TWINS TRIVIA is hopefully a fun and informative site that will help you to better enjoy the Minnesota Twins and their wonderful history. “History never looks like history when you are living through it” – John Gardner, former Secretary of Health
Minnesota native and star at the University of Minnesota
First-round draft pick (3rd overall) in 1977 by the Milwaukee Brewers
Finished second to the Detroit Tigers Lou Whitaker in ROY voting in 1978
21-year major league career, spanning from 1978-1998, primarily with the Brewers, but also spending three seasons each with the Blue Jays and his hometown Twins.
He started out as a 2B, then shifted to 3B, and ultimately played the most games as a DH.
Seven-time All-Star
Molitor, nicknamed “The Ignitor” had only modest power, with a high of 22 HR coming late in his career in 1993. But he was a great baserunner and run scorer, with eight seasons of 30+ SB, and five with 100+ runs, including leading the AL in runs three times.
He never won a batting title, but led the AL in hits three times, and led the AL in doubles once and triples once.
Molitor did well in the post-season too, batting .368 with 6 HR in 117 AB in five series, including taking home World Series MVP honors in 1993 while with Toronto when he went 12-24 with 2 HR, 2 triples, 2 doubles, and 3 stolen bases.
Overall had 3,319 hits, 1,782 runs, 605 doubles, 234 HR, 504 SB, a .306/.369/.448 slash line, and a 122 OPS+
Career WAR is 75.7 (50th place all-time in position player WAR)
There is always something interesting in the “MLB Weekly Notes”, it is a shame that MLB does not make this available to the public. I am putting out the notes for everyone to enjoy. I will try to put them out here for as long as they continue.
Butch Huskey CREDIT to Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
Robert Leon “Butch” Huskey (1971–2026) —a powerful slugger, a gentle presence, and one of the last men in Major League Baseball ever to wear Jackie Robinson’s iconic number 42 — died on August 14, 2026, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was just 54. His passing was sudden and tragic, the result of a blood clot in his lungs.
Huskey’s early life took a dramatic turn when, at around age ten, his grandmother sent him to live with his father in Lawton after he began “running with the wrong crowd.” The move changed everything. He became a multi-sport star at Eisenhower High School, even making the All-State Football Team as a punter — at 6’4″, 235 pounds — while dominating on the baseball field with a .650 average, 12 homers, and 61 RBI as a senior.
Drafted by the Mets in 1989, Huskey rose steadily through the minors, earning a reputation for natural power. His legend grew in spring training when he crushed an 0-2 slider an estimated 550 feet, prompting Braves infielder Bill Pecota to call it “the lowest, hardest hit ball I’ve ever seen, bar none.” He also carried a commanding leadership style, with minor league manager Tim Blackwell noting, “You hear him barking orders all the time. You need that team leader in the infield.”
Huskey debuted with the Mets in 1993 and became a fan favorite, hitting 24 home runs in 1997. But his uniform number became part of his legacy. He wore number 42 as a personal tribute to Jackie Robinson, saying, “If I ever had an opportunity to play, I would wear the number in honor of him… It was a tribute that I could pay.” When MLB retired Robinson’s number league-wide, Huskey became one of the final players allowed to continue wearing it — and the last Seattle Mariner ever to do so. In 2024, he and Mookie Wilson presented flowers to Rachel Robinson during a ceremony at Citi Field, a moment Huskey called “a tremendous honor.”
His time with the Minnesota Twins came in 2000, a short but memorable half-season as the team’s designated hitter. His numbers were modest, but his presence mattered. He was a veteran voice in a clubhouse filled with emerging talent — Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, Corey Koskie, and a young David Ortiz — helping steady a team on the verge of becoming something greater.
Huskey also left behind one unforgettable Metrodome moment. Chasing a fly ball in right field, he crashed full speed into the wall, leaving a Huskey shaped imprint on the blue padding. When teammates arrived the next day, they found the spot outlined in tape, chalk-style, like a crime scene silhouette. Huskey laughed harder than anyone. It was the perfect snapshot of how he fit in: a gentle giant embraced instantly by a young team that needed exactly that kind of levity.
Huskey retired at 29 after a strong season in Triple A, finishing his MLB career with 86 home runs, 336 RBI, and a .267 average across 642 games. He spent his post playing years as a youth baseball instructor in Oklahoma and remained closely connected to Mets alumni events, especially those honoring Jackie Robinson’s legacy.
