Tag: 1961 Minnesota Twins

Jose Valdivielso – a member of 1961 Twins passes away

Jose Valdivielso

One of the few remaining members, Jose Valdivielso, of the 1961 Minnesota Twins passed away on March 4, 2025 at the age of 90. José Martinez de Valdivielso Lopez was born on May 22, 1934 in Matanzas, Cuba.

Valdivielso started his professional baseball career as a shortstop with the Class C 1953 Lubbock Hubbers in the West Texas-New Mexico League. During the 1954 season Valdivielso was assigned to the Washington Nationals in an unknown transaction and was sent from Lubbock to the Class B Rock Hill Chiefs and then on to the Class A Charlotte Hornets. He started the 1955 season with Charlotte but was called up by the Washington Nationals and made his MLB debut on June 21, 1955 at Griffith Stadium against the Chicago White Sox in a 6-1 Nats loss in which Valdivielso went 0 for 3. Valdivielso split his time with the Nats and their minor league teams in 1955-1956.

Valdivielso with Minneapolis Millers in 1958

Somehow he ended up playing for the Chicago White Sox AAA Indianapolis Indians in 1957 and in 1958 he split his time with the AAA Boston Red Sox Minneapolis Millers and the AAA San Francisco Giants Phoenix Giants. He started the 1959 season with the AAA Baltimore Orioles Miami Marlins and then low and behold he showed back up with the Washington Nationals where he played in the rest of the 1959 and the 1960 season.

In 1960, the team’s sixtieth and last season in Washington, Valdivielso was the Senators’ most-used shortstop, starting in 92 games and playing a career-high 117 contests. But by late September he had lost his starting job to Zoilo Versalles, a 20-year-old fellow countryman.

Valdivielso spent the 1961 season with the Minnesota Twins but only played in 76 games mainly as a defensive replacement and had just 158 PA’s in which he hit .195 with 29 hits and 9 RBI. One of those 29 hits was his lone Twins home run a long blast to left field that took place on June 4, 1961 at Tiger Stadium off Frank Lary in a 10-4 Twins loss to the Detroit Tigers. Jose played his final major league game at Met Stadium against the Detroit Tigers and went 2 for 3 with an RBI on the 1961 season’s final game, which was called in the top of the sixth inning on account of rain.

Valdivielso never played in the major leagues again and finished his career with the Minnesota Twins AAA Vancouver Mounties in 1962, and the Chicago White Sox AAA Indianapolis Indians in 1963-1964. In total, Jose Valdivielso collected 213 hits in the majors, with 26 doubles and eight triples to go along with his nine home runs.

Continue reading Jose Valdivielso – a member of 1961 Twins passes away

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – The 25th and final week

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. This is the 25th week and final installment of our recap of the Twins first season in Minnesota back in 1961.

1961-1969 Twins primary logo

The 1961 Minnesota Twins begin their final week of play at home with four games left in the 1961 season and their record stands at 70-86.

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Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 24

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week twenty-four.

Met Stadium main entrance

The Minnesota Twins begin this week in seventh place with a 67-83 record and they are on a three game winning streak. They have just one game on the road remaining before they head for home to play their final three series at Metropolitan Stadium to close out their first season as Minnesota Twins.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 24

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 23

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week twenty-three.

The Minnesota Twins begin this week with a 62-81 record and they are officially playing out the string after being mathematically eliminated from any shot of winning the AL pennant. They are currently in eighth place in the AL but have a chance to move up a spot or two.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 23

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 22

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week twenty-two.

The Minnesota Twins start this week with a 59-79 record and they are officially playing out the string after being mathematically eliminated from any shot of winning the AL pennant this past week. They are currently in eighth place in the AL but have a chance to move up a spot or two.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 22

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 21

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week twenty-one.

The Minnesota Twins start this week with a 56-74 record and in eighth place but miles behind the league leading New York Yankees. The end is near in more ways than one.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 21

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 20

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week twenty.

1961 Twins coin schedule put out by Minnesota Savings and Loan (A good tree to come to for shelter)

The Minnesota Twins begin this week in seventh place with a 54-70 mark and they trail the first place Yankees by 28.5 games as they near the end of August.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 20

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 19

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week nineteen.

1961-1969 Twins primary logo

Coming off a 4-3 week the eighth place Minnesota Twins begin this week with a 51-68 record and they trail the first place Yankees by 27.5 games in the dog-days of August.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 19

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 18

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week eighteen.

1961-1969 Twins primary logo

The Minnesota Twins start their week with a 47-65 record and they trail the first place Yankees by 27.5 games in the dog-days of August.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 18

Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 17

I have been working on a very long term project whereas I do a brief recap of Twins games on my “In This Day in Twins History Pages.” So my plan is to give you a brief recap of the Twins first season as it plays out on a weekly basis. For more info on a particular game you can also click on the date and go to the appropriate “In This Day in Twins History Page” as there you will often get to see some player pictures and supporting documentation. We will see how long I can keep up with it, no promises. So let’s see what we have for week seventeen.

The 46-57 Twins start the week on a long East coast road-trip tied for seven place with the Washington Senators The Twins have to look up a long ways, 21 games as a matter of fact to spot the league leading New York Yankees who now have a 2.5 game lead on the Detroit Tigers.

Continue reading Remembering the Twins first season from 1961 – Week 17