Article: Twins Bite-Sized History, Part 7: Reconstruction

[John Bonnes]

Owner Calvin Griffith responded to the Metrodome's dismal atmosphere by trading away all his veterans and rebuilding from scratch with a new wave of prospects. He responded to the Metrodome's dismal attendance with a different scorched earth policy.It was becoming clear that the 1.4 million attendance threshold included in the Metrodome lease was not going to be met, giving Griffith the option of breaking the lease and perhaps moving to another market. Local business leaders responded by mounting a ticket-buying campaign of the cheapest unused tickets available to artificially inflate the attendance. For instance, on May16, 1984, the paid attendance was 51,683, but the number of fans present was closer to 8,700. Flirtations with other markets, particularly Tampa Bay, were made, but instead local banker and business executive Carl Pohlad purchased the team in the summer of 1984.

 

On the field, the team was growing – and experiencing growing pains. The promise of brighter days was apparent in 1984 when the Twins suddenly competed for the division, even though they had finished just 70-92 the year before. They led the AL West for all of August and found themselves tied for first place as late as September 23rd. But six straight losses, including blowing a 10-run lead versus Cleveland in the last series of the year, left them in second place.

 

Those brighter days were also personified by a rookie call-up. Center fielder Kirby Puckett made his debut just 21 games into the season, hit .296 and finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting. The next year he would collect his first MVP vote. These were previews.

 

The feature presentation started in 1986 when Puckett hit .328 and added power to his resume, slugging 31 home runs. Over the next 10 years, he would finish in the top 10 of American League MVP voting seven times, make 10 straight All-Star teams, and win six Gold Gloves. His success endeared him to the fans, but not as much as his zeal for the game. The Twins would retire his number in 1997 and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility.

 

While Puckett signified an apparently brighter future, the Twins struggled in 1985 and 1986, in part due to an explosive bullpen. Closer Ron Davis became the symbol for the team’s failings, both supported and reviled by Twins fans. In 1985, after several blown games, a sympathetic newspaper story led to "I believe in R.D." t-shirts becoming fashionable in the Metrodome. But equally as popular was the trade that sent him and his 9.08 ERA to the Cubs in August of 1986.

 

There were big changes off the field, too.

 

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[theBOMisthebomb]

RD and Jepsen - Loserville USA legends only surpassed by Gary "Bleeping" Anderson.

[Teflon]

Regarding the Metrodome's dismal atmosphere, remember the "We Like It Here" motto that was printed on the tunnel down the right field line? I thought it was cleverly placed as a lot of the Metrodome seats faced that direction instead of toward the baseball field.