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Following Bobby Darwin’s trade to the Milwaukee Brewers for John Briggs, the second successor to Tony Oliva’s primary position in right field arrived. “Disco” Dan Ford broke into MLB in 1975 with the Twins and showcased himself as a fan favorite in Twins Territory for years to come. Only two MLB players in history have earned the nickname "Disco." One is active with the San Francisco Giants, Anthony DeSclafani, and the other was the right fielder for the Twins from 1975-1978, “Disco” Dan Ford. One has earned the nickname simply as a play on their last name. The other was a man who couldn’t do his pre-game warm-ups without the sounds of Parliament or Funkadelic to get the juices flowing. Ford broke into MLB in 1975 with the Twins as a rookie at the age of 23. The early-season struggles of Darwin allowed Ford to play every day alongside another Twins rookie sensation Lyman Bostock. Although Ford did not attract the attention of American League writers to earn Rookie of the Year voting in 1975, he quickly became a fan favorite for Twins fans. The only players in the American League that received any rookie of the year voting were Fred Lynn and Jim Rice, both outfielders on the American League Champion Red Sox. Ford’s breakout rookie numbers included a .280 batting average, 15 home runs, 59 runs batted in, and a .767 OPS in 130 games. Ford had a great start to his career and carried that into his sophomore season. There was no such thing as a sophomore slump for Ford in 1976. It turned out to be his best season with the Twins. In 145 games that season, Ford hit a .267 batting average, 20 home runs, 86 runs batted in, and a .781 OPS. Ford did lead the Twins in home runs that season as it was one of the lower power-hitting eras in Twins history following the departure and retirement of Harmon Killebrew. The Twins were competitive in the AL West in 1976, finishing third with an 85-77, two-and-a-half games behind the Oakland A’s for second place and five games behind the Kansas City Royals for the AL West title. During Rod Carew’s MVP 1977 season, Ford saw a slight dip in his numbers. Ford’s average plateaued at .267 again. He hit 11 home runs with 60 runs batted in, and a .764 OPS. Ford’s numbers may have declined, however, his all-star teammates Carew and Larry Hisle helped carry the Twins to an 84-77 record finishing fourth in the West. And although he wasn’t an all-star that season, Ford played alongside the rising stars in baseball for his last season with the Twins. Bostock’s best season of his short career came in 1977 with Ford next to him daily in right field. As Bostock departed from the Twins in the 1977-78 offseason for the California Angels, Ford would find himself in his final season with the Twins in 1978 alongside Carew. Ford’s 1978 was an uptick from 1977 as he had a .274 batting average, 11 home runs, 82 runs batted in, ten triples, and a .756 OPS. Ford’s RBI totals led the Twins that season, and he was second in home runs to Roy Smalley’s 19. Following the offseason of 1978, Ford was traded by the Twins to the California Angels for Ron Jackson and Danny Goodwin. Later that offseason, Rod Carew would join his Twins teammate with the Angels, leading Ford to his first career postseason appearance in 1979 with the AL West champion Angels. In a 3-1 series loss, Ford’s Angels came up short in the AL Championship Series to the Baltimore Orioles. Ford’s playing time would decline after the 1979 season as he only played 162 games between 1980 and 1981. After the 1981 season, the Angels again traded Ford to the Orioles to get another chance to make it to the World Series. The 1983 Baltimore Orioles gave Ford that chance to get his first World Series championship. Ford hit .280/.328/.768 in 103 games with the Orioles that season. When the Orioles faced the Phillies in the World Series, Ford played in all five games of the 4-1 series victory against the Phillies, hitting a home run to get his one and only World Series ring. Ford would play 20 games over the 1984 and 1985 seasons before retiring at 33 following the 1985 season. Ford’s career spanned over a decade, and he was one of the more underrated outfielders of his time. His most prosperous time in MLB was with the Twins playing a supporting role in the outfield and lineup to stars that brought Twins fans into the seats. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Hosken Powell had the shortest MLB career between three Tony Oliva successors, but he still often found himself in the lineup throughout his four seasons with the Twins. Powell was born in Selma, Alabama, on May 14, 1955, during the height of racial segregation in the South. Powell did not receive much attention from Major League scouts until he attended Chipola College in Marianna, Florida, a junior college that would later produce future MLB all-stars Jose Bautista, Patrick Corbin, Russell Martin, and future Minnesota Twins outfielder Rene Tosoni. While at Chipola College, Powell was first drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 1975 MLB January Draft-Regular Phase but declined to sign with the Pirates. Powell played one more season with Chipola, then was selected by the Twins in June 1975 draft, signing with the team as a 20-year-old athlete. Powell broke into MLB with the Twins in 1978 as a 23-year-old rookie and made his debut on Opening Day against the Seattle Mariners as the Twins leadoff hitter. The Twins suffered a 3-2 loss that day, but Powell at least recorded his first hit in the majors. The 1978 season was a decent start to Powell's MLB career. He hit .247 with 20 doubles in 121 games. He stole 11 bases. Powell's promise as a hitter was never that of the modern, power hitter. Like many Twins in the mid-to-late 70s, Powell was brought on for his contact-hitting abilities as he had batting averages of .329, .345, and .326 in his first three professional seasons. In 1979, Powell's hitting showed some improvement. Although Powell played fewer games (104) than the previous year, his numbers showed tremendous success during his sophomore season. He had a .293 batting average, a .360 on-base percentage, and a career-high .739 OPS. He had 17 doubles and drove in 36 runs. As the decade turned to the '80s, Powell remained the Twins' everyday right fielder for the next two seasons. Powell's production in the 1980 season would be one of his better seasons. He played in a career-high 137 games and had a career-high 127 hits, 14 stolen bases, and 58 runs scored. Powell hit .262. Powell's final season with the Twins was in 1981 during the strike-shortened season when the Twins and other teams only played around 110 games. Powell played in 80 games that season for the Twins, splitting playing time with Twins rookie Dave Engle. 