Bill Dailey Archives - Twinstrivia.com

Former Twins players that passed away in 2025

Another trip around the Sun and it is once again time to to look back and remember former Minnesota Twins that have gotten the call to their final resting place. They may be gone from this earth but their memories will always remain.

Jeff Bittiger was born April 13, 1962 in Jersey City, NJ and died on July 19, 2025 at the age of 63 after a lengthy battle with Cancer. Bittiger was originally drafted by the Mets in 1980 but made his big league debut on September 2, 1986 with the Phillies and was signed by the Twins as a free agent in April 1987. He pitched for the Minnesota Twins in 1987 appearing in three games late in the 1987 season. He won his first and only game as a Twin in his lone start for the Twins in a 8-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Bittiger went 7 innings allowing 1 run on 6 hits while striking out 5. Bittiger again became a Free Agent after the 1987 season. Bittiger pitched in the majors in 33 games with a 4-6 record with a 4.77 ERA. Bittiger must have loved baseball because he pitched in the minor/independent leagues from 1980-2003, a total of 23 years.

Bill Dailey was born on May 13, 1935 in Arlington, Virginia and passed away on January 11, 2025 at the age of 89. Dailey started his baseball career by signing with the Cleveland Indians prior to the 1953 season and made his big league debut on August 17, 1961 at Cleveland Stadium versus the Boston Red Sox with 4 innings of scoreless relief in a 14-inning 4-3 Cleveland win. The Minnesota Twins purchased Dailey in April of 1963 and he quickly became a folk hero in Minnesota and they even had a song about him called “won’t you come in Bill Dailey”. In his first season in Minnesota he pitched in 66 games, pitching 108.2 innings with a 1.99 ERA and a 6-4 record notching 21 saves. In 1964 he suffered a rotor cuff injury and had to walk away from the game at the age of 29, baseball can be a cruel game. You can find my interview with Bill Dailey in the Interview Archives on this site.

Scott Klingenbeck was born on February 3, 1971 in Cincinnati, Ohio and died on May 20, 2025 at the age of 54. Klingenbeck was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the 1992 amateur draft and made his debut in a start against the Detroit Tigers in an 11-5 win in which he pitched 7 innings allowing 3 earned runs for his first big league win. In July of 1995 the Orioles traded Klingenbeck to Minnesota for a PTBNL (who was later announced as OF Kimera Bartee). Klingenbeck pitched for the Twins in 1995-1996 and compiled a 1-3 record in 28 games with an ERA of 8.30. The Twins traded Klingenbeck to the Cincinnati Reds in April 1997. Klingenbeck pitched briefly for the Reds in 1998 before and for their AAA team in 1999 before retiring from baseball.

Andy Kosco was born on October 5, 1941 in Youngstown, Ohio and died on December 19, 2025 at the age of 84. Kosco excelled at every sport as a youngster. By the time he was a senior at Struthers High School, he was a strapping 6-feet-3 and 210 pounds, and excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. He received 44 scholarship offers for football, including ones from powers such as Michigan State and Ohio State, and 27 offers for basketball. “I think I was blessed with a lot of size,” said Kosco. “I ran well and threw well.” Kosco started his career with the Detroit Tigers as a free agent prior to the 1959 season and was released on June 3, 1964 and signed by the Minnesota Twins just three days later. Kosko debuted with the Twins on August 13, 1965 on a team packed with stars that was on its way to the World Series. Kosco played for the Twins between 1965-1967 but could not win a starting job and was sold to the Athletics after the 1967 season. Kosco went on to a number of other teams playing in the big leagues for all or parts of ten seasons with the Twins, Yankees, Dodgers, Brewers, Angels, Red Sox and the Redlegs appearing in 658 games hitting .236 with 73 home runs. If Andy Kosco’s baseball career could be described in a song, it might be the old Hank Snow classic “I’ve Been Everywhere.” Kosco may best be remembered for replacing Mickey Mantle in his final game, it was a memorable moment for Kosco, who often retold the story of taking over for the Yankee legend in his final game.

