Tag: Danny McDevitt

Twins player, coach & manager Billy Gardner passes away at 96

Billy Gardner passed away peacefully January 3, 2024, at the age of 96 at home surrounded by family. He was born July 19, 1927, in New London, CT to father Leslie Garder and mother Eva Maynard. He married the love of his life, Barbara Carnaroli, in 1952. They were married 71 years.

Gardner was signed at the age of 17 by the New York Giants in 1944 after graduating from Chapman Technical High School. After spending one year in the minors Gardner was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1946. He returned to baseball in 1947. He worked his way up to the big leagues and debuted with the NY Giants on April 22, 1954 in Forbes Field against the Pittsburgh Pirates and singled in his first big league at bat. Gardner played in the majors for 10 years between 1954-1963 with the Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Gardner was a part of two World Series teams, the 1954 Giants and the 1961 Yankees. Gardner’s nickname was “Slick” because he “could turn a double play in a phone booth”.

Gardner was traded from the Orioles to the Senators on April 3, 1960 for Clint Courtney and Ron Samford and then became one of the original Minnesota Twins when the Senators moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season. Gardner was the Twins starting second baseman in the first game the Twins ever played going 1 for 3 with a sacrifice in the Twins 6-0 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium I. On June 14, 1961 after playing in Minnesota in just 45 games he was traded to the New York Yankees for pitcher Danny McDevitt.

After his playing years, he spent more than 30 years scouting, coaching and managing in the Minors and Majors including managing the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals.

Billy Gardner

Calvin Griffith was looking for a third-base coach in 1981, an opening created when Gene Mauch abruptly resigned in August 1980 and Johnny Goryl moved from third base to the manager’s job. Gardner was hired to coach third but he didn’t keep that job for long as he was promoted to the Twins manager position on May 23, 1981 after Jonny Goryl was let go. He had a 268-353 record with the Twins, including a 60-102 mark in 1982, when many of the core players to the 1987 World Series championship team first came up to the major leagues. The Minnesota Twins, losers of 20 of their last 25 games in 1985, fired Manager Billy Gardner named pitching coach Ray Miller of the Baltimore Orioles to succeed him.

Gardner is survived by his wife Barbara: and four children, Thomas Gardner, Gwen (Bob) Lakowsky, Shelly (Rick) Kraetz and Billy Gardner Jr. (Kristie). He enjoyed spending time with his children, ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

We at Twinstrivia.com would like to pass on our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Billy Gardner. Thank you for the memories Billy Gardner.

Slick

Billy Gardner Obituary

Minnesota Twins who have served in the Military

veterans-day-thank-you-picturesEveryday is a good day to thank a Veteran for his service but Veterans Day is even more meaningful. With the national election behind us and a new President waiting his turn to sit in the Oval office we should all be thankful to the Veterans who have made this possible. It makes no difference if you voted for the President-elect or not, it is now time to respect the wishes of the people and the laws of this country and to roll up our sleeves and move on to make it even better than what is already is.

Here is a list of former Minnesota Twins players that have served their country. Please take a few moments to thank them for their service.

 

Courtesy of Hans Van Slooten and B-R.

Former Twins Pitcher Danny McDevitt Passes Away

Danny McDevitt (courtesy of the Minnesota Twins)

November 24, 2010 – Daniel Eugene McDevitt was born on November 18, 1932 in New York and passed away on November 20, 2010, just two days after his 78th birthday in Covington, Georgia. McDevitt was originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1951 as a free agent but the Yankees released him after the 1951 season. After he was released by the Yankees he served in the US Amy during the Korean War before being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers after his tour ended in 1952. McDevitt, a lefty pitched in the big leagues for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and the Kansas City A’s for all or parts of six seasons between 1957 and 1962. Danny McDevitt was a hard throwing left hander with control issues but he pitched in 155 big league games, starting 60 of them and had a career record of 21-27 with an ERA of 4.40. Danny only had 13 complete games and 4 shutouts in his career but one of them took place on September 24, 1957 when he and his Brooklyn Dodgers teammate’s shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 with 6,702 fans in attendance in what turned out to be the final game the Dodgers would play at Ebbets Field. Just two weeks later team owner Walter O’Malley announced that the team was moving to LA.

McDevitt had Minnesota ties going back to 1957 and 1958 when he pitched for the Dodgers AAA minor league team the St. Paul Saints where he went 15-8. On June 14, 1961 the New York Yankees traded McDevitt to the Minnesota Twins for infielder Billy Gardner who would later become a Twins manager. Danny’s stay in Minnesota was short as the Twins sold him to the Kansas City A’s on April 10th 1962. During his brief career as a Minnesota Twin, McDevitt pitched in 16 games, all but one in relief and finished his Twins career with a 1-0 record and an excellent ERA of 2.36. McDevitt’s big league career ended after the 1962 season although he did pitch in a couple of minor league games in 1963. After baseball he worked as a minor league umpire, held various government jobs in Mississippi and Alabama, then sold real estate in Georgia. We at Twins Trivia pass on our condolences to the McDevitt family and friends.