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Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins—the first franchise from Minnesota to compete in Major League Baseball (MLB)—made their debut in the 1961 season. They have appeared in three World Series (1965, 1987, and 1991) and won two World Series titles (1987 and 1991).
Calvin Griffith, the owner of the Washington (DC) Senators, received permission to move his baseball franchise to the Twin Cities on October 26, 1960. The relocated ballclub was named the Minnesota Twins in honor of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), and the team competed in its inaugural MLB season in 1961 as a member of the American League. The team’s first logo featured two figures, christened “Minnie” and “Paul,” shaking hands across the Mississippi River. In a nod to Minnesota’s Minor League teams, Minnie sported a jersey with the Minneapolis Millers’ “M,” while Paul wore a jersey featuring the “STP” of the St. Paul Saints.
Though they finished seventh out of ten American League teams in the 1961 season, the Twins improved as the decade progressed. Led by manager Sam Mele, they finished first in the American League in 1965 with a record of 102-60 and squared off in the World Series against the National League champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The series went to a deciding Game Seven, played at Metropolitan Stadium, which featured the Twins’ Jim Kaat dueling with Dodgers pitcher and future Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax. The Twins fell to the Dodgers by a final score of 2-0 and would have to wait for over two decades for their next World Series appearance.
Over the next two decades, despite the efforts of Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and a young Bert Blyleven, the Twins reached the postseason only twice, in 1969 and 1970. In the 1980s the team cultivated promising young talents, like Bloomington native Kent Hrbek, Frank Viola, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky, Kirby Puckett, and Greg Gagne. The organization changed ownership for the first time in 1984, when businessman Carl Pohlad purchased the Twins baseball club from Calvin Griffth for close to $44 million.
The 1987 season saw the Twins, led by thirty-six-year-old manager Tom Kelly, finish with an AL West record of 85-77 behind their young core of homegrown talent and a recently returned Bert Blyleven. Having won their first pennant, they advanced to the World Series, where they faced the St. Louis Cardinals. The Twins seized their first World Series title in a decisive 4-2 Game Seven victory on October 25, 1987, in front of 55,376 spectators at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
The Twins returned to the World Series in 1991 in improbable fashion after finishing dead last in the American League in the 1990 season. They found success by way of dominant starting pitching from the trio of Kevin Tapani, Scott Erickson, and St. Paul native Jack Morris; offense was provided by free agent signee Chili Davis along with Shane Mack, Kirby Puckett, and 1991 Rookie of the Year Chuck Knoblauch. In what is considered by many to be one of the all-time-greatest World Series, the Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves in a best-of-seven series, in which three games were decided in extra innings. Game Seven featured a pitching contest between two Hall of Famers, the Braves’ John Smoltz and the Twins’ Jack Morris, and Minnesota won 1-0 in the tenth inning on Gene Larkin’s walk-off single.
The Twins’ success in the early 1990s was followed by eight consecutive losing seasons, and by 2001, rumors swirled that the club would be contracted (dissolved). Despite the uncertainty of their future, the 2001 Twins managed a winning record in Tom Kelly’s last season as manager, and then made their first postseason appearance since 1991 during the 2002 season. From 2002 to 2004, under a new manager (Rod Gardenhire) and a core of players including Brad Radke, Torii Hunter, Johan Santana, Doug Mientkiewicz, and Corey Koskie, the Twins won back-to-back-to-back American League Central titles. They failed, however, to advance past the American League Championship Series.
The winning streak of the early 2000s helped the club to avoid contraction, and the Twins continued to succeed throughout the decade—thanks in large part to the efforts of 2009 MVP (and St. Paul native) Joe Mauer and 2006 MVP Justin Morneau. They reached the postseason in the 2006, 2009, and 2010 seasons, and moved into their third home, Target Field in Minneapolis, at the start of the 2010 season. They struggled after 2011, losing more than 100 games in the 2016 season. In 2019, however, the team hired Rocco Baldelli as manager, finished with an AL Central record of 101-61, and reached the postseason.
Editor’s note: This article focuses on the Minnesota Twins iteration of the franchise (1961–present), and does not reflect the pre-Twins statistics and accomplishments of the Washington Senators (1901–1961).