Bill Dailey, Won’t You Please Come In

William Garland “Bill” Dailey passed away peacefully on January 11, 2025, in Bedford, Virginia. He was 89. Though his major league career was brief, Dailey left a lasting impression on Minnesota baseball fans during the team’s 1963 surge toward contention.

A Breakout Season in the Bullpen

Signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1953, Dailey climbed through the minors before making his MLB debut in 1961. But it was his 1963 season with the Twins that etched his name into team lore.

66 games pitched
6–3 record, 1.99 ERA
21 saves, third-most in the AL
108? innings, just 81 hits allowed
72 strikeouts, 29 walks

He anchored the bullpen during a critical mid-season stretch when the Twins rattled off a 25–12 run, putting serious pressure on the New York Yankees. Dailey wasn’t just efficient—he was electrifying. With his sidearm delivery and nerves of steel, he became Met Stadium’s “late-inning locksmith.”

A Fan Favorite in Song

Dailey’s calm command inspired more than applause—it inspired art. In July 1963, Sports Illustrated profiled him as the Twins’ emerging super-hero, complete with organist Willie Peterson playing “(Won’t You Come Home) Bill Bailey” as Dailey trotted in from the bullpen.

Columnist Bill McGrane of the Minneapolis Tribune took it further, adapting the lyrics to honor Dailey:

“Won’t you come in, Bill Dailey, We blew a three-run lead. You do the pitchin’, baby, we’ll get ’em back, We like your sidearm speed…”

Sung informally by fans, printed in the paper, and quoted across press clippings, this lyrical nod remains one of the rare musical tributes ever written for a major-league reliever. It reflected how deeply Dailey resonated with a fanbase hungry for a steadying force.

A Life Rooted in Grace

A rotator cuff injury in 1964 ended Dailey’s career just shy of qualifying for a major league pension. He never let bitterness define him.

He settled in Dublin, Virginia, where he built a life rooted in humility, family, and quiet reflection. He shared stories graciously with baseball historians and fans who sought him out decades later. In a 2010 interview, Dailey spoke candidly about the abrupt end of his playing days—and how he chose gratitude over regret.

The Summer He Ruled Minnesota

By mid-season in 1963, Dailey had become not just reliable, but revered. He saved tight games against the White Sox and Orioles, walked to the mound with a signature cross-in-the-dirt gesture, and pitched like a man on a mission.

“Dailey walked like Shane—loose, but ready to gun anyone down.” — Sports Illustrated, July 1963

That summer, Twins bumper stickers shouted “Win! Twins!” and kids across the state wore Dailey’s number. The team’s rise—from burial to belief—was built on the backs of quiet heroes like Bill.

A Legacy Preserved

For Twins fans who remember 1963, Dailey remains a symbol of excellence, composure, and unsung brilliance. He never sought attention, but he earned admiration.

His story now lives on at TwinsTrivia.com, preserved with the same care and reverence he brought to the game. Bill Dailey didn’t just save runs—he saved summers, inspired songs, and became part of Minnesota’s baseball soul.

My interview with Bill Dailey back in March 2010 (about 89 minutes long)

Bill Dailey Obituary

Checking out the Twins best hitting pitchers

It is probably a good thing that the National League finally adopted the designated hitter rule like the Americal League has had for many years. Sure, pitchers got a key hit now and then but it stood out because it was so rare. But my intent here is to share with you a look at Twins pitchers hitting over the years before the DH rule came into play in 1973.

The criteria for this list is simple, you had to have been a Twins pitcher and had a minimum of 50 PA’s. Over the years you have heard that Jim Kaat was a pretty good hitter for a pitcher and he was. As far as I know Kaat was the only Twins pitcher to ever have a baseball card (1973 Topps) showing him hitting. Kind of ironic it would come out the year the AL DH rule came into play. But how many of you knew that Camilo Pascual was pretty good with the bat too.

https://stathead.com/tiny/C8DvN

The only other Twins pitchers to hit a home run but not appear on this list due to not having enough PA’s are Hal Haydel, Al Schroll and Bill Dailey.

