 1992, and appear in his final game during the 2003 season.

Jerry Snyder

Gerald George Snyder (born July 21, 1929 in Jenks, Oklahoma) is an American former infielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Washington Senators from 1952 to 1958.

Jim Brillheart

James Benson Brillheart (September 28, 1903 – September 2, 1972) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between 1922 and 1931 for the Washington Senators (1922–23), Chicago Cubs (1927) and Boston Red Sox (1931).

Jordan Walden

When the Angels traded Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins, on August 27, 2010, Walden was promoted to the 8th inning setup role.

Julio Bécquer

Julio Bécquer Villegas (born December 20, 1931, in Havana, Cuba) is a retired professional baseball player who played 7 seasons for the Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels, and Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball.

Kip Selbach

From 1894 through 1906, he played for the Washington Senators (NL), Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators (AL) and Boston Ameiricans (1904–1906).

Kris Atteberry

He joined John Gordon and Dan Gladden as the pre- and post-game host and backup play-by-play broadcaster for the Minnesota Twins Radio Network in 2007.

Marion Barber III

During his last season with the Trojans, he amassed 1,778 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns and led his team with 10 interceptions (3 of which came against Gatorade National Player of the Year and future Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer).

Marty Martínez

Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent in 1960, Martínez reached the majors in 1962 with the Minnesota Twins, spending one year with them before moving to the Atlanta Braves (1967–1968), Houston Astros (1969–1971), St. Louis Cardinals (1972), Oakland Athletics (1972) and Texas Rangers (1972).

Michael Birawer

The Minnesota Twins commissioned Birawer in 2010 to create his interpretation of the team's new stadium, Target Field.

Minneapolis Millers

The Millers folded after the 1960 season with the arrival of the Minnesota Twins in 1961.

Minnie Mendoza

Cristobal Rigoberto Mendoza Carreras (born November 16, 1933), better known as Minnie Mendoza, is a former Major League Baseball infielder and coach who played for the Minnesota Twins during the 1970 MLB season.

New Haven County Cutters

The bad streak continued, and the Cutters fell to last place in the division in the second half and cost first-year manager Jarvis Brown, a former Minnesota Twins prospect, his job.

Omaha Dodgers

The Omaha Dodgers were the transplanted St. Paul Saints of the Association, a longtime Dodger farm team that was displaced after the 1960 season when the Minnesota Twins moved from Washington, D.C., to bring Major League Baseball to Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Park Jung-Jin

As Australian closer Brad Thomas left the Eagles for the Detroit Tigers in MLB after the 2009 season, former Minnesota Twins setup man Julio DePaula became a closer for the 2010 Eagles, where manager Han Dae-Hwa intended to use Park as a left-handed specialist or long reliever.

Pedro Grifol

Grifol was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft and played in the minor leagues for the Twins and New York Mets from 1991 to 1999.

Red Marion

While Marty played 13 years in the Major Leagues, Red Marion played in only 18 big-league games — four in 1935 and the remainder in 1943 — all for the Washington Senators.

Rich Becker

Born in Aurora, Illinois, Becker was selected in the third round of the 1990 Major League Baseball amateur draft out of West Aurora High School by the Minnesota Twins.

Sal Butera

Sal and his wife have a son; Drew, born August 9, 1983, who also played for the Minnesota Twins during his baseball career and is currently a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Steve Stroughter

Pinch-hitting for Jim Essian, Stroughter grounded out in his first big league at-bat, which was against Doug Corbett of the Minnesota Twins.

Terry Tiffee

After his time at Pratt, Tiffee signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Louisiana State University, but chose instead to sign with the Minnesota Twins (scout Gregg Miller) when he was acquired in the 26th round of the June 1999 free agent draft.

Tim Dillard

On May 20, 2012, Dillard was thrown out of a game against the Minnesota Twins after he threw a pitch behind Jamey Carroll.

Tommie Agee

With the Indians already behind 11-1 to the Minnesota Twins, Agee made his major league debut on September 14 at Metropolitan Stadium pinch-hitting for pitcher Bill Dailey in the ninth inning.

USA Thursday Game of the Week

USA also didn't televise Games 2 and 5 of the playoff series between the Calgary Flames and Minnesota North Stars (April 30 and May 7 respectively) because of baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins vs. the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the Philadelphia Phillies respectively.


see also

Dick Woodson

Before the 1965 baseball season, Woodson was signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent to play in their Minor League Baseball organization.

Gardenhire

Ron Gardenhire former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins

Glenn Williams

Since that time, Glenn has played baseball for the minor league affiliates of the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins.

Hot foot

The "hot foot" was brought back by Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander when he played the prank on fellow Tiger Don Kelly in the 2011 season against the Minnesota Twins.

Jason Pridie

Eight days later, the Rays traded Pridie along with Delmon Young and Brendan Harris to the Minnesota Twins for Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and Eduardo Morlan.

Jon Rauch

On August 28, 2009, Rauch was traded to the Minnesota Twins for RHP Kevin Mulvey.

Kevin Slowey

He is known for his exceptional control and command of the strike zone and is often compared to former Minnesota Twins pitcher Brad Radke, due to his excellent control.

Nashville Xpress

The Minnesota Twins would relocate their Double-A affiliate to the Eastern League.

Ron Coomer

He also regularly appeared on KTWN-FM, the primary radio affiliate for the Minnesota Twins.

Sherry Robertson

He moved the club to Minneapolis-St. Paul after the 1960 season, then led the Minnesota Twins until he sold the club in 1984.