1981 was the worst of Powell's four seasons, with the Twins posting a .239 batting average, with 25 runs batted in, and a .612 OPS. Following the conclusion of the season, Powell was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later that would be Greg Wells, a first baseman who only played 15 games for the Twins in 1982. Powell regained his success with Toronto in 1982 and found a successful role as a backup outfielder with the team. 1983 was his final season in the big leagues. Powell only played in 40 games with the Blue Jays and was released by them in July. Powell tried to make his way back into the big leagues in the Brewers minor league system in 1984 but never received the call. He also played in the Mexican League in 1985, his final season in professional baseball. Powell's time with the Twins and in MLB was short-lived, and he never panned out to the top of the lineup as the contact hitter the team had drafted him as. Still, Powell was a reliable player in the Twins lineup who finished out the everyday right fielder role in the 70s. View full article

Jim "Mudcat" Grant came from humble origins, but he left a lasting mark during his big-league tenure. However, his post-playing career days were even more influential. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo Grant's Humble Origins Jim "Mudcat" Grant was born and grew up in Florida. He was a three-sport star in high school, and he went to Florida A&M to play football and baseball. His father died when he was a toddler, so he left school to find a way to help his family. Luckily, the Cleveland Indians kept an eye on him during his amateur days and signed him to a contract. His first professional stop was in Fargo, ND, with Cleveland's minor league affiliate in the Northern League. It was the first time he left Florida, and that move had to provide quite the culture shock. He moved quickly through Cleveland's system while winning multiple awards along the way. In his final minor league season, he went 18-7 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. It was clear he was ready for the next step. Grant's MLB Career Grant's first seven big-league seasons were played in a Cleveland uniform while amassing a 4.09 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. His first All-Star appearance came in 1963 when he went 13-14 with a 3.69 ERA. The 1964 campaign couldn't have started much worse as he allowed 41 runs in 62 innings. Cleveland shipped him to Minnesota, and a change of scenery was a blessing in disguise. Grant made 26 appearances for the Twins in 1964 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. His 128 ERA+ was over 25 points higher than he had in any other season. His improved performance carried over into the 1965 season, which became one of the most important in Twins history. He earned his second All-Star nod and led the AL in wins and shutouts. By season's end, he finished sixth in the AL MVP voting. Mudcat was named The Sporting News American League Pitcher of the Year and was the first black pitcher in the American League to win 20 games in a season and the first black AL pitcher to win a game in the World Series. Before Kirby Puckett in 1991, Grant gave the franchise a legendary Game 6 performance. During the 1965 World Series, he put the Twins on his back and carried them to Game 7. With the Twins up 2-0 in the sixth inning, the Dodgers intentionally walked a man to face Grant. He made them pay with a three-run home run. It was just the second home run by an AL pitcher in World Series history. His pitching performance was even more masterful as he took the mound on two days' rest while battling a cold. Grant faced the minimum through four innings, and he tossed a complete game. Overall, he allowed one run on six hits while striking out five and walking none. He allowed the Twins to get to a decisive Game 7. Grant finished his 14-year big-league career with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He'd play for seven different organizations. He was a trailblazing African American pitcher, and he made sure his impact was felt after his retirement too. Grant's Off-Field Impact Music was always an essential component of Grant's life, and he started a jazz group called "Mudcat and the Kittens." With Grant as the lead, this group got so popular they were asked to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. "I made way more money in music than I did in baseball," Grant once said. Many Twins fans may recall his memorable singing performance at Harmon Killebrew's funeral service at Target Field. In retirement, he worked as a TV analyst for the Indians and the Athletics. He worked in the Indians community relations office, a group he worked with when he was playing in Cleveland. Hank Aaron requested Grant serve as a pitching coach in the Braves system, and that's a role he filled for multiple years. In 2005, Grant authored a book called The 12 Black Aces. In it, he chronicled the lives of all 12 black pitchers that had won 20 games in a season, which included himself. President George W. Bush honored him and the other pitchers in a White House ceremony. Later in life, he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a community activist and advocate for Black participation in sports. On June 11, 2021, Grant passed away at the age of 85. What stands out to you from Mudcat Grant's extraordinary life? