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
This is a general blogging category.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s it was not unusual to see the opening day pitcher pitch a complete game. Twins pitchers did it three times in the 60’s including in 1961 when they played their first game against the New York Yankees and Pedro Ramos went the distance in the 6-0 Twins win and again three more times in the 70’s. The last pitcher to pitch a complete game on opening day for Minnesota was Dave Goltz in 1978 but he lost to the Mariners that day in a 3-2 game.
When the Twins open the season against the Cleveland Indians it will be only the third time they have hosted a season opener at Target Field and the fourth time they have played the Cleveland Indians in a season opening game. It should be an interesting game as Twins ace Jose Berrios faces off against Indians ace Corey Kluber. Many baseball experts are picking the Cleveland Indians to defend their AL Central title while others are picking the Minnesota Twins to over-take the Indians this season so the predicted sell-out crowd should see some good baseball.
Season opening games against the Indians over the years
The last time the Minnesota Twins opened the season at home in Target Field was in 2017 when they beat Kansas City Royals 7 to 1. Ervin Santana went seven strong innings that day and held the Royals to just two hits and one run to earn his first win of the season. Attendance was reported at 39,615 and when Santana threw his first pitch it was 50 degrees and overcast. The Twins went on to win 83 games that season and lost a one-game wild card game against the New York Yankees. Box Score
The first time the Minnesota Twins opened the season at home in Target Field was on April 1, 2013 when the hosted the Detroit Tigers but lost the game 4-2 in front of 32,282 fans on a cool but sunny 35 degree day with 17 MPH winds howling out to center field. Vance Worley started on that April Fool’s Day and was the loser. Box Score
I can’t wait, let’s PLAY BALL!
The Minnesota Twins are an IF team. IF Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano play up to their abilities than Twins fans might be in for a lot of fun and exciting baseball. IF those two important cogs don’t show more than they did last season the Twins will once again struggle to get to the .500 mark.
The Derek Falvey regime has three off-seasons in the books and begins their third season on the playing field. When the year is done we should have a good feel for where this team is. We know the organization has gone head over heels for technology with expensive toys all over and more nerds in the front office than they probably have room for. Owner Jim Pohlad must feel like he gave Falvey an unlimited budget and he has already exceeded it with his organization rebuild.
I can’t help but feel that the Twins organization is so busy trying to help their players with technology that they forget what baseball is really all about. I am no spring chicken and I am not from Missouri but you have to show me that the new ways work better than the old. In spite of my concerns about the organization I am cautiously optimistic that Sano and Buxton will start to shine and help the team achieve the success we all hope for.
The post Joe Mauer era is here, there will be no Twins number 7 on the playing field. With Cleveland dumping some players and seemingly not trying to improve I think that the Minnesota Twins can over take the Indians this season and win the division by two games. I see the Chicago White Sox getting better and finishing in third place followed by the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals occupying the AL Central cellar with a 100+ loss season.
I can’t wait for the season to start and for the Twins to show me what they got! What about the rest of you, how do you think the Twins will do? Leave a comment with your prediction.
Charlie Manuel signed with the Minnesota Twins for $20,000 prior to the 1963 season by-passing college in order to provide for the family after his father committed suicide. Charlie was a four-sport star (baseball, football, basketball and track) in high school and had scholarship opportunities after graduating but decided he needed to work to help support is family.
Manuel started his pro baseball career in 1963 near his home with the Wytheville (Virginia) Twins of the Appalachian League, hitting .358 with seven home runs in 58 games. Manuel worked his way through the Twins system and in the spring of 1969 under manager Billy Martin finally made the Minnesota Twins roster.
Manuel who was known as Chuck instead on Charlie in his playing days could not win a regular outfield position and suffered some injuries and in his four seasons on the Twins roster from 1969-1972 never appearing in more than 83 games. In 1973 Manuel spent the entire season with AAA Tacoma and after the season ended he and catcher Glenn Ezell were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jim Fairey and Mike Floyd.
Manuel appeared in just four games with the Dodgers in 1974 and 15 games in 1975 never starting any of them and after the 1975 season ended so did his big league career as a player as the age of 31. In parts of six big league seasons Manuel played in 242 games hitting just four home runs (all in a Twins uniform) and had a career batting mark of just .199.
Manuel’s career as a player in the major leagues was over but he was not done playing. It turned out that he was just beginning the best part of his playing career, not in the United States but in Japan. The Yakult Swallows of Tokyo signed Manuel and treated him as a star. Despite his concerns about playing baseball in Japan, between 1976-1981 Manuel played like a man possessed in Japan’s Central League, hitting .303 with 189 home runs and 491 RBIs for the Swallows and the Kintetsu Buffaloes. His .324 average, 37 home runs, and 94 RBIs for Kintetsu in 1979 earned him the league MVP, the first American player to be so honored. He followed up his MVP season by slugging 48 home runs for the Buffaloes in 1980, which long stood as a record for an American player in Japan. Manuel played for two pennant-winning teams in his six seasons in Japan. His power at the plate and his reddish hair earned Manuel the nickname Aki Ono (Red Devil) among the fans and players in Japan.
