Minnesota Twins Baseball: Hardball History on the Prairie

From the Ruthian blasts of Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett to a successful brand of "small ball," the Twins have fielded competitive teams at Metropolitan Stadium, the Metrodome and Target Field. But prior to its arrival in 1961, the team also had a storied past in Washington that included Walter Johnson, the greatest pitcher of the Deadball Era, if not all time. Sports historian Stew Thornley highlights the lesser-known events in the club's history, from the area's attempts to lure a major-league team to town in the 1950s to then-owner Calvin Griffith's campaign to regionally rename the team. He also pays tribute to the rich heritage of baseball before the Twins, marked by minor-league teams such as the St. Paul Saints and Minneapolis Millers, which produced future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Duke Snider, Ted Williams and Roy Campanella.

About the Author: Stew Thornley has been researching Minnesota baseball history for more than forty years. He is an official scorer for Minnesota Twins home games and is a member of the Major League Baseball Official Scoring Advisory Committee.

• Paperback
• 128 pages
  
• 6 x 0.31 x 9 inches
• ISBN: 9781626193819