Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Devlin Clark is one of the most impressive Twins fans and collectors out there. In recent months, his posts of photos of his Twins cards with players' autograph have been coming nearly daily. You can find him on Twitter at @Devlin_clark84.

I also decided to share his 1961 Twins scorecard and program on my Classic Twins Facebook page today.

An era in Twins history is recalled today in the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama's initiative this week to normalize diplomatic ties with Cuba. This was transacted largely to free aid worker Alan Gross and exchange spy agents between the two countries. That, besides the stated intention to create commerce and establish a U.S. embassy in Havana.

As a byproduct of this development, we can expect to see an infusion of top Cuban ballplayers into the Major Leagues. This is not without precedent. By 1961, Pedro Ramos and counterparts like Connie Marrero, Camilo Pascual and Tony Olivahad become the centerpieces of the first 1950s-era Cuban invasion of American League baseball via the Washington Senators / Twins. Scout and surrogate father "Papa" Joe Cambria acted as the Griffith organization's architect in this talent migration.

The May 3, 1961 "The Sunny Senor of Slab" story on page 5 and 10of "The Sporting News" on "Pistol" Pete by Senators beat writer Bob Addie was published as the sorry results of the Bay Of Pigs invasion were becoming apparent (see turmoil-front page of Corpus Christie Times, April 22, 1961).

This two-page piece is obviously loaded with ethnic references that wouldn't fly in today's race-conscious, politically-charged atmosphere. But, that doesn't lessen it's impact or usefulness as an historical document about the Twins (and U.S. international relations) in their first month of existence in April to May, 1961. There is some hilarious, interesting stuff here!! [CLICK NEWS PIECE BELOW TO ENLARGE]

Here's a link to a Sporting News pdf, quoting Tiant discussing how he enjoyed playing with the Twins, and detailing the day he injured his shoulder blade pitching against the Brewers at the Met in an 11-2 blowout (Baseball Ref. box). Such a pity. He was 6-0 at the time he injured his wing, and he would never recover well enough to pitch until after he joined the 1971 Louisville Colonels, a AAA minor league farm club of the Red Sox. His injury and time in Minnesota get focus in this clip from The Lost Son Of Havana, a 2007 film.

July, 1978: It was the last summer of my teenaged life as an unabashed baseball card buyer - the more vital pursuit of discovering girls hadn't taken me over yet; disco music had reached its peak of popularity, and was headed for a fiery backlash shortly - though no one realized it at the time. The Jimmy Carter presidency was mired in an inert pile of goo, as the Chief Executive was exhibiting a maddening inability to get both houses of Congress to work with him. But none of that remotely mattered to me. For me, 1978 was a world of sincerely idolizing '77 MVP Rodney Cline, Charlie Hustle and that oddly thin-yet-amazingly-strong outfielder from Cincinnati named George. The Thin Man was also the '77 National League MVP.

A short time ago tonight, I was remembering those days and long nights of listening to the Minnesota Twins, or watching them on a few, precious televised broadcasts, with my main focus on the guy we referred to around these parts as the "Magician With A Bat." While Rod Carew was throwing out the first ball before tonight's 85th Major League Baseball All Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis, I found it very easy to relive those days of fanaticism, and especially those two at bats that united my three favorite players in all of baseball. I kid you not.

Feel free to come after me, MLB - I confess to the sin of recording the CBS radio broadcast that July 11, 1978 with Brent Musberger and the great Vin Scully. I listened to the replay of it countless times for the call by Vin of Rod's triples - only to record over it later with some Neil Young music (God help me!):

Vin Scully: "We come into this game with the National League enjoying almost complete domination over the American, and, ladies and gentlemen, that is not me exaggerating...the last time the American League won the All Star Game was 1971, and before THAT you have to go all the way back to 1962 - when John F. Kennedy was President - for the previous time the American League won an All-Star game...that my friends is a long, l-o-o-n-g time ago! And here is Vida Blue's first pitch to Rod Carew..." No sooner were these words out of Scully's mouth before the first pitch was headed homeward, toward's The Magician's blurring bat.

Rod has revealed in multiple, local Twin Cities interviews this past weekend that Pete Rosewas notifying (more accurately yelling) to him the fact that he was the very first player in the Game's history to get two triples in the same game. A true "Mr. Tesla, meet Mr. Einstein" meeting of two great hitters still at the top of their games (Rose, you'll remember, had begun his famous 44-game hitting streak on June 14, and kept it up for another two plus weeks after the All-Star Game, finally having his streak clipped by the Braves on August 1).

George Foster, not normally a center fielder, was the lucky man who had to hunt down both of Carew's drives in the cavernous San Diego outfield; the first was hit into a late afternoon, sun-drenched and simultaneously shadowy southern California sky, making it doubly hard to track. I am not really sure if this shot was taken after the first or second triple, as both hits and fielding plays look nearly identical. Go ahead and see you can figure it out, re-watch the above video, let me know what you think in the "comments" section.

It was, again, another notch on the NL's victory belt, with Steve Garvey and (then) wife Cyndy getting all the pub for his heroics. Naturally. Mr. and Mrs. Perfect, I believe they were called, with not a small bit of sarcasm. I lived and died with Rod and the Twins, but had to suffer the personal indignity of watching my guy and my league suffer as the Nationals stormed back to get the "W" AND the girl as well.

