Episode 16: Get to Know the 1970s Twins (with Patrick Reusse)

Another great interview - fun to hear the stories - and Reusse is not an easy interview.  He had so much he wanted to say.  loved it. 

An attempt at an all decade team for the 1970’s 

LF Bostock

CF Hisle

RF S Braun

3B Cubbage

SS Smalley

2B Carew

1B Killebrew

C Mitterwald

DH Oliva

Starter: Goltz, Blyleven, Perry, J Hughes, Kaat

Reliever: Bill Campbell, Tom Burgmeier, T Johnson (1977)

Bench Danny Thompson, D Ford, B Randall, Wilfong

Good get, Seth.  Pat Reusse is THE absolute icon in MN Sports - not that homer Sid - and I love to listen to his stories.

I would have hated being a Twins fan in the 70s, watching all of the greats either get old and retire, get traded or leave via the new free agency, but there were a few good moments alright.  My first game attended was in 1976, I’m pretty sure it was against Boston and Luis Tiant.

Patrick is a character.  I am originally a Fulda kid like him.  He was a classmate of my Uncle.  Class of '63.  Patrick went back for the 50th reunion and wrote a column about it.  He is great about remembering his roots.  He is certainly a HUGE baseball guy.  Was great on the Townball documentary last year.  I believe he moved to Prior Lake in the 9th grade.  I emailed him about his column the experience of a 50th class reunion and my Uncle. He was killed in Vietnam in Oct of '68.  He was a helicopter pilot.  Patrick was gracious with his time and memories of going to school in Fulda and with my Uncle Ronnie.   

The 70s, as a Twins fan, was a lo-o-o-o-o-ong decade.

There were bright spots, here and there, 76, 79, but for the most part, it was just as you said.  Killer, Tony O, others got old, and Calvin let all the stars go for a pittance.

But still, we never gave up!

I thought the summer of '77 was a lot of fun because of Carew's race for .400. I recalculated his batting average after every at bat when I got to watch the game. I believe that is a big reason why I now teach Statistics. What a season for Rodney.

Another connection with him is that I used to take the train in Panama to see my girlfriend on the Atlantic side when I lived on the Pacific side. Rod was born on that train, on the Atlantic side. Loved watching #29 (and #6 and #3 and #28).