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
Don Cooper, the long time Chicago White Sox pitching coach whose voice, instincts, and steadiness shaped nearly two decades of South Side baseball, has passed away at the age of 70. Though Cooper’s major league playing career was brief — just 44 appearances across four seasons — his coaching life became one of the most durable and influential in modern baseball.
Don Cooper was was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 1978 amateur draft. Then on December 8, 1980, Cooper was drafted by the Minnesota Twins from the New York Yankees in the 1980 rule 5 draft.
Cooper reached the majors in 1981 and played for parts of 1981 and 1982 making a total of 33 appearances finishing his time with Minnesota with a 1-6 record and a 5.13 ERA. His time in Minnesota was short, but it included one memorable footnote: on September 2, 1981, Cooper earned his only major league win, getting the final five outs as the Twins beat the Yankees 4–3 at Metropolitan Stadium . He even struck out Reggie Jackson looking to end the game. Cooper also pitched briefly for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1983 and the New York Yankees in 1985.
That lone victory would eventually be overshadowed by something far greater:the 1,441 wins the White Sox collected with Cooper as their pitching coach. It is one of the most staggering coaching totals in baseball history — a testament to longevity, adaptability, and trust.
Greg Thayer, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 20 games for the Minnesota Twins during the 1978 season, passed away on December 12, 2025 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was 76.
Born October 23, 1949, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Thayer’s baseball journey began in earnest at St. Cloud Tech High School and continued at St. Cloud State University. Thayer attended St. Cloud State on a football scholarship, where he played quarterback and helped the Huskies win a conference championship in 1970. He also played three seasons on the baseball team, leading the Huskies to a conference championship in each of his three seasons on the diamond. He was named all-conference honors in 1971 as a pitcher and outfielder. He was inducted into the St. Cloud State Hall of Fame in 1994 in football and baseball.
His professional career started when the San Francisco Giants selected him in the 32nd round of the 1971 June Amateur Draft. It was a modest draft position, but it opened the door to a steady climb through the minor leagues.
A Long Road Through the Minors
Thayer spent his early professional years in the Giants’ farm system, pitching for several affiliates as he worked to refine his command and durability. After his release by San Francisco in April 1973, he signed with the Minnesota Twins later that year, beginning a second chapter in his minor league career. Over the next several seasons, he pitched at multiple levels of the Twins’ system, earning a reputation as a reliable organizational arm who took the ball whenever needed.
Reaching the Major Leagues
Thayer’s persistence paid off on April 7, 1978, when he made his major league debut for the Twins at the Kingdome against the Seattle Mariners. In that first outing, he threw three innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs while striking out three and walking four. It was the kind of gritty, workman-like appearance that would define his brief time in the majors. He earned his only major league victory on May 6, 1978, in Baltimore, when he pitched 5.2 innings of shutout relief as the Twins scored seven runs in the ninth to rally for a 8-7 victory.
During his time with the Twins during the 1978 season, Thayer appeared exclusively in relief, logging 45 innings across 20 games. He finished the year with a 3.80 ERA, 30 strikeouts, and a 1–1 record — solid numbers for a bullpen arm on a team searching for stability.
After the Twins
Thayer’s final major league appearance came on June 26, 1978, against the Milwaukee Brewers. He was sent back to the minors at the end of June and he never returned to the big leagues. His partial season with Minnesota represented the culmination of years of determination and quiet professionalism. Thayer spent the 1979 season in the Twins minor league system and then he turned up in the Toronto organization in 1980. There is no transaction in B-R documenting the move.
Following his playing career, he contributed to the Sauk Rapids, Minnesota sports community as a baseball coach for many years. He also loved spending time with his friends and enjoyed being out in nature, often combining both as an avid fisherman and bird hunter.
A Place in Twins History
For fans and historians who value the full tapestry of Twins baseball, Greg Thayer’s story is a reminder of the countless players whose contributions may not have made headlines but still mattered. His journey — from Cedar Rapids to St. Cloud, from a 32nd round pick to the mound at Metropolitan Stadium — reflects the perseverance and pride shared by so many who have worn a Twins uniform.
Greg Thayer is survived by his son and daughter, Andy (RaeAnne) Thayer of Golden Valley; Stephanie (Paul) Schlangen of Sauk Rapids; grandsons, Frederick & Walter Schlangen; and brother, Jeff (Kathy) Thayer of Spring Lake Park.
He is preceded in death by his parents and wife Christine.
Greg Allen Thayer’s obituary as well as a beautiful video can be seen here.
Hosken Powell, a left-handed outfielder whose contact bat and steady glove anchored the Minnesota Twins’ right field through the late 1970s and very early 80’s, passed away on June 27, 2025, in Pensacola, Florida. He was 70.
Born on May 14, 1955 in Selma, Ala., Powell fell in love with baseball while watching his father play on a local team his grandfather managed. During his youth, Powell moved with his family to Pensacola, Fla., and starred for the football, basketball and baseball teams at Woodham High School. He loved fishing and hunting.
After he graduated, he attended Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., where he blossomed into a five-tool outfielder and a much-coveted prospect. His roommate at Chipola College was future longtime MLB manager Buck Showalter. He made his Major League debut on Opening Day 1978, leading off for Minnesota and notching his first hit against the Seattle Mariners. It was a fitting start for a player who would become a fixture in the Twins’ lineup during a transitional era for the franchise.
The franchise has a 3-3 record in World Series history
The start of a new baseball season is always a glorious time. Fans across the country all have high hopes and dreams that they will be celebrating a Fall Classic win later in the year. Obviously, most of those dreams will be dashed over the next few months but, just for a little while, all 30 teams are still in with a chance.
Five clubs have never tasted victory, of course, with the Seattle Mariners never even making it to the World Series. There may be a few Twins fans that can’t remember a victory of our own but we have come out on top on no less than three occasions – with another three agonizing finals defeats in franchise history.
After winning the AL Central last season, there will be some of the best MLB betting sites looking at the Twins as a long shot for a championship this year. But, while we settle into the new campaign, let’s take a look back at all the times the franchise made it to the World Series.
The year 2023 was a landmark year for breaking long-standing streaks in the world of American sports. Two of the most talked-about streaks that ended were the Minnesota Twins’ 18-game MLB playoffs losing streak and the Detroit Lions’ 32-year drought without an NFL postseason victory. As we look forward to the 2024 baseball season and beyond, fans are wondering which long-standing records may yet tumble.
When it comes to the Twins and the MLB in particular, expectations have already reached a fever pitch ahead of the new season getting underway. The Texas Rangers head into the season as the reigning champions after their fairytale campaign last year culminated with a first World Series in franchise history. The Lone Star State side headed into the postseason as rank outsiders after securing a mere fifth seeding in the American League. However, victories against the Tampa Bay Rays, the top seed Baltimore Orioles and the heavyweight Houston Astros secured a trip to the championship series for the first time since they lost back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011.
