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
Dozier: first Twins middle infielder with 25-HR season
Brian Dozier
Brian Dozier slammed his 25th home run of the season in the Twins’ 4-1 victory over the Indians, becoming the first major-league second baseman to reach that total this season. He’s also the first Twins player at any position to hit 25 homers in any of the last three seasons, the last being Josh Willingham, who hit 35 in 2012. And, for a big finish, Dozier is the first middle infielder ever to hit 25 home runs for the Twins franchise since it began back in 1901 in Washington. Source: ELIAS
Corey Kluber allowed only one hit in nine innings–a home run by Joe Mauer— in the Indians’ 6-1 victory in Minneapolis yesterday. The only other major-league pitcher in the last five seasons to throw a complete-game one-hitter in which that lone hit was a home run was the Mariners’ Taijuan Walker on July 31 of this year, coincidentally also against the Twins at Target Field, although Minnesota’s home run in that game was hit by Miguel Sano. Source: ELIAS
August 15, 1994 – Minnesota Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes was knocked unconscious and trapped in his Jeep after it rolled over on a bridge in downtown Minneapolis, the police said. Mahomes sustained head injuries and his condition was upgraded from serious to satisfactory by mid-afternoon, according to the Hennepin County Medical Center. Mahomes, who was alone, was traveling at “a fairly high rate of speed” when his vehicle crossed the center line, hit a guard rail and rolled over, a police spokes woman said. He was not wearing a seat belt and was trapped until police were able to get him out. Mahomes may be charged with a DUI. Mahomes, 24, of Lindale, Texas was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 1988 free-agent draft.
It is very infrequent when I do a piece on a non Twins player but this is one of those times. See if you can identify this position player that pitched in the big leagues on two occasions. He played against the Twins many times.
Here is what 1960s baseball wrote:
“In the first game of a double-header in Yankee Stadium, ?? was the winning pitcher in a 6-5 Yankee triumph over the Tigers. ?? entered the game in the fourth inning, relieving starter Steve Barber.
In 2.2 innings, ?? allowed no runs on one hit, striking out one Tiger batter and walking two. He was the last non-pitcher to win a major league game until catcher Brent Mayne won a game for the Colorado Rockies in 2000.” Who is this guy?
Miguel Sano went 3-for-3 with two homers and six RBIs in the Twins 11-1 win over the Rangers last night at Target Field. In the expansion era, only five players have produced two homers and six RBIs in a game at a younger age than Sano (22 years, 93 days): Ron Santo (21 years, 123 days old in 1961), Rennie Stennett (22/29 in 1973), Aramis Ramirez (22/33 in 2000), Miguel Cabrera (22/66 in 2005) and Justin Upton (21/268 in 2009).
The home team won all 15 games on the MLB slate on Tuesday night. That’s the most games in one day, all won by the home team, in major league history. The previous record was 12 games on May 23, 1914. There were three major leagues in 1914, the National (four games that day), American (four) and Federal (four), which had a two-year lifespan (1914 and 1915). Source: ELIAS
Sam Mele (14), incensed over Bill Valentine’s decision at first base strikes a fighter’s pose in the sixth inning og game one at Met Stadium July 18. Attempting to break up the melee are Rich Rollins (glasses), Twins third baseman and pitcher Jim Kaat. The incident cost Mele a $500 fine and a five-day suspension. Minnesota Twins Manager Sam Mele is getting every kind of help from his womenfolk. The day he got a telegram from the American League notifying him that he had been fined $500 for a set-to with umpire Bill Valentine, Mrs. Mele observed complacently that, with the $500 she had won on a quiz show earlier this season, they had just broken even between the two of them. Then she volunteered to go on television again. About the same time, Mrs. Anthony Mele, 73-year-old mother of Sabath Anthony, was explaining to reporters why she is rooting for the Twins to win the pennant rather than the White Sox, coached by her brother, Tony Cuccinello. “Sam’s family needs the money more,” she said. But Mele’s wife retained the helpfulness title. The Meles are expecting, along with a World Series and a new house, a new baby in the first week of October. Mrs. Mele promised: “I’ll be with Sam at Metropolitan Stadium for the World Series if I have to have the baby on the mound.”
I am way behind in sharing 1965 Sporting News articles about the Twins. To try to get caught up I am just going to list them here and you can check them all out. There is a lot of good information out here and if you are interested in reviving your memories of the 1965 All-Star game then you might want to pay particular attention to the July 24 issue.
At the end of July the Twins found themselves in first place in the American League with a 65-37 record and had a six game lead over the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Indians. After 102 games the Twins had scored 501 runs and given up 393 runs. The Twins were well on their way to winning the 1965 AL pennant.
Elizabethton (Rookie Level) outfielder Chris Paul is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. Paul, 22, who hits and throws from the right side played in six games for the E-Twins, hitting .357 (10-for-28) with three doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and four runs scored. The 6’3″ 200 lbs. Paul was drafted by the Twins in the sixth round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of UC Berkeley and has seen action in left field, first base and third base this season.
Torii Hunter hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning which turned out to be the game winner in the Twins’ 10-9 victory over the Indians last night. Hunter, at 40 years and 20 days old, became the second oldest player to hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth or later for the Twins since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961. On July 10, 1993, Hall of Famer Dave Winfield hit a two run homer in the top of the ninth inning against Milwaukee turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead in a game Minnesota would lose by a score of 5-4. Source: ELIAS
Mark Buehrle registered his 30th career win against the Twins with a victory in Toronto last night. That’s the most career wins by any active pitcher versus one major-league team. Buehrle notched his first 27 wins against Minnesota while pitching for the White Sox and the last three for the Blue Jays. In baseball’s expansion era (1961 to date), only five other American League pitchers have recorded 30 or more wins against a particular team: Bert Blyleven vs. the Royals (34); Jack Morris (32), Mickey Lolich (30) and Jim Kaat (30) vs. the Indians; and Jim Palmer vs. the Yankees (30). Source: ELIAS
The Twins have faced Mark Buehrle 53 times (51 starts), the 51 starts being the most vs. any pitcher in club history, ahead of Tommy John and Frank Tanana (each with 47). Torii Hunter has 97 career at-bats against Buehrle, the second most against him all-time, trailing only Michael Cuddyer (113). Joe Mauer has a career average of .206 (13-for-63) against Buehrle, marking his fifth-lowest against any pitcher for his career (C.J. Wilson – .129, Paul Byrd – .167, CC Sabathia – .171 and David Price – .176). Kurt Suzuki is hitting .387 (12-for-31) in his career off Buehrle. Source: Twins Game Notes
The four losses to the Blue Jays mark the first time that Toronto has ever swept a four game series from the lads from Minnesota.