It was the last All Star Game Rod Carew ever played in the uniform of Minnesota Twins. He was and still is the only player to hit two triples in the All Star Game. Fans from the North Star State would have to wait another 8 seasons (July 15, 1986, box) before another Twin started and got a hit in the big game...a certain, stout, smiling center fielder who was already capturing the hearts of the country. See if you can guess who!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Of note: this post was largely composed live, during a sunami-like migraine - with little or no editing taking place. If that doesn't qualify me as a throwback gamer, I don't know what will. I had the feeling as if the video's principal actors were putting the hurt on ME, instead of one another at old Metropolitan Stadium. Just a small diversion from the All Star hullabaloo currently engulfing the Minneapolis area.

I'd completely forgotten about this melee on Saturday, April 22, 1978 (box) and was it ever. One minute rookie Roger Erickson is tossing an errant one inside, and the next thing you know, the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention is breaking out! Bobby Grich was among the most intense, and valuable second basemen of the 1970's and 80's. He had an excellent OBP, power numbers, besides having one of the nicest, shortest swings (1972 All-Star Game video) you'll ever see. I'd choose him in a minute if compiling a fantasy all-time legends team. His SABR bio packs a pretty good punch *ahem* of info about him.

SATURDAY
The California announcers (Don Drysdale and Al Wisk? Angel fans in the house, a little help?) were correct - Grich looked ready to punch anybody - beer sellers, ticket takers, Calvin Griffith, his own teammates, besides any of the patrons sitting near the Angel dugout throwing beverages and paraphernalia at him that day. That last was my favorite part of the video.

As it was, Twin Rich Chiles came out of nowhere to put a truly huge blind side hit on Grich, while future-Twins Ken Landreaux and Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson was seemingly everywhere . Also easily seen at the fisticuff fiesta is former Twin Lyman Bostock (#10 of Angels), and Twins Tony Oliva (coach, #6), Rod Carew (#29) and shortstop Roy Smalley (#5). The Sporting News (see mischievous Mauch grin in pdf) of May 13, 1978 asserts that is was indeed Carew that got in the quick head jabs on Grich's angry skull as he lay on the ground-some deft, stop-action views confirm that claim. The Grich quotes are doubly interesting as he implicates Twins Manager Gene Mauch as the instigator of the brushback.

And you thought charging the mound was a new thing?

Amazingly, only Grich was tossed out, the game resumed, with '65 Stars Oliva and Pascual being the only people on the premises who may have required any antibiotics or band aids. Welcome to 1970s baseball everyone, where Wild West lawlessness often prevailed (see link, "Disco Demolition"). Lost in the shuffle is this: the-then 21 year old Erickson righted himself to last 8 innings, though losing to the top lefty Tanana. It was his fourth major league start ( see popup stats), and his second against the Angels.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Do yourself a favor and check out this link to June 1961 Baseball Digest at my Google Docs with a superb Earl Battey article. Battey was the first Twins player ever to appear on the cover of that magazine, as the Twins first season had just begun in Minnesota just a few weeks earlier.A great piece on the first, great catcher of the Twins, who was named the top catcher on the Twins 40th Anniversary in 2000.

It's from a fantastic, mint edition which I just recently bought off Amazon. I rather fancy it as a historical document, partly because it was published just a month or so into the beginning of the first expansion era in baseball. Besides that, it really is telling as an illustration of sports journalism, circa 1961.

To wit: I truly doubt that any major sports publication today, or any magazine really, would give a damn what I thought about anything, much less pay me for ideas submitted:

[Blurb at left from "Greatest Catches" story - see table of contents in the Google scanned Table Of Contents - I wouldn't mind the money, if the offer from Baseball Digest is still valid..]

You'll notice the date stamp, "MAY 4 - 1961" on the back page, probably denoting when it was received by the store of sale. The story references the Twins first game on April 11, 1961 (BBRef box), which means the interview for the June issue was conducted very shortly after that game before it went to press.

Battey really shows himself to be an incredibly well-spoken young guy (he was 26 in 1961). I mean, this story is really chock full of intelligent, cogent, and insightful responses. The BD staff writer, Charles Dexter, included quite a few long, thoughtful quotes which made it seem at times as if Battey himself wrote the article in the first person.

My favorite sections were his insights into Twins pitchers like Camilo Pascual, Jack Kralickand Pedro Ramos, and how they comported themselves in the lockerroom. I'm only a little surprised not seeing any references to Jim Kaat. Probably indicates where the big lefty was in the staff's pecking order as the season was beginning.

An ironic section on page 15 mentions that Earl had John Roseboro as a neighbor in Compton, California at the time. Of course, all good Twins fans know that Roseboro eventually replaced Earl as the Twins everyday catcher, in 1968, after Earl and Ron Perranoski came in the Versalles/Grant trade. You can read about Earl's post-career at this SABR bio article from 2009.

I included the table of contents in the scan, plus the revised Twins and Yankees rosters as of '61 May, in addition to those for the first two expansion teams in MLB history, the California Angels and the new Washington Senators. I kid you not! If you see any articles you would like pdf scans to read, just let me know. I can try to email you a copy.

There are some nice pluses in the magazine.

See if you can recognize some of the names

of the Twins coaches (or others)

in the chart below! Yeah, just a tad jumbo, but it wasn't

displaying well at large size!

NOTE: Check out the back side of the magazine at the end of the scan: a full-color advertisement. Rather cool!