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
The Minnesota Twins have had a number of work-horse starting pitchers over the years but Jim Kaat stands on the top of the hill with 2,959.1 inning logged. In his Twins career “Kitty” pitched in 468 games with 422 of them as a starter. Back then it was not unusual for starters to pitch in relief now and then as needed. Here is a look at a list of pitchers with 500 or more innings logged wearing a Twins uniform.
Now let’s take a look at the Senators/Twins franchise leaders in innings pitched and who else but Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson would you expect to head this list? Over 5,900 innings, my goodness. Look at the rest of his numbers as compared to more modern pitchers.
That said how about taking a look across all of MLB and look at innings pitched over 1,000 and then we see a number of modern day pitchers with over 5,000 innings logged. I did not expect to find that to be the case.
Home runs are always fun to see if your team hits them. How many times have you been to a ballgame where your favorite team has a player that hits two or more home runs in the same game. Not too often I bet. That thought crossed my my mind recently so I decided to look at up and see who the Senators/Twins franchise leaders were in multi (two or more) home run games in a single regular season and a career.
You think you know who it is? Take a guess on who it was and what year it happened before you look it up. From 1901-2025 the franchise leaders in multi home run regular season games in a single season can be found at: https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/F8SHL
Who do you think is the Senators/Twins franchise career leader? That answer should not be that tough. From 1901-2025 the franchise leaders in multi home run regular season games in a franchise career can be found at: https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/3DmpE
Back in 1960 there were 16 MLB teams split evenly between the American and National League. MLB expansion started in 1961 when the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators came into existence while the previous Washington team left to move to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Twins giving the American League ten teams withe the National league staying at eight. So let’s take a look back at 1961 and see where MLB teams had their Spring Training sites. When this took place 13 of the MLB teams trained in Florida, four of the teams trained in Arizona and the Angels trained in California.
Since 2010, major league teams have been equally divided between Arizona and Florida during spring training, with 15 teams in Florida and 15 teams in Arizona. All but six of the major league teams have gone to spring training in Florida at one time or another (Anaheim Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks).
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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.
Cristobal Mendoza was born in Ceiba del Agua, Cuba on December 3, 1934 and passed away at the age of 89 on September 9, 2024 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Mendoza was better known to Minnesota Twins fans as Minnie Mendoza who played for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins organization for 16 seasons between 1958 and 1972.
Mendoza was originally signed as a amateur free agent by the Cincinnati Reds but was released after two seasons and was signed by the Washington Senators as a free agent in 1958 at the age of 23. The Washington Senators had a long history of signing Latin American ballplayers, thanks largely to scout “Papa Joe” Cambria. Cambria convinced Mendoza to join the organization’s Missoula Timberjacks in the Class-C Pioneer League.
But it would be a long time before Mendoza would make his debut in the big leagues. Matter of fact it took 12 years and over 1,800 minor league games before a Rod Carew injury in 1970 resulted in Mendoza got his opportunity to put on a big league uniform. It was was not even the Senators team that he signed with since the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season and became the Minnesota Twins.
Mendoza made his major league debut at White Sox Park on April 9, 1970 when he entered the game as a defensive replacement for third baseman Harmon Killebrew in the ninth inning of a game that the Twins were leading 6-4 against the Chicago White Sox and won by the same score. He went hitless in his first eight games going 0 for 9 before getting his first big league hit and run scored in his ninth game when he singled as a PH against the Baltimore Orioles Mike Cueller at Memorial Stadium. Mendoza played in his 16th and final big league game on June 7 at Washington before being sent to the minors never to play in the big leagues again. His big league career was short, just 16 games, 16 PA’s, 3 hits, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. That said, he reached the big leagues, and that is something to be proud of.
In 1974-75, Mendoza embarked on his career as a minor league manager beginning in Mexico. He returned to organized baseball as a coach and scout for several teams, primarily the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians organizations. He served on the Orioles’ major league coaching staff as their first-base coach in 1988. Among his accomplishments with Cleveland, Mendoza is credited with scouting and signing a young Bartolo Colon, who went on to win 247 games and the 2005 American League Cy Young award.
Michael Lee Cubbage, was born July 21, 1950, in Charlottesville, Virginia and passed away on August 10, 2024 after a near year-long battle with cancer, his wife, Jan, confirmed Sunday night, August 11. Cubbage was 74 years old.
Affectionately called “Cubby” by friends, family, players and coaches, Cubbage was a former Major League Baseball player and a pro baseball manager. He retired a couple of years ago after serving as one of the top scouts for the Washington Nationals.
He was a three-sport star at Charlottesville’s Lane High School, standing out in football, basketball and baseball before moving on to become a two-sport star at the University of Virginia, playing quarterback on the football team and becoming an All-ACC selection in baseball. Cubbage came from a baseball family that included cousins Larry Haney and Chris Haney, both major leaguer’s.
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.
Brant Alyea was born in Passiac, New Jersey on December 8, 1940 and passed away at the age of 83 in his Pennsylvania home on February 4, 2024. Alyea was a very athletic student lettering in three sports at Rutherford High School, playing quarterback for the Bulldogs and starring in basketball and baseball.
According to his SABR Bio, after graduating from high school Alyea accepted a scholarship to Hofstra College in Hempstead, New York, a seemingly perfect fit as the small Long Island institution was established on a campus bequeathed by a Dutch lumber magnate, William Hofstra, in the 1930s, and their athletic teams were known as the Flying Dutchmen. More significantly, Hofstra would give Alyea the opportunity to play basketball as well as baseball. The basketball team was then coached by another Dutchman originally from New Jersey, Butch van Breda Kolff. Alyea and the Dutchmen enjoyed significant basketball success in the NCAA College Division. In the 1959-60 season, they finished 23-1, losing only to Wagner College of Staten Island by two points in January, but that loss cost them the conference title and they were not selected for postseason play. The next year, Alyea led the Dutchmen in scoring and rebounding, and Hofstra was selected for the small-college tournament, in which the team was eliminated by Albright College.
But it was Alyea’s baseball skills, particularly his power that attracted baseball scouts and eventually led to his signing with the Cincinnati Reds in the Spring of 1962. The Reds assigned their 6’5″ prospect to Geneva (New York) of the Class D New York-Penn League, and he clubbed 32 home runs while hitting .319 in just 105 games. Those healthy numbers made Alyea a prime target in the Rule 5 draft, which at that time covered all first-year players who had not been placed on the 40-man roster, and Alyea was snatched up by the Washington Senators.
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.
A dirt farmer in Southern Indiana in the year 1924 chose to name his son after a famous baseball player who would someday enter the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Little did anyone know at the time, including that famous player, just how much that decision would mean to that son and the generations to follow. That was the beginning of a love affair with baseball that would identify this family, a love that would begin with the Washington Senators and move on to Minnesota in 1961. Now five generations in, this family allegiance is still very much alive today.
This is a story of the son of that son with the famous name and his love of baseball that was handed down to him. He in turn has passed that love on to his son, who now has a daughter who will hopefully understand this love of the game. Memories are made with the game of baseball, and so many are worth sharing.
As the pages of this book are turned, the reader will begin to recognize many of these memories and hopefully be reminded of memories that are part of their lives. Hopefully, the reader will have a better understanding of how generations of a family can be connected by the threads of a baseball.