He is survived by his wife, Kristy Huskey; his son, Bryce Beckett; his daughters, Kennedy Huskey and Kyrbi Huskey; a grandson, Isaiah Beckett; his step-mother, Patricia Huskey; his sisters, Shelly Herrera and her husband, Robert, Deena Charity, and Tracy Leavell; his brother Michael Miller; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Phyllis Mayo; his father, Robert Huskey; his sisters, Shaneeka Mayo and Tiffany Mayo Holmes, and his brother-in-law, Preston Charity Jr.
For Twins fans, Butch Huskey will always be part of the story — a veteran presence during a transitional summer, a steady bat, a good teammate, and a good man gone far too soon.
Twinstrivia.com sends their condolences to the Butch Huskey family, friends and fans. Thank you for the memories.
What Twins reliever would you call on to get a strikeout when you needed one and convert the save into a win? Maybe this will help you decide. This table shows you most of the top relievers in Twins history.
The criteria covers combined seasons, from 1961 to 2025, At least 90% games in relief, Playing for MIN, in the regular season, requiring Games Pitched >= 25 and Strikeouts per 9 IP >= 9, sorted by descending Strikeouts per 9 IP.
The 21st century started on 1/1/2001 so the first quarter century has passed at the end of 2025. So lets take a look at what Minnesota Twins starters have started the most games for the Twins in that time period. I’m not going to look at their wins or losses, just how many times they have been able to take the bump to start the game. I will also try identify which pitchers were drafted by the Twins and which were not.
It turns out the leader of the pack is Kyle Gibson who pitched for the Twins between 2013-2019 and had a record of 67-68 with 845 strikeouts in 1,087 innings with a 4.33 ERA. A Twins 1st round pick (22nd overall) in 2009 and debuted on 6/29/2013.
D means he was drafted by the Twins and the number after it indicated the round. Trade means he was acquired in a trade, FA means signs as a free agent, Rule 5 means the Twins drafted him in a Rule 5 draft, and amateur FA means Twins signed him as an amateur free agent.
Keep in mind that some pitchers career’s started in the previous century so their number may look a bit strange.
15-year major league career, spanning from 1962-1976, mostly as a RF and later a DH, entirely with the Minnesota Twins.
He was AL Rookie of the Year in 1964 after leading the AL in runs, hits, doubles, and batting average, and came in second in the AL MVP voting in both 1965 and 1970.
Eight-time All-Star consecutively from 1964-1971.
A good defender early in his career, Oliva took home a Gold Glove Award in 1966 before knee injuries slowed both his defense and his modest base-stealing abilities (six seasons with 10+ SB).
He was a great hitter, leading the AL in hits five times, doubles four times, and batting average three times. He also had some pop, with 25+ HR in five seasons.
Overall had 220 HR, a .304/.353/.476 slash line, and a 131 OPS+
This time we take a peek at July of 1965 and as you may or may not know it was the year the Minnesota Twins were selected to host their first All-Star game. As I have said many times in here and on Twitter where I reside as @Stoke63538501, that this is the first MLB game I ever attended and it was about 2 weeks before I joined the Navy.
The 1965 Twins not only hosted the All-Star game but they went on to win the American League pennant and played the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1965 World Series. The World Series lasted seven games and the Twins came out on the sort end of the stick to Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers. I won’t get into that here because as I told you, I missed it all as I was in the Navy and there was no such thing as the Internet back then.
The Sporting News did a great job converting all of this and I will download a whole slew of pages for you to read and enjoy. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I do.
This bonus page above is out here because I wanted you to see the ad from an 18 year baseball player looking for a job playing pro ball. See the bottom of column 4 for the ad. So much different then how things are done today and I think it shows you how important The Sporting News was in its day.
13-year major league career, spanning from 1958-1970, entirely as a RF/LF with the Senators/Twins franchise
He won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1959, after leading the league with 9 triples to go with 30 HR, 85 RBI, and 13 SB. In the 1959 American League Rookie of the Year voting, Jim Perry finished in second place and Russ Snyder finished in third place.
Three-time All-Star
He was a power hitter with 20+ HR eight times
Overall had 256 HR, a .255/.358/.471 slash line, and a 127 OPS+