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Somewhere along the line the outfield of Jones-Hunter-Lawton became known as the Soul Patrol. How did they get that nickname? (Pitchman voice) The answer... may surprise you. Any time the Twins have a stretch of futility, a few names are bound to be forgotten. Due in part to the utter hopelessness of the late 90's Twins and in part to the quality players that came after him, Matt Lawton sadly is one of those players. Drafted by the Twins in the 13th round of the 1991 MLB Draft, Lawton made his debut with the big club in 1995 and stuck as a regular in 1997. The Mississippi native made two career All-Star teams, including one with the Twins in 2000. Lawton was a very good to great offensive player, boasting a .379 on-base percentage over seven seasons with the Twins. For his career, Lawton walked 681 times and struck out just 613. He had a strong arm in right field and used it to throw out 12 runners in 1998. The 1999 season saw the arrival of Kirby Puckett's heir apparent in center field, Torii Hunter. Hunter had his ups and downs over his first couple of seasons before establishing himself as an All Star in his own right in 2001. The second half of that '99 season also saw the emergence of Jacque Jones, who would end up playing 976 career games with the Twins. The trio roamed the Metrodome outfield for the equivalent of two seasons beginning in the second half of 1999 through the team's trade of Lawton at the deadline in 2001. They made up Major League Baseball's only all black outfield. Somewhere along the line the outfield of Jones-Hunter-Lawton became known as the Soul Patrol. How did they get that nickname? (Pitchman voice) The answer... may surprise you. According to the Star Tribune, it was none other than the Dazzle Man himself, Dan Gladden, who coined the nickname. Well, he foisted the job on La Velle E. Neal III: After Lawton was traded to the Mets for Rick Reed the left field spot was manned by a platoon of Brian Buchanan, Dustan Mohr and Bobby Kielty. It was Kielty who was dealt to Toronto at the 2003 trade deadline for left fielder Shannon Stewart, moving Jones to right field and restoring the Soul Patrol outfield for another season (until Jones left after the 2005 season). There were many highlights for the Soul Patrol in each iteration. Who could forget Jacque Jones opening the 2002 season at Kansas City with a two home run game, setting the tone for one of the most fun seasons in team history? Torii Hunter running over White Sox catcher Jamie Burke in the heat of the 2004 Pennant Race... Shannon Stewart's catch at the wall in the 2003 playoffs... Lawton's 'Jumpman' pose when catching a fly ball in right at Yankee stadium. The Soul Patrol made Twins baseball cool again with highlight-reel defense and some pop on offense. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Order the Offseason Handbook — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

During the 2003 season, the Twins were coming off an ALCS appearance and trying to find a way to get back into the division race. Trading for one outfielder made the difference and pushed Minnesota over the top. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo The Twins entered the 2003 season with high expectations. During the 2002 season, Minnesota had staved off contraction and upset the "Moneyball" Oakland A's in the ALDS. ESPN declared them "The Team That Saved Baseball," and it looked like the Twins had the pieces to contend for multiple years into the future. However, things didn't go exactly as planned at the start of the season. The first half was rough for the Twins as they sat five games under .500 at the All-Star Break. Minnesota sat 7.5 games out of first place and were in third place in the division. Twins general manager Terry Ryan had a decision to make. Should he try and bolster a line-up struggling to score runs, or should he stand pat for the third straight trade deadline? Luckily, he decided to make a move. On July 16, the Twins traded Bobby Kielty to the Toronto Blue Jays for lead-off hitter Shannon Stewart. His impact on the line-up was hard to ignore as he hit .322/.384/470 (.854 OPS). In the second half, the Twins went 46-23, including a 24-9 stretch in the season's final 33 games. Minnesota won the division by four games, and Stewart finished fourth in the AL MVP voting. Stewart's hot hitting carried over into the playoffs even though the Twins eventually lost to the Yankees. He went 6-for-15 (.400 BA) in four games with two doubles and a stolen base. Unfortunately, Torii Hunter was the only other Twins batter to have more than six hits in the series, and New York went on to win the AL pennant that season. Why Was the Trade So Important? This trade was unlike the Ryan regime in multiple ways. Kielty was a younger player with more team control than Stewart, and they had similar performances at that point in their careers. During his three seasons in Minnesota, Kielty had posted an .818 OPS, including a 116 OPS+. Stewart played ten years in Toronto and accumulated an .805 OPS with a 108 OPS+. At the time, it was a very un-Twins-like trade, but the results speak for themselves. Kielty was never able to duplicate his performance from his Twins tenure. He played four more big-league seasons with a 90 OPS+, and he didn't make a big-league appearance after his age-30 season. Stewart hit free agency but resigned with the Twins and hit .287/.347/.405 (.752) over the next three seasons. In three of his four seasons on the team, Minnesota won the division, with Stewart providing a veteran presence even with some injuries. This trade signaled that the front office was willing to make moves to help the organization for the short-term, even if there was the potential for adverse long-term repercussions. At the time, Ryan made it clear that this was a new direction for the club. "It's time we start shaking this ballclub up to see if we can get it going in the right direction," general manager Terry Ryan said. He helped the team move in the right direction that season, and it was a transformational moment for the organization. What do you remember about Stewart's time in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