Twins Milestone Home Runs from 1961-2021

Over the years the Minnesota Twins have hit 8,591 home runs since they started play in 1961 through the 2021 season. Let’s take a look at some milestone home runs, who hit them and where did they hit them. You might want to take note that the Minnesota Twins won 10 of these 12 games.

#1 was hit by Bob Allison on 4-11-61 at Yankee Stadium off Whitey Ford in a Twins 6-0 win in the first game they ever played.

#100 was hit by Bob Allison on 7-19-61 at Wrigley Field off the Angels Ron Kline in a 6-0 Twins win in game one of a DH.

Best seasons by Twins position players & pitchers

As the Twins prepare for their 59th season of play in Minnesota we should look back and be thankful for some great seasons these players have given us in the past. I am using B-R Play Index to come up with the ten greatest seasons by Minnesota Twins players over the years and I am once again using WAR as the tool to do this. I think you might be surprised at some of these.

MLB Pension Injustice – Bill Dailey and many others

I wonder how many long-time baseball fans are aware that there are 500 or so former MLB players, being hosed out of pensions by the league and the players’ association.

All these men have been getting since 2011 are non qualified retirement payments of $625 per quarter, up to 16 quarters, or a maximum payment of $10,000 per year. Meanwhile, the maximum IRS pension limit per year is $210,000.

One of these men is Dublin, Virginia’s Bill Dailey. Born in Arlington, Virginia in March 1935, Mr. Dailey recently turned 82.

A pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians, in 1961 and 1962, and the Minnesota Twins, in 1963 and 1964, Mr. Dailey appeared in a total of 119 games, all in relief. He notched 10 victories in 185 and two-third innings. In 1963 in what was probably Dailey’s best season, he appeared in relief 66 times for the Twins pitching a total of 108.2 innings and saved 21 games while winning 6 games and posting a 1.99 ERA.

Mr. Dailey had a career year for the Twins in 1963, when he appeared in 66 games, went 6-3, had a brilliant 1.99 Earned Run Average and recorded 21 saves. In that magical season, when the Twins were home and the opposing team was threatening, the organist for the Twins would play a parody of “Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home” called “Bill Dailey Won’t You Please Come In?”

The union representing the players, the MLBPA, doesn’t have to be the legal advocates for these men, the league doesn’t have to negotiate about this matter and the alumni association is too busy putting on golf outings.

Neither the league nor the union want to retroactively restore these men into pension coverage; instead, taxes are taken out of the nonqualified retirement payment, which cannot be passed on to a surviving spouse or designated beneficiary. So when Mr. Dailey passes on, the payment he is currently receiving is not passed on to any of his loved ones, including his wife, Anne. They are also not eligible to be covered under the league’s umbrella health insurance plan.

Former pitcher Steve Rogers is a special assistant to Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. He is the players’ pension liaison; his email address is stever@mlbpa.org and his telephone number is 646-430-2112.

If you believe that these former big league ballplayers are being treated unfairly please give Steve Rogers a call or send him an e-mail and let him know that this is totally unfair.

This article was submitted by Doug Gladstone, Author
“A Bitter Cup of Coffee; How MLB & The Players Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve”

Know your Minnesota Twins closers

The folks at Baseball-Reference.com describe a save as follows:

A save (abbreviated SV or S) is a statistic awarded to a relief pitcher, often called a closer, who enters the game under certain conditions and maintains his team’s lead until the end of the game. The save rule was first adopted for the 1969 season and amended for the 1974 and 1975 seasons. Baseball researchers have worked through the official statistics retroactively to calculate saves for all major league seasons prior to 1969.

The first save credited to a Minnesota Twins pitcher occurred on April 16, 1961 long before the save rule was actually in existence in 1969.

Twins pitchers with great ERA’s

The Twins finished with a 66-96 record in 2012 and the teams starting pitching was blamed for the teams poor play. The teams starting pitching had a league worst 5.40 ERA and the starters posted a 39-75 record. As a whole the entire pitching staff posted a 4.77 ERA which is the seventh worst in team history. Previous Twins teams that had higher ERA’s than the 2012 Twins were –

The 1995 team had a 5.76 ERA and finished with a 56-88 mark.

