(click on images once or twice to make them larger)
1999 – Calvin Griffith, the tight-fisted owner who inherited the Washington Senators and moved them to Minnesota, died Wednesday in Melbourne, Florida at the age of 87. Griffith moved the Senators after the 1960 season and the team was renamed the Minnesota Twins. He sold the club for $36 million to Carl Pohlad in 1984, ending 65 years of franchise ownership by the Griffith family. Baseball was the family’s primary business, and Calvin Griffith was intent on holding the line on escalating salaries.
1991 – Home runs by Chili Davis and Scott Leius power the Twins to a 3-2 win over the Braves in game 2 of the 1991 World Series in Minneapolis in spite of getting out hit eight to four. Kevin Tapani goes 8 innings and allows just two runs and is the winning pitcher. This is the game where Kent Hrbek is accused of pulling off the bag at first base to end the third inning. You decide. Box Score
1987 – Twins right-hander starter Les Straker becomes the first Venezuelan to pitch in the World Series. At Busch Stadium, the Ciudad Bolivar native blanks the Cardinals for six innings on four hits before being removed for a pinch hitter. The Cardinals score 3 in the 7th and beat the Twins 3-1 in St. Louis as Juan Berenguer gets the loss in game 3 of the 1987 World Series but the Twins are still up two games to one. Tim Laudner gets two of the Twins five hits. Box Score
1970 – The Twins trade outfielders Herman Hill and Bob Wissler to St. Louis for pitcher Sal Campisi and shortstop Jim Kennedy.
1959 – Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith says he will not move the franchise to another city.