Baseball transcends beyond the field. It speaks a language felt by players and fans alike. It brings people together, sometimes from very different walks of life. Baseball can bring fans together, in a community like Twins Daily. The players have a special bond, a Baseball Brotherhood, that no one but them will ever understand. For Patrick Mahomes and Latroy Hawkins, baseball gave them a life-long friendship. Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with former Twins pitchers Pat Mahomes and Latroy Hawkins to talk about their thirty-year friendship. I was all set with my pen, notes, and questions, and was anxiously contemplating how I was going to ask them. However, I found that I didn't need questions at all. The conversation took a fantastic direction, and I was just a spectator listening to the story of their friendship journey. Baseball provided the catalyst. Pat Mahomes was the Twins sixth-round draft pick out of high school in 1988 and started his professional career in the Twins Rookie League at 17 years old. He came from the small town of Lindale, Texas, in the northeast part of the state. At that time, there were only maybe 2,000 people, and almost none of them were white. When he arrived in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to start his career, several teammates told Pat that all the black people lived on a hill in the Appalachian Mountains. Pat refused to go up in the mountains, he didn’t believe he needed to. He knew that he was in the minority, but he refused to let his race determine his place in society or on the baseball team. Pat was not afraid to speak his mind. He didn’t put him into a specific category or let anyone else do it either. He got an apartment in the next city over with one of the first-rounders on the team, and they drove in every day for practice and games. They split rent and gas and lived on $700 per month salaries. LaTroy Hawkins was raised in the much larger city of Gary, Indiana. However, the demographics of Gary were the same as Lindale, nearly 100% black. Hawkins was the Twins seventh-round draft pick in 1991, also out of high school. LaTroy said he wasn't 'treated' a certain way by any of the Twins players, but when he arrived at Fort Myers after the draft and for spring training in 1992, he said the culture shock was looking at people who didn't look like him. It was a whole new world because there were no white kids where he lived and went to school. Mahomes said he had been with the Twins for a few seasons when LaTroy, Jacque Jones, and Torii Hunter showed up to minor league spring training. He knew as a black player what they were about to go through, the same adjustment he went through when he came to camp. Pat took them all out to eat to help them get acquainted and feel comfortable. Maybe even just to let them know that they weren’t alone. The truth was that Pat “didn't have anyone there for him when he came to the organization”, and he wanted to be there for the next generation. They never felt like they were 'outsiders' with any group they associated with: Whites, Blacks, Dominicans, and Pat and LaTroy weren't afraid to get out of their comfort zone. The group of them together loved to talk and engage with other players from other places or countries, pushing others to communicate and engage. Eventually, with their determination to show the players it's good to get outside their comfort zone, Pat and LaTroy became the glue that sealed the groups and team together. They believe their ability to adapt and have confidence in their craft and person made them successful during their careers. Pat and LaTroy didn't spend a lot of time together on the field, a total of two-and-half seasons collectively. Both players were in big-league spring training in 1992 for the Minnesota Twins, and then Pat got called up to the Major Leagues in April. He was the only rookie pitcher that season on the 40-man.roster Pat may have left LaTroy in the minors, but not the friendship. While in the majors, Pat read scouting reports and newspapers on who was up and coming in the organization. Some baseball players pay close attention to the prospects coming up because they are playing for their careers. Pat saw LaTroy's name come up in reports all the time, and he knew he was coming soon. He wasn’t worried about his job; Pat knew they had a special connection, and he was eager to see the rookie doing so well and on the move. Mahomes was living with Scott Erickson in 1995. Erickson got traded halfway through the season, leaving Pat heartbroken. However, the trade made way for Hawkins to come up to the Major Leagues. When a player is traded, league rules required that the team cover rent and continued to do so after Erickson left. So when Pat called LaTroy to congratulate him, he knew he was pitching the next day and invited him to come to live with him (rent-free). That was the beginning of the strongest friendships brought on by baseball. Pat looked out for LaTroy. He always had his back, whether walking into the minors or starting his first game in the big leagues. The relationship isn't one-sided. It runs both ways. The two men could not be farther apart in personality. Pat attributes a lot of his 'grounding' to LaTroy. Pat was the "Wild Child," unafraid to speak his mind when he thought it was warranted. LaTroy, on the other hand, as Pat says, is "a little more professional. A solid guy." They have a good balance in their relationship. One is a little less, the other is a little more, and vice versa. It just depends on the situation. That translates on and off the field. Pat said, "LaTroy was always confident. He never looked like he didn't belong there." If either was pitching and the game was not going the way they wanted, there was no need for alarm. However, if their poise or composure looked out of the ordinary, that's when they would pick up the phone and say, "Okay. What's going on?" No pep talks. No advice. They tell each other what they see. They don't fight. Being blunt and honest keeps it that way. Sure, they may get upset at the other's observation, but that's what family does. Their bond is a lot like brothers, like family. They are each other's keepers. LaTroy confides that while he has blood siblings, there are things that Pat knows that his siblings don't. They look out for each other, and if LaTroy were to call Pat and tell him he needed him, Pat would show up, "No questions asked," LaTroy said, "even if they were going to the moon." Their relationship has poured into the next generation. Hawkins was instrumental in raising Mahomes’s first-born son, Patrick Mahomes II. Pat entrusted the care and his son's life to LaTroy, making him his Godfather. The three of us giggled as we talked about Patrick's love for ketchup that I had read in an article earlier in the week. They both