Bibliography
Caple, Jim. “1991 World Series Had It All.” ESPN Classic, November 19, 2003.
http://www.espn.com/classic/s/1991_series_caple.html
Kelly, Matt. “HOF Players and Managers, Broken Down by Team: Cap Choices Accompany Legends’ Cooperstown Plaques for Eternity.” MLB.Com, January 21, 2020.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hall-of-famers-broken-down-by-mlb-team-c302916132
Kelly, Matt, and Chad Thornburg. “MLB's Most Prolific Home Run-Hitting Teams: Twins Set Single-season Record with 307 Homers in 2019.” MLB News, September 30, 2019.
https://www.mlb.com/news/most-home-runs-by-a-team-in-one-season-c296317932
Loumena, Dan. “Twins’ Byron Buxton Sets New Record for Fastest Inside-the-Park Homer.” Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2017.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/mlb/la-sp-byron-buxton-homer-20170818-story.html
Macklin, Oliver. “Worst to First: 13 Improbably Turnarounds in MLB History.” MLB.Com, April 25, 2020.
https://www.mlb.com/news/worst-to-first-mlb-teams-c212138822
Minnesota Twins Team History & Encyclopedia. Baseball Reference.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/index.shtml
Murphy, Brian. “Contraction Nearly Stole Twins Baseball from Minnesota.” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 10, 2014.
https://www.twincities.com/2014/07/10/contraction-nearly-stole-twins-baseball-from-minnesota
Nelson, Nick. “Feinsand: Twins to Sign Josh Donaldson.” Twins Daily, January 14, 2020.
http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/feinsand-twins-to-sign-josh-donaldson-r8839
Sharp, Andrew. “Washington Senators II Team Ownership History.” Society for American Baseball Research.
https://sabr.org/research/washington-senators-ii-team-ownership-history-rangers
Twins History. MLB.com.
https://www.mlb.com/twins/history
Related Resources
Primary
Lavietes, Stuart. “Carl R. Pohlad, Owner of Minnesota Twins, Dies at 93.” New York Times, January 5, 2009.
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/sports/baseball/06pohlad.html
Muskat, Carri. “Twins Fire Miller as Manager.” Washington Post, September 13, 1986.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1986/09/13/twins-fire-miller-as-manager/7bc3b9f5-5911-447d-aea8-d2fc7758b3cc/?utm_term=.73071ec8407c
Sheldon, Mark. “Tom Kelly Steps Down as Twins Manager.” Major League Baseball, October 12, 2001.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/mlb_kelly.jsp
Secondary
Bernstein, Ross, et al. 50 Years, 50 Heroes: A Celebration of Minnesota Sports. Hopkins, MN: Ross Bernstein, 1997.
Related Images
The last home plate used for baseball games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before the stadium's demolition. The plate was used during amateur and youth baseball games between 2010 and 2013. The professional baseball franchise, the Minnesota Twins, left the "Dome" for their new home at Target Field in 2010 and took their final home plate to the new ballpark.
A section of turf used in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome baseball field, near the center field sign reading "408 ft." The angled edge of this section met the permanently adhered center field turf. This piece was removed from the rolling track of the lower deck seating whenever the deck was lowered for football and other small (rectangular) field games in 2013.

1965 Minnesota Twins
Photograph of the 1965 Minnesota Twins used as part of an advertisement for Hamm’s Beer, 1965.
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Harmon Killebrew baseball card
1955 Topps Washington Nationals baseball card for Harmon Killebrew. In 1961, Killebrew moved to Minnesota with the Nationals franchise, which was renamed the Minnesota Twins.
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Minnesota Twins placemat
Minnesota Twins calendar placemat manufactured by Hamm’s Beer, 1960.
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1961 Minnesota Twins concession cup
Waxed paper concession cup of the type used to serve beverages at the Minnesota Twins' home games at Metropolitan Stadium. Manufactured in 1961.
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Zolio Versalles baseball card
1963 Topps Minnesota Twins baseball card for Zolio Versalles.
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1965 Minnesota Twins World Series pin
Metal clasp-pin button shaped like the state of Minnesota, featuring the Minnesota Twins' handshake logo, produced for the 1965 World Series between the Twins and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Earl Battey
Signed photograph of Earl Battey, catcher for the Minnesota Twins, ca. 1970.
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Harmon Killebrew hitting his 500th home run
Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins hitting his 500th home run during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, August 10, 1971.
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Minnesota Twins jersey
Minnesota Twins uniform jersey, 1977. The jersey formerly had the number "8" sewn on the front and back. Based on the size and year, the wearer may have been outfielder and designated hitter Glenn Adams.
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Minnesota Twins World Series victory parade, 1987
Minnesota Twins World Series victory parade in Minneapolis, October 28, 1987.