Manuel left baseball as a player after the 1981 season and signed on with the Minnesota Twins as a scout in 1982. Manuel missed being on the playing field and was named the manager of the Minnesota Twins Wisconsin Rapids team in 1983. Manuel then moved on to manage AA Orlando in 1984 and 1985 and the AAA Toledo and Portland in 1986 and 1987.
Manuel moved on to the Cleveland Indians in 1988 and served as a hitting coach for two seasons before again going back to the minors as a manager. Manuel took over as the Cleveland Indians skipper from 2000 thru July of 2002 at which point he was fired. Manuel had numerous health issues between 1990 and 2001 including two heart attacks, bypass surgery, diverticulitis, kidney cancer, and gall bladder removal surgery.
Manuel then moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies in a front office capacity and after the 2004 season the Phillies fired their manager Larry Bowa and Charlie Manuel got the job. Manuel managed the Phillies from 2005 until mid 2013 when he again got the axe after winning exactly 1,000 games, two pennants and a World Championship (in 2008) for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Now Charlie Manuel is enjoying retirement in Florida.
Sporting News – April 5, 1969 – Chuck Manuel
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli named Jose Berrios as his his Opening Day starter when the Twins take on the Cleveland Indians at Target Field on March 28. This will be the first opening Day assignment for the 24 year old Berrios who was one of three Twins starters to make 32 starts in 2018.
4 – Number of wins that Twins pitchers with just one Opening Day start on their resume have recorded.
12 – Losses by Twins pitchers making their lone opening day start
13 – Twins pitchers have made multiple opening day starts
15 – Twins Opening Day starters took a ND for their work
18 – Twins pitchers have one Opening Day start on their resume
1967 – Last time a Twins pitcher on Opening Day had a hit
The Minnesota Twins announced yesterday that they will now offer select concessions at family friendly prices in 2019 at Target Field. According to their March 6 Press Release (that you can read below) it states that it applies to concession stands located in sections 133 and 327.
I have been told it applies to everyone but the prices for the select products are only available in those two concession stands. What is the logic behind lowering prices on select products in select concession stands? Why possible create long lines at two concessions stands and inconvenience the fans? Why not lower the select products prices at all concession stands? I smell something fishy here but fish are not one of the select products being discounted.
I tried to get an answer from Twins President Dave St. Peter twice yesterday via Twitter but no reply in either case and we all know Mr. St. Peter watches and responds to Tweets all the time but in this case he chose not to comment.
Being the suspicious person I am I can’t help but think that there is more here then meets the eye. My best guess is that the products are different in some way, smaller in size maybe or fewer in number. Who knows? The Minnesota Twins are always looking to make or save an extra dollar so I can’t help but wonder. I may be way off base here but my gut says you can’t always believe what you read.
I hope I am totally wrong here because the Twins should have done this years ago to reward Twins fans for their on the field play at Target Field since 2011.
Twins Press Release dated March 6, 2019
The Minnesota Twins and Delaware North Sportservice – the team’s exclusive food, beverage and retail partner – today announced Target Field will now offer select concessions at family-friendly prices during the 2019 season.
“The Twins are excited about partnering with Delaware North Sportservice to bring family-friendly concessions pricing to Target Field,” team president and CEO Dave St. Peter said. “The affordability of the Target Field experience remains paramount to our efforts to attract kids and families to the ballpark. Moreover, we believe the family-friendly concessions will only further enhance Target Field’s longstanding reputation for delivering the best in food and beverage.”
The family value pricing will be available at the State Fair concessions stands located in sections 133 and 327 and will be offered on some of the ballpark’s most popular food items. The concessions stand will also offer a more convenient self-checkout process with fans being able to purchase food using touchscreen kiosks. Included in the new pricing will be:
• Schweigert™ Hot Dog – $4
• Nachos – $4
• Soft Pretzels – $4
• Peanuts – $3
• Popcorn – $3
• 16oz Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist – $2
• 12oz Budweiser or Bud Light – $5
“Great food is essential for a great experience at the ballpark,” said Pete Spike, general manager for Delaware North Sportservice at Target Field. “We’re excited to offer some of our most popular food items at a price that allows the whole family to enjoy a great meal while taking in a game.
About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest privately held hospitality and food service companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our 55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually. Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has annual revenue of more than $3 billion. Learn more about Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.
Back in 1969 contract negotiations with Twins players were a bit different when there were no agents and Calvin Griffith was the team’s owner. Here is a short story out of the March 22, 1969 edition of the Sporting News.
