Twins Begin 15-Game Winning Streak (1991)
The Twins were in fifth place in the AL West—5.5 games behind Oakland—when Allan Anderson bested Kevin Appier for a 8-4 win in Kansas City on this date in 1991, beginning a team record 15-game winning streak. DH Chili Davis hit a pair of two-run homers in the game.

By the time the streak was over, the Twins had moved into first place, half a game ahead of Oakland.

Longest HR to LF in Metrodome History (1996)
Mark McGwire* hit the longest home run to left field in Metrodome history on this date in 1996, measured at 475 feet. The longest homer at the Dome overall was 481 to right field by the Brewers’ Ben Oglivie in 1983. Interestingly, Kent Hrbek hit a Charlie Hough knuckleball 480 feet the very next season. As imprecise of a science as home-run measurement is, you’re telling me they couldn’t fudge an extra foot or two for the hometown kid?!

The longest home run to center field was 473 feet by Pedro Muñoz in 1994. 

Steinbach Beaned (1991)
New Ulm native Terry Steinbach was beaned by Bobby Thigpen on this date in 1991. He was taken to the hospital as emotions ran high. Check out this clip.

The Blyleven-Smalley Trade (1976)
The day after giving the ol’ one-finger salute walking off the mound at Met Stadium, Bert Blyleven and his roommate, Danny Thompson, were traded to the Rangers for Roy Smalley, Mike Cubbage, Bill Singer, Jim Gideon, and $250,000 on this date in 1976.

Blyleven had been involved in contentious contract negotiations with Calvin Griffith leading up to the trade. Blyleven wasn’t the only one, though. Talks between Danny Thompson and the owner were also at a standstill. Griffith refused to give the infielder—who had been diagnosed with leukemia prior to the 1973 season—a fair price, insisting that no other team would even offer someone with cancer a contract at all. Thompson struggled in Texas and passed away at the Mayo Clinic that December, just 69 days after playing his final major league game. He was just 29 and left behind a wife and two young daughters.

Borders Pitches Snapper Mow ‘Em Down Inning (1997)
Less than 20 hours after her historic (if ineffective) professional baseball debut, St. Paul Saints pitcher Ila Borders struck out the side in a one-inning relief appearance against the Sioux Falls Canaries.

Folks, that’s what we call a Snapper Mow ‘Em Down Inning.

Birthdates of Jack Kralick and Dean Chance (1935 & 1941)
Jack Kralick was born in Ohio on this date in 1935, and Dean Chance was born in Ohio on this date in 1941. Remarkably, they pitched the first and second no-hitters in Twins history.

Hunter Goes 5-for-5 with a Grand Slam (2005)
Torii Hunter went 5-for-5 with a grand slam, driving in all six runs in a 6-2 win over Cleveland at home in the Dome on this date in 2005.

Brad Radke gave up a two-run homer in the first, but he, J.C. Romero, and Jesse Crain held Cleveland scoreless the next eight innings. Hunter gave the Twins the lead with a grand slam in the third inning, driving in Shannon Stewart, Lew Ford, and Justin Morneau. Hunter added two insurance runs in the sixth, driving in Nick Punto and Ford with a bloop double. Designated Hitter Lew Ford was 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the game.

First Trades in Twins History (1961)
In the first trade in Minnesota Twins history, Calvin Griffith sent 1950 Winona High School graduate and Gophers football legend Paul Giel along with Reno Bertoia to the Kansas City A’s in exchange for Bill Tuttle on this date in 1961.

Later that same day, the Twins traded infielder Billy Consolo to Milwaukee for four-time World Series champion Billy Martin.

1961 was Martin’s 11th and final season as a major league player. From 1962 to ’64, he worked as a scout for the Twins, and rejoined the major league team as third base coach in 1965. He was sent down to Denver midway through the 1968 season to serve as the triple-A manager. He succeeded Cal Ermer as Twins manager in 1969, winning the American League West in his only season at the helm.

Martin was hugely popular as a Twins coach and manager, and instrumental in the development of César Tovar, and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Rod Carew. Martin went on to manage 16 major league seasons, including five stints with the Yankees whom he led to a World Series Championship in 1977.

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!

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