confirmed that ketchup to Patrick was just as important as family and football. As they reminisce over funny memories, they recalled the time they played winter baseball together in Puerto Rico. Patrick never slept, and since Pat had to pitch the next day, LaTroy took Patrick during the wee hours of the night (or morning) to Burger King to get french fries and "hundreds of packets" of ketchup. As Patrick grew up, he got more involved in sports, and they watched him grow and develop. They traveled all over the country, watching him play football, baseball, and basketball. They knew from a young age that Patrick was 'special,' a word they don't use lightly. They knew he would be a professional athlete, but they were not expecting it to take the turn that it did. They both paused as Pat told me about his favorite LaTroy Hawkins moment. It was Patrick’s Super Bowl in 2019, and what it meant to the two of them as friends because it was almost the Super Bowl that never was. LaTroy teared up and said, "He did it." LaTroy teared up again, hearing the story. It wasn't about the win. It was the fact that collectively they impacted Patrick’s life to where he left his comfort zone and took a chance on himself and was living out the dream neither of them could have ever imagined. Patrick almost didn't play football. He had been on the baseball scouts' radar for years. He had natural talent as a baseball player, which was well known, but he had a passion for football. During his final year of high school, Patrick had agents and Major League teams calling him before the baseball draft. During the draft, sitting in the room waiting to be drafted, he leaned over and looked at his dad and said he didn't want to pursue baseball professionally; he wanted to try football. The Detroit Tigers still drafted the younger Mahomes, but only in the 37th round, knowing that he wouldn’t sign. He was headed to Texas Tech to play quarterback. Patrick wanted to take a chance on himself and play the game he loved, football, in college. Pat was worried everything he learned wouldn't translate from high school to college, to the NFL. Pat reached out to LaTroy in true family fashion, not out of concern, but confirmation this was a good choice. LaTroy was in Brazil when he got the phone call from Pat and Patrick. When LaTroy answered, Pat said, "Hey, he doesn't want to play baseball. He wants to play football," and LaTroy said, "Okay." That was it. One word, Okay. The trust that if LaTroy says, "Okay," it's going to be okay, and the rest is history. History is so abundant with these two I didn't have to ask a single question; Pat and LaTroy just told the story of their friendship. It's a story of two young players that went from watching out for each other on the field to two old(er) friends who would do anything for each other at the drop of a hat, even if it means going to the moon. View full article

Following Tony Oliva’s full-time move to the designated hitter role for the Twins in 1973, he was succeeded in right field by three players to finish out the 1970s. All three of these men were African-American athletes that took on their roles as right fielders quite successfully following in the footsteps of a future hall of famer. Bobby Darwin was the first of these successors to Tony Oliva, having his breakout season with the Twins in 1972. Darwin was initially signed as a pitcher to start his professional career. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Darwin lucked out being born in 1943 as he was at the ripe age of 18 when the newly-formed Los Angeles Angels expansion team entered MLB in 1961. Shortly after signing a contract with the Angels before the 1962 season, Darwin made his MLB debut on September 30, 1962, starting the game for the Halos. His first MLB start was not how Darwin likely wanted to break into the big leagues at 19 years old, only going 3 1/3 innings and giving up four runs on eight hits and four walks to Cleveland. His pitching woes continued throughout the 1960s. He had some success and several struggles on the mound. Consistency was certainly an issue in the minor leagues. Darwin returned to the majors briefly in 1969, seven years after his debut, for six games. It went so well that in 1970 he became a full-time outfielder in the Dodgers system. He had always been a good hitter for a pitcher, so it was worth trying. In 86 games that year in the minor leagues, he hit .297 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI. In 91 games in 1971 in the minors, he hit .293/.342/.517 (.859) with 17 homers and 55 RBI. He returned to the big leagues for 11 more games. He went 5-for-20 (.250) a homer in 11 games. Darwin landed in Twins territory following that 1971 season in a trade with the Dodgers for center field prospect Paul Powell. The newfound success for Darwin in the minor leagues as an outfielder was enough for the Twins to give him a chance for his first entire MLB season in 1972. Darwin didn’t miss a beat on that opportunity. Now 29, 1972 was Bobby Darwin’s breakout season. Twins manager Bill Rigney found a way to get Darwin in the lineup almost every day, leading the team in games played with 145 (out of 154 games). Darwin hit .267/.326/.442 (.769) with 20 doubles, 22 homers, and 80 RBI. He also struck out 145 times which remained the Twins single-season record until Brian Dozier struck out 148 times in his All-Star 2015 season. A year later, Miguel Sano struck out 178 times, and last season he topped that mark with 183 strikeouts. In 1973, Darwin again played in 145 games. He hit .252/.309/.391 (.701) with 20 doubles, 18 homers, and 90 RBI. Despite 52 more plate appearances, Darwin struck out 137 times. For the third straight season, Bobby Darwin led the Twins in strikeouts, this time with 127 strikeouts in 630 plate appearances. In 152 games in 1974, he hit .264/.322/.442 (.764) with 13 doubles, seven triples, 25 homers, and 94 RBI. Only Rod Carew played in more games than Darwin, and he played in 153 games. He began the 1975 season with the Twins. In 48 games, he hit .219/.307/.343 (650) with six doubles and five homers in 48 games. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in mid-June for outfielder Johnny Briggs. The quick three-season peak of his career was entering its decline in those 48 games, but Darwin turned his season around with his chance in Milwaukee. Following the 1975 season, Darwin split time his final two seasons between the Brewers, Cubs, and Red Sox, retiring after the conclusion of the 1977 season. Darwin was one of the fortunate Twins from 1970 to 1972 that had the chance to be teammates with five future Hall of Famers; Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven, Tony Oliva, and Jim Kaat. Darwin found himself as the successor to Oliva and started a lineage that would see an African-American player starting in right field for the Twins almost every day from 1972-1980. Those at Twins Daily would also like to wish Bobby Darwin a happy 79th birthday today! View full article