Sabath Anthony “Sam” Mele
Sabath Anthony “Sam” Mele was born in Astoria, New York on January 21, 1922. Although they met in America, Sam Mele‘s parents were born in Avellino, Italy. Mele’s mother was sister to big league brothers Al Cuccinello and Tony Cuccinello. Mele, a natural all-around athlete and a Queens Park baseball legend attended New York University, where he excelled as a basketball player before serving his country in the Marines during World War II. But Mele wanted to play pro baseball and was signed as a free agent by the Boston Red Sox in 1946. In his first year of organized ball, Mele played 119 games for Scranton (A ball in the Easter League) hitting .342 with 18 home runs before being moved up to Louisville in the AAA American Association where he played all of 15 games. Mele made his major league debut with the Red Sox the following year against the Washington Senators on April 15, 1947. His rookie season may have been one of the best of his career as Sam hit 12 home runs and knocked in 73 runs in 123 games while hitting .302. Mele would never hit over .300 again in his 10 year major league career. During his playing career spanning 1947 to 1956, Mele, who batted and threw right-handed, saw duty with six major league clubs: the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians, batting .267 with 80 home runs in 1,046 games. Sam Mele played his final major league game as a Cleveland Indian on September 16, 1956. Mele played AAA ball with for the White Sox and Athletics in 1957 and 1958 but never returned to the majors as a player.
Mele turned to coaching and served under manager Cookie Lavagetto in 1959 and 1960 for the Washington Senators before the team moved to Minnesota in 1961 and became known as the Twins. With the ‘61 Twins struggling, Calvin Griffith asked Lavagetto to take a week off in early June and during this period Mele filled in as manager. When Cookie Lavagetto was fired on June 23, 1961, Sam Mele stepped in as manager full-time and became the Minnesota Twins second manager. The Twins moved up two places in the standings under Mele, finishing seventh when the 1961 season ended.
But the Twins, building with young home-grown players like future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, Jim Kaat, Zoilo Versalles and Bob Allison, challenged the powerful New York Yankees in 1962 before finishing second. After finishing third in 1963, the team suffered through a poor season in 1964, leading to speculation that Mele would be replaced by his new third base coach, Billy Martin.
Finally, in 1965 the Twins broke the Yankees’ string of five World Series appearances by winning their first ever American League pennant and sent the Bronx Bombers on a tailspin where the New York Yankees would not appear in another World Series for 12 years. Led by Zoilo Versalles, who was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player, batting champion Tony Oliva, and pitcher Mudcat Grant, who won 21 games, Minnesota won 102 games and coasted to the league title. The Yankees finished sixth, 25 games out. No Twins team has ever won 102 games since and Mele was named as the 1965 Sporting News Manager of the Year and back then there was only one manager of the year named for both the AL and NL. Minnesota took a two-game lead in the 1965 World Series, but the superior pitching of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Claude Osteen took its toll, and Los Angeles won in seven games. During the 1965 season Mele was involved in a an incident with home plate umpire Bill Valentine. The usually mild-mannered Mele’s hand apparently hit Valentine’s jaw and he was fined $500 and suspended five days.
The 1966 Twins won 13 fewer games, and ended up as runners-up to the Baltimore Orioles. Mele had clashed publicly with two of his coaches, Hal Naragon and pitching tutor Johnny Sain and both were fired after the 1966 season much to the dismay of star pitcher Jim Kaat who wrote an “open letter” to Twins fans voicing his displeasure on the Sain firing. The “letter” made national news and caused a ruckus during the 1966 World Series when major league baseball wanted the World Series front and center. The club swung a major trade for pitcher Dean Chance during the offseason and unveiled star rookie Rod Carew in 1967. Hopes and expectations were high in Minnesota, but when the Twins were only .500 after 50 games, Mele was fired. His successor was not Martin, as had been anticipated, but long time minor league manager Cal Ermer. Mele’s record as a manager was 524-436 (.546). He never managed again, but returned to the Red Sox as a scout for 25 years.
Sam Mele passed away on May 1, 2017 at the age of 95. I was lucky enough to interview Sam Mele back in May of 2009 and the interview is about a 1/2 hour-long so grab the beverage of your choice, sit back, relax and listen to Sam tell you a little about himself and what it was like to manage the Minnesota Twins.
Sam Mele New York Times Obituary
The Sam Mele SABR Baseball Biography is available here.
Back in 1969 the Minnesota Twins were playing their ninth season of baseball in Minnesota after moving from Washington after the 1960 season where they were known as the Washington Senators. That 1969 team was a very good team and it was managed by Billy Martin who was getting his first shot as a big league manager. The team eventually won the AL West division title with a 97-65 record and went on to lose the ALCS to the 109-53 Baltimore Orioles three games to none. Billy Martin ended up getting fired shortly there after and the rest is history.
During that 1969 season at the request of baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, Major League Baseball Promotions, Inc ran a contest to determine each MLB teams “Greatest Team” and “Greatest Player”. This would eventually lead to the naming of the “Greatest Player Ever” and the “Greatest Living Player” at the 100 year anniversary celebration of professional baseball at the All-Star game at Washington on July 22.
As a part of baseball’s 100 year anniversary festivities a special logo was designed to be worn on all uniform sleeves and that patriotic looking logo remains the MLB logo today – the batter who looks a lot like Harmon Killebrew, but isn’t. (That, according to the designer, Jerry Dior).
On June 3rd the Minnesota Twins announced their All-Time Twins team and to no ones surprise, Harmon Killebrew was voted as the Greatest Twins Player ever. Since there was no internet back then, the vote counts were much smaller.
Baseball author and historian Marty Appel wrote a nice story about this called “National Pastime Museum: Baseball’s Centennial “Greatest Players Ever” Poll” that you might want to check out. I am pretty sure you will enjoy it.