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Bert Blyleven baseball card
1988 Topps Minnesota Twins baseball card for Bert Blyleven, 1988.
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Minnesota Twins cap worn by Jack Morris
Dark navy blue Minnesota Twins baseball cap with a red "M" embroidered on the front. Worn and autographed by Twins pitcher Jack Morris, 1991.
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Minnesota Twins Worst to First sticker
Minnesota Twins "Worst to First" sticker recognizing the team’s unanticipated 1991 World Series victory.
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1991 World Series ticket
Admission ticket to Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome by the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves.
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Kirby Puckett at bat
Kirby Puckett squares away in this at bat in the Metrodome. He would go on to hit .357 in the series.
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Brad Radke bobblehead doll
Brad Radke bobblehead doll distributed at a Minnesota Twins baseball game played against the Baltimore Orioles in 2006.
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Last home plate used for baseball games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The last home plate used for baseball games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before the stadium's demolition. The plate was used during amateur and youth baseball games between 2010 and 2013. The professional baseball franchise, the Minnesota Twins, left the "Dome" for their new home at Target Field in 2010 and took their final home plate to the new ballpark.
All rights reserved
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Section of turf used in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
A section of turf used in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome baseball field, near the center field sign reading "408 ft." The angled edge of this section met the permanently adhered center field turf. This piece was removed from the rolling track of the lower deck seating whenever the deck was lowered for football and other small (rectangular) field games in 2013.
All rights reserved
Holding Location
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Turning Point
On September 12, 1986, after 139 games, the Minnesota Twins name thirty-six-year-old Tom Kelly as their interim manager for the remainder of the season. Kelly would go on to guide the Twins to their first-ever World Series Championship in 1987, and to a second title in the memorable 1991 World Series.
Chronology
1960
1961
1965
1965
1969
1977
1982
1984
1986
1987
1991
1997
2002
2006
2010
2017
2019
Bibliography
Caple, Jim. “1991 World Series Had It All.” ESPN Classic, November 19, 2003.
http://www.espn.com/classic/s/1991_series_caple.html
Kelly, Matt. “HOF Players and Managers, Broken Down by Team: Cap Choices Accompany Legends’ Cooperstown Plaques for Eternity.” MLB.Com, January 21, 2020.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hall-of-famers-broken-down-by-mlb-team-c302916132
Kelly, Matt, and Chad Thornburg. “MLB's Most Prolific Home Run-Hitting Teams: Twins Set Single-season Record with 307 Homers in 2019.” MLB News, September 30, 2019.
https://www.mlb.com/news/most-home-runs-by-a-team-in-one-season-c296317932
Loumena, Dan. “Twins’ Byron Buxton Sets New Record for Fastest Inside-the-Park Homer.” Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2017.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/mlb/la-sp-byron-buxton-homer-20170818-story.html
Macklin, Oliver. “Worst to First: 13 Improbably Turnarounds in MLB History.” MLB.Com, April 25, 2020.
https://www.mlb.com/news/worst-to-first-mlb-teams-c212138822
Minnesota Twins Team History & Encyclopedia. Baseball Reference.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/index.shtml
Murphy, Brian. “Contraction Nearly Stole Twins Baseball from Minnesota.” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 10, 2014.
https://www.twincities.com/2014/07/10/contraction-nearly-stole-twins-baseball-from-minnesota
Nelson, Nick. “Feinsand: Twins to Sign Josh Donaldson.” Twins Daily, January 14, 2020.
http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/feinsand-twins-to-sign-josh-donaldson-r8839
Sharp, Andrew. “Washington Senators II Team Ownership History.” Society for American Baseball Research.
https://sabr.org/research/washington-senators-ii-team-ownership-history-rangers
Twins History. MLB.com.
https://www.mlb.com/twins/history
Related Resources
Primary
Lavietes, Stuart. “Carl R. Pohlad, Owner of Minnesota Twins, Dies at 93.” New York Times, January 5, 2009.
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/sports/baseball/06pohlad.html
Muskat, Carri. “Twins Fire Miller as Manager.” Washington Post, September 13, 1986.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1986/09/13/twins-fire-miller-as-manager/7bc3b9f5-5911-447d-aea8-d2fc7758b3cc/?utm_term=.73071ec8407c
Sheldon, Mark. “Tom Kelly Steps Down as Twins Manager.” Major League Baseball, October 12, 2001.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/mlb_kelly.jsp
Secondary
Bernstein, Ross, et al. 50 Years, 50 Heroes: A Celebration of Minnesota Sports. Hopkins, MN: Ross Bernstein, 1997.