(originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch)

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Today the Minnesota Twins selected two new members to their Hall of Fame, LHP "Everyday" Eddie Guardado, and long time staffer Tom Mee. All Twins' fans know Everyday Eddie, but who is Tom Mee?

Tom Mee has been with the Twins' organization from their first season in Minnesota (1961) until their last title (1991). He was the first front office person hired when the Twins moved to Minnesota in 1960 and was asked to lead their transition from Washington. The following season he became their PR Director, a position he held until his retirement. After his retirement from the Twins he was the official scorer in the Metrodome until 2007 and spend 2 seasons (1992 and 1993) with the Twins' broadcasting team with Dick Bremmer and Jim Kaat.

He is a graduate of Joe Mauer's Alma Matter, St. Paul's Cretin High School. Mee was a baseball player with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the late 40s and played a couple seasons in the Independent Leagues. He was then certified by the Brown Institute of Radio as an announcer and his career as a Baseball radio announcer begun. It took him form Detroit Lakes to Montana to New Mexico when he finally settled back in the Cities doing Public Relationships for the St. Paul Saints (the former incarnation) in 1957.

One of the little known facts about Mee is that he is the person who hired Jim Rantz to the Twins front office. In 1965, when the Twins won the pennant and went to the World Series, his one man PR department was overloaded and he needed a part time assistant so he hired Rantz who was managing the St. Cloud Northern League Club. Rantz stuck around from 1965 until last off-season.

Tom Mee's son and grandson have also played baseball at the University of Minnesota. His grandson, Mike Mee, played a couple seasons in the Diamondbacks organization last decade.

Back when I was in college I did a informational interview with Mr. Mee in his Metrodome office. What a terrific guy he was for putting up with a idiot college Junior stumbling through life,and probably hung over, and giving me some advice. "Kid if you are looking to make money, unless you can hit a slider with some power or throw 100mph lefthanded, baseball is not for where you want to end up." I listened to him and decided not pursue my career in baseball and instead not make a lot of money down another path. I think baseball would have been more fun, if slighty less profitable. Thanks Mr. Mee for your time.