The 1994 team had a 5.68 ERA and finished with a 53-60 mark.

The 1996 team had a 5.28 ERA and finished with a 78-84 mark.

The 2000 team had a 5.14 ERA and finished with a 69-93 mark.

The 1999 team had a 5.00 ERA and finished with a 63-97 mark.

The 1997 team had a 5.00 ERA and finished with a 68-94 mark.

It is easy to forget some of the horrendous pitching staffs that Tom Kelly managed in the mid to late 90’s. But this article is not about how bad the Twins pitching has been over the years but instead is just laying some ground work to highlite some of the Twins best pitching performances over the years based simply on ERA. I know that ERA is not necessarily the best way to determine pitching quality but ERA has been around for a long time and provides us with a measurement tool of sort. The Twins have used many pitchers since the team moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season but I can only find 12 Twins pitchers, barely enough to comprise a pitching staff that have thrown 100 or more innings and posted an ERA of 2.50 or under in a single season. So lets take a look at who these pitchers were and the dominating season that they had.

1. Doug Corbett in his first season in the big leagues in 1980 pitched in 63 games, all in relief and posted a 1.98 ERA in 136.1 innings and had 23 saves to go along with his 8-6 record. Corbett was acquired by the Twins in December 1979 as a Rule 5 draftee from the Cincinnati Reds.

2. Bill Dailey in his first season in Minnesota and third in the big leagues in 1963 pitched in 66 games, all in relief and posted a 1.99 ERA in 108.2 innings and had 21 saves to go along with his 6-3 record.

3. Stan Williams in his 12 big league season and first as a Twin in 1970 pitched in 68 games, all in relief and posted a 1.99 ERA in 113.1 innings and had 15 saves to go along with his 10-1 record.

4. Jim Kaat was in his 12th season for the Twins and in 1972 had started 15 games before getting hurt in early July and sitting out the rest of the season. In this 15 games he pitched 113.1 innings and posted a 2.06 ERA to go along with his 10-2 record.

5. Ron Perranoski in his second season in Minnesota in 1969 appeared in 75 games, all in relief and posted a 2.11 ERA in 119.2 innings and had a league leading 31 saves to go along with his 9-10 record.

6. Francisco Liriano in his first full season as a Twin in 2006 appeared in 28 games starting 16 of them and posted a 2.16 ERA in 121 innings. Liriano put up a 12-3 record to go along with his first big league save.

7. Jim Perry in his 10th big league season and his 6th in Minnesota in 1968 appeared in 32 games starting 18 of them and posted a 2.27 ERA in 139 innings while notching 1 save to go along with his 8-6 record. Perry went on to win 20 games in 1969 and a league leading 24 wins in 1970 when he won the Cy Young award.

8. Ron Perranoski is the only pitcher to make this list twice. In 1970 Perranoski had a 2.43 ERA when appeared in 67 games throwing 111 innings and once again led the league in saves with 34 to go with his 7-8 won/lost record.

9. Allan Anderson had a breakout season in 1988 when he started 30 games throwing 202.1 innings and putting up a league leading 2.45 ERA to go along with his 16-9 record.

10. Camilo Pascual was in his 10th season with the Senators/Twins in 1963 when he started 31 games throwing 248.1 innings with a league leading 18 complete games and posted a nifty 2.46 ERA that went well with his 21-9 record.

11. Dave Goltz made the list in 1978 which was his 7th big league season with Minnesota when he had a 2.49 ERA when he started 29 games and pitched 220.1 innings going 15-10 and that was a season after he had won 20 games.

12. Tom Burgmeier was in his 9th big league season and third with the Twins in 1976 when he appeared in relief in 57 games when he pitched 115.1 innings posting a 2.50 ERA to go along with his 8-1 record.

So what kind of ERA did the Twins World Series teams have? The 1965 Twins pitching staff had a 3.14 ERA, the 1991 Twins put up a 3.69 ERA and the 1987 world champs had a 4.63 ERA.

Tag: Bill Dailey

Former Twins players that passed away in 2025

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