My Encounter With Calvin Griffith

No, clotheshorse Calvin wasn't wearing argyle

 that night at the Dome. Too bad.
(from 1977 Minnesota Twins Yearbook)

I was introduced to Calvin by a former student of mine.  In case you weren't aware, Griffith was the first Owner of the Twins.  It was about 1996, a couple years before he passed on, and I was attending a Twins game versus Cleveland.  It was during a time of perennial losing for our home nine. Distressing times, watching a team vastly overmatched.  Especially against the powerhouse Indian squads of that period.  So, the distraction was pretty welcome.


I wasn't sure what to expect, though I didn't really think he would be curmudgeonly.  He was, actually, quite accessible, and down to earth.  I asked him several questions relating to his thoughts one the then-current Twins squad (Matt Lawton comes to mind: "He'll be a good one.") 

Mainly, I think he was pleased to be recognized and shown respect.  Which was his due, despite his well-publicized fiascoes in the print media (see Nick Coleman's 1978 article on Calvin who was speaking before the Waseca Lion's Club).  

It bears repeating...without Cal Griffith and his lobbying in 1960, there would be no Twins, and perhaps no Major League Baseball in Minnesota.  Period.

May Your Taters Fly Far!

TT

Earl Battey: June, 1962 Sport Magazine Feature

JUNE, 1962 ISSUE

Nice Feature in June '62 issue.  Details Battey's development as a catcher, trade to Twins from White Sox, his beaning in 1961. Ear flap photo from Photobucket.com.

Uh, was every post-game like this?







May Your Twin Taters Fly Far!

TT

P.S. - how about the "techy" '61 era earflap

(right)

For Ye Twins Fan, A Long, Long, Hard Fall Into Winter...

Leif Enger sums up the "disgruntledness," and sad longing for many of us. April is so damn far away...


Autumn for the Desolate Twins Fan from Leif Enger on Vimeo.

Dripping cold, the spare guitar of Robert Johnson, grainy black and white. Such sweet sorrow!

And to quote the great funk poet R. James, "[waiting for the Twins and winter to end] bums the *&%# otta me."

May Your Taters Fly Far...
Twinkler Out

The Tony Oliva Story: 1970 Topps Booklet Series!




Pages 2 and 3

 



Pages 4 & 5

Last pages

Below: You can read up on Tony in this September, 1965 issue of Baseball Digest.
Just Scroll up to the Table of contents to find Joe Fall's story on young Tony O.

 Always loved these booklets, great series!

May Your Taters Fly Far!

Twinkler Out



The Argument Against Jim Thome's Hall of Fame Candidacy

I have problems with his argument against Thome. Interesting, anyway... Bob Coen's article at The Baseball Page website offers some food for thought.  Would like to have you weigh in!

May Your Taters Fly Far!
Twinkler Out

Bert Blyleven, on Cesar "Pepe" Tovar: "That little man could hit!"

Eventually, I'll add to this post. It would be fitting to devote more type to the finest all-round "utility" player the Twins ever had, with all due respect to Nick Punto, Jeff Reboulet and Denny Hocking.

"Pepe" Tovar, of Caracas, Venezuala, occasionally played with a hat.  He 

appears to be trying to score via the third base dugout side of home plate 

at old Metropolitan Stadium, ca. late 1960's. Jerry Josephson 

of the Chicago White Sox is the catcher.

Cesar Tovar was The Indispensible Man on the Minnesota Twins, from 1966 through 1972.  He would would play any position anytime, anywhere. He did just that on Sept. 22, 1968 against the Oakland A's. He even struck out "Mr. October," Reggie Jackson in the first inning, his only inning of work on the hill. I believe he even sold popcorn, played the organ over the public address system, and cleaned toilets that day. He compiled some pretty impressive seasons in the late 1960's and early '70's. He may have developed into an even better player had the Twins ever settled on one position for him to play in the field, instead of everywhere.

Sal Bando bats against Tovar, 1st inning
in that every position game.

As our Hall of Fame Broadcaster Herb Carneal bid us farewell, I say: "So long  everybody! - TT