February is Black History Month, and over the coming weeks, Twins Daily will have a series of articles on African Americans in Minnesota Twins history. There have been award winners, All Stars, and even a couple of Hall of Famers. Today we feature two players who gave the Twins a strong start up the middle, at catcher and in center field. In 1961, center fielder Lenny Green and catcher Earl Battey were part of the collection of players that made the trip from Washington D.C. to Minnesota, a transition that turned the Senators into the Twins. They did so as two of three African Americans with Ron Henry being the third who Seth Stohs wrote about earlier in our series. Lenny Green Green is certainly the lesser-known of the two players in Twins history. He came to the organization in 1959 after starting his career with Baltimore. In 1961, serving as the starting center fielder for the Twins, Green played in 156 games, hit nine home runs, and drove in 50 runs. He slashed .285/.374/.400. Green played for the Twins from that inaugural 1961 season until midseason of 1964. He was the starter in center field until Jimmie Hall supplanted him during the 1963 season. That led the Twins to trade Green in the middle of the 1964 season to the Los Angeles Angels. A trade that brought back Frank Costro and Jerry Kindall. Green went on to play for Baltimore (once again), Boston, and Detroit before his career ended in 1968. 1965 was his best season after leaving the Senators/Twins organization when he was the regular starting center fielder for the Red Sox. Earl Battey If it wasn’t for some guy known for having sideburns, Battey very well would be in consideration for the title of best catcher in Twins history. He was traded to the Senators from the White Sox in 1960. At the time, the backstop was labeled as a defensive catcher. He had always seemed to have success hitting in the minors, but had not been able to get his bat to translate to the big leagues. As a member of the Twins that all changed. In that inaugural season of 1961, Battey played in 133 games, hit 17 home runs, and hit for a .302 average. That batting average ranked sixth-best in the AL by season’s end. Battey also continued with his billing as a good defensive catcher by winning a gold glove in that 1961 season. Before retiring at the end of the 1967 season, Battey won three gold gloves, was a five-time All-Star, and figured into the MVP voting in three different seasons. He certainly was part of a solid core of hitters that had him often overshadowed by the likes of Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, and Bob Allison. What may have shined through even more in retirement from baseball, is that Battey was a really good person. Immediately after his career finished, he was part of a company where one of his main duties was getting free Yankees tickets in the hands of inner-city kids and then attending the game with them. He was the "answer man" for all of the children's questions. The former catcher also became a high school teacher and baseball coach in Florida. Battey passed away in 2003 from cancer. It was the following season, 2004, that Battey entered into the Twins Hall of Fame. Battey is remembered as a great teammate and storyteller. -- A Pennant for the Twins Cities: The 1965 Minnesota Twins was considered in writing this post View full article

Centerfield is one of baseball’s most important positions, and the Minnesota Twins has a tremendous lineage at the position that stretches back to the 1980s. Here’s a look back at how these players are connected. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo Kirby Puckett to Torii Hunter (1980s-2000s) Kirby Puckett’s Hall of Fame career was cut short as he played his final game in 1995. Luckily for the Twins, they had drafted his heir apparent in the first round two years prior. Minnesota selected Torii Hunter out of high school in Arkansas, but Puckett’s injuries meant the two players could never roam the same outfield. That still doesn’t mean that Puckett wasn’t able to make a lasting impact on Hunter’s career. “Watching him carry himself, you had no choice but to be infected,” Hunter said. “He had a great smile. The way he moved about the room and the way he treated people — everybody — the same. Whether it’s the vendor or I don’t care who it was, he treated everybody the same.” Hunter went on to have a borderline Hall of Fame career. Over his first two voting cycles, he has garnered enough support to stay on a packed ballot. With some more prominent names falling off the ballot, it will be interesting to see if Hunter can gain more support in the years ahead. His impact on the centerfield position lasted beyond his years in Minnesota. Torii Hunter to Denard Span (2000s-2010s) Hunter’s first Twins tenure ended in 2007 after he hit the free-agent market and signed with the Angels. Like Hunter, the Twins had drafted Hunter’s replacement in the years before his departure. Minnesota selected Denard Span with the team’s first-round pick in 2002. He debuted in 2008, the season after Hunter left. Span was so tied to Hunter that he was one of the first people he contacted when he got called up to the big-league level. “He texted me right back,” Span said. “And then, right after he texted me, he called me. … He said: ‘I’m happy for you. Just go out there, have fun and learn.’ I said, ‘I’m sorry for waking you up.’ He said, ‘No, this is the best news I’ve heard in a while.’ ” Span spent his age 24-28 seasons as a regular in the Twins outfield as he hit .284/.357/.389 (.746). Following the 2012 season, Minnesota traded Span to the Washington Nationals for top-pitching prospect Alex Meyer. His big-league career spanned six more seasons, but the Twins center field lineage didn’t end with him. Denard Span to Byron Buxton (2010s-2020s) In Span’s final season in Minnesota, the Twins drafted Byron Buxton with the second overall pick. After Buxton signed with the club, Span played catch with him and discussed that he would be interested in tutoring the young outfield much as Hunter had done with him. Span filled a similar role with Ben Revere, but the Twins traded both players in the same offseason. Minnesota used a variety of other players in center field as Buxton moved through the minor leagues. He made his big-league debut until the 2015 season, and he has joined a group of center fielders that are among the best in Twins history. Buxton has already accumulated enough WAR in his career to be among the best Twins center fielders of all time. Puckett leads the way with a 51.1 WAR, followed by Hunter, Span, and Buxton. Over the last two seasons, Buxton has accumulated enough WAR that he is close to passing Span for third on the above list. With Buxton signed long-term, it will be interesting to track his movement up this list in the years ahead. Can the Twins keep him healthy enough to pass Hunter’s WAR? Who do you think carries on the lineage after Buxton? What do you remember about these players? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email View full article

February is Black History Month, and over the coming weeks, Twins Daily will have a series of articles on African Americans in Minnesota Twins history. There have been award winners, All Stars, and even a couple of Hall of Famers. Today we feature a guy whose resume more than speaks for itself. On October 3, 1951, Dave Winfield was born in St. Paul, MN. He honed his skills at St. Paul Central High School, and it was as a senior he truly burst onto the scene. Going to the hometown Minnesota Gophers on a full baseball scholarship, Winfield also played basketball. He was part of the 1972 Gophers team that won a Big Ten conference championship on the hardwood, and he more than held his own. After being named an All-American and the College World Series MVP in 1973, Winfield was drafted by four teams in three different sports. The San Diego Padres made Winfield their first-round pick (4th overall) in the 1973 MLB draft as a pitcher. Despite that designation, he never appeared on the mound. The Atlanta Hawks picked Winfield in the NBA draft, with the Utah Stars drafting him for the ABA. Despite not having played football in college, the Minnesota Vikings also selected Winfield in the 17th round of the NFL draft. He’s one of only three athletes to be selected by four different leagues. Obviously, it was on the diamond where Winfield shined brightest, and his career was one of utter dominance. Spending his first 15 years with the Padres and New York Yankees, Winfield debuted at 21 years old and blasted 357 homers in his first 2,269 games. His .839 OPS pushed him to seven All-Star game appearances. In 1979, as a 27-year-old, Winfield drove in a league-best 118 runs. Playing well into his 40s, in 1993, Dave Winfield came home. Following a World Series victory with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992, Winfield joined the Twins for his age 41 and 42 seasons. He hit another 31 homers for his hometown nine, and the .760 OPS was more than impressive at this stage of his career. On September 16, 1993, Dave Winfield joined the 3,000 hit club with a single off of Oakland Athletics reliever Dennis Eckersley. While Winfield wasn’t the same player at this stage, seeing him don the Minnesota pinstripes and return to his roots was a treat for Twins fans. Since his playing career ended, it’s been nothing but accolades in droves for the St. Paul native. San Diego retired his number 31, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame alongside another Twins great in 2001. Kirby Puckett was the star of those Minnesota lineups that Winfield was in, and for them to be enshrined together will forever be among the highlights of Minnesota history. Winfield has served in differing roles around baseball and has worked as an analyst. Now 70-years-old and living in sunny California, Winfield gets to enjoy being a living legend of the sport. Keep checking back to Twins Daily throughout Black History Month as we hope to share several more stories about African Americans to don a Twins uniform over the past 62 seasons. View full article

February is Black History Month, and over the coming weeks, Twins Daily will have a series of articles on African Americans in Minnesota Twins history. There have been award winners, All Stars, and even a couple of Hall of Famers, but many of these articles will be highlighting some lesser-known players. Today we feature a guy who played in just 42 games for the Twins and over 1,100 games in the minor leagues. Ron Henry was born in 1936 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Because of some illness in his family, he missed some school. That said, he became a top baseball prospect in the northeast, displaying a strong arm behind the plate and some power. In 1954, he signed with the Milwaukee Braves, just over a year after the team relocated from Boston. He played in their minor-league system through the 1960 season. At the end of the year, the Twins selected him in the 1960 Rule 5 draft. In order to keep his services, Henry made the Twins Opening Day roster in 1961, the team’s first year in Minnesota. That said, he was the team’s third catcher and played in just 20 games the whole year. He had four hits in 28 at-bats (.143). He played in Triple-A Vancouver in 1962. In 1963, he started at Triple-A Dallas-Ft. Worth and then ended the season at Double-A Charlotte. After 54 games in Charlotte in 1964, he played 22 more games in the big leagues. He was still the third catcher, so there wasn’t a lot of playing time. He went 5-for-41 (.122), but he did hit a double, a triple, and two home runs. He played for the Twins Triple-A team, now located in Denver, in 1965, 1966, and the start of the 1967 season. He then ended that season and started the 1968 season in the Astros system before retiring from the game of baseball at the age of 31 after 15 professional seasons. After