You are Hereby Circled: The Legacy of Bert Blyleven

The sun will rise and set, seasons will change, and the Minnesota Twins will continue to run out to the kelly green grass at Target Field as they live out America’s Pastime for summers to come.

But for the first time in 25 years they’ll do it without a cornerstone of the franchise in the press box; Bert Blyleven.

The 69-year-old Hall of Fame pitcher announced on Wednesday via Twitter that Wednesday evening’s game against the White Sox would be his final time doing color commentary in the Twins booth, capping a quarter of a century run.

Bert Blyleven wasn’t the soulful and charming Vin Scully, or the bold and confident Bob Costas.

And that’s okay, he was Bert Blyleven. That’s all he needed to be.

I never had the chance to watch Blyleven take the mound. I was born in 1997, the year of the Florida Marlins; seven years after Bert had played his final Major League Baseball game. Instead of Puckett, Hrbek, and Gaetti I was raised on Radke, Santana, and Hunter.

Names like Guzman and Jacque Jones changed to Punto and Lew Ford and shifted to Buxton and Sano through the years. But through all the transition there was one constant; the voice of Bert in my Fargo, North Dakota living room.

My dream as a kid wasn’t to go to Disney World or the Super Bowl, it was to be circled by Bert at a Minnesota Twins game (the incredible lack of artistic ability of my signs was probably the reason this never happened).

And if Jeopardy ever runs dry on ideas there’s no doubt that an entire category could be created of “Bert-isms.” Downward Plane, Shecago, and “Oh, we’re live!” (If you know, you know) are just a few fan favorites.

Putting all things aside, Bert found a way to complement Dick Bremer’s personality that made Twins games fun to watch. He was never flashy, kept things simple, and told it like it was. His presence stimulated nostalgia for older fans, reminiscing on his filthy curve ball and the glory days of the franchise. For younger fans his presence created an opportunity to learn about the history of the franchise, pick up a few pitching pointers and probably hear a few ‘back in my day’ stories from mom and pops.

It’s been a few days since Bert’s final game. The Twins fittingly picked up an 8-1 victory over the Chicago (Shecago) White Sox on that night as Blyleven was able to give a heartfelt sendoff. Blyleven will continue to serve his role as a Special Assistant to the team and certainly won’t be leaving the Twins public sphere. But this milestone in Twins history has created a space for reflection.

Bert played two stints for the Twins that totaled almost a decade. He was in the booth for 25 years. Whether it be as a player or a broadcaster, Bert Blyleven touched the life of every Twins fan in some way, shape, or form.

For a kid who grew up in Southern California watching Sandy Koufax and listening to Vin Scully, there isn’t a much better story out there. And in a time where feel-good stories are tough to come by, Blyleven can ride off into the sunset knowing that he made an impact in the Twins organization and in the lives’ of Twins fans across the world.

As Glen Perkins said before signing off on Wednesday night, thank you for being a part of my childhood Bert. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, funny stories, and for instilling in me that the pitcher is the best athlete on the field.

What’s your favorite Bert story? Drop a comment below!