concluding his playing career, Ron Henry spent some time in the Army before returning to Denver where he began a career that lasted over 35 years. He became a legend in the Denver club scene, mostly for good reasons. He could play instruments and was known as a jazzman. He could sing and led a group called Ron Henry and Pride. Colorado Music Hall of Famer Lannie Garrett came to Denver and heard Henry perform. She asked if she could join him and was a background vocalist for the next couple of years. They opened for the likes of Ray Charles and Tina Turner. Along with the music, Ron Henry also performed in plays in the Denver theaters and dinner clubs. In 2001, he and his wife moved to Raleigh. He was starting to have knee problems from his catching days. He also had a heart transplant. Provided to the Denver Post by Rebecca Mobley In 2008, he returned to Denver and continued to have some limited performances until his death in 2016. Henry passed away due to cardiovascular disease and end-stage renal disease. He was surrounded by his family, including his five kids, and many friends and people who enjoyed his performances over the years. His daughter, Rebecca Mobley, told the Denver Post following her father's death, "He loved his friends, he loved his life, he loved all the people he encountered, all the people he interacted with especially with the music." She continued, "He was a fun-loving guy. He liked to laugh a lot. He was kind of a jokester. He loved us a lot. He tried to give us a lot of good advice. … He really adored his grandkids." Ron Henry was part of the very first Minnesota Twins roster in 1961. He was one of three African Americans on the roster that year, along with outfielder Lenny Green and fellow-catcher Earl Battey. While his big-league career consisted of just 42 games and a .130 batting average, he was fortunate to spend 15 years as a professional baseball player. That career led him to Denver where he became immensely successful in the music scene with a career more than double the length of his baseball career. Henry isn't the first former pro ballplayer to also succeed in music. Charley Pride played minor-league ball before embarking on his legendary country music career. Bernie Williams is now a classically-trained guitarist who has already been nominated for a Latin Grammy. Who knows, maybe we can see if Trevor Plouffe, Drew Butera, Toby Gardenhire and Dustin Martin will have a Beach Bums reunion? Or, maybe Brian Dozier will bring back Silky Smooth and show off his guitar and piano skills. Keep checking back to Twins Daily throughout Black History Month as we hope to share several more stories about African Americans to don a Twins uniform over the past 62 seasons. screenshot from above YouTube video View full article

Kirby Puckett is the most remembered Twins player to pass away earlier than expected. As Twins Daily celebrates Black History Month, here are three African American players that passed away in the prime of their careers. Herman Hill, CF Died: December 14, 1970 It’s incredible to consider what Hill could accomplish and overcome in his life. His parents worked as sharecroppers in the Deep South, and he was one of 15 siblings. His family eventually moved north, like many African Americans at the time. Hill missed two years of school due to illness as a younger child, so he was older than his peers. He tried out for the Baltimore Orioles as an eighth-grader, but he went to high school and became a three-sport star. His best tool was his speed, which held true during his professional career. He made his professional debut in the Twins organization as a 20-year old in rookie ball. Because of his age, he moved quickly through the system before debuting at age-23 in 1969. That season at Triple-A, he hit .300 and got on base over 34% of the time. He was primarily used as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement that season as he went 0-for-2 in his plate appearances, but he was able to score four runs. In 1970, he played in 27 big-league games and recorded his first hits at the MLB level. He went to Venezuela to participate in the winter league season that winter. On December 14, 1970, Hill drowned in Venezuela, a tragic end to a budding young career. Lyman Bostock, OF Died: September 24, 1978 Lyman Bostock was a rising star in the Twins organization that looked like he would eventually challenge teammate Rod Carew for AL Batting Titles. In his first two big-league seasons, he hit .323 and .336, which ranked him fourth and second in those seasons. During the 1977 campaign, he finished second in average (.336), fourth in runs scored (104), and seventh in on-base percentage (.389). At the season’s end, he ranked in the top-10 for WAR and in the top-4 for Offensive WAR. He hit free agency at the right time and eventually signed with the Angels for five years and $2.3 million. Bostock struggled in his first season with the Angels and even donated some of his salary to local charities because he believed he hadn’t earned it. On September 24th, he went 2-for-4 with a double in his final big-league game against the White Sox. Just hours later, Bostock was shot and killed as a passenger in a vehicle in his hometown of Gary, Indiana. He was in his age-27 season at the time with a bright career in front of him. Walt Bond, OF Died: September 14, 1967 Bond was a monster of a man. He was 6-foot-7 and weighed nearly 230 pounds. According to Baseball-Reference, he was the tallest man to play center field in major league history until Aaron Judge tied him in 2018. He debuted with Cleveland in 1960, but he wouldn’t earn a full-time role until his age-26 season with Houston. In two seasons for the Colt .45s, he hit .258/.322/.397 (.719), including a 20 homer season in 1964. His first season in the Twins organization was 1966, and he dominated at the Triple-A level. In 122 games, he batted .316/.385/.529 (.914) with 38 extra-base hits and a 42-to-36 strikeout to walk ratio. Minnesota called him up in 1967 for a cup of coffee, and he responded by going 5-for-16 (.313) with two extra-base hits in 10 games. Leukemia cut his season short that year, and he passed away in September at the age of 29. Do you have any memories of these former Twins players? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article