In 1961, Minnesota gained its first professional sports team when the Washington Senators moved to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington and became the Minnesota Twins. The team enjoyed relatively quick success, winning the American League pennant in 1965 behind the hitting of Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew, and the pitching of Mudcat Grant and Jim Kaat. The Twins lost the World Series that year to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team didn't make another trip to the World Series until 1987, when they became Word Series champions…a feat the Twins repeated in 1991.
By 1987, the Twins moved into the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The team's move to that domed stadium was controversial, as would be its move to Target Field in 2010. Both projects were preceded by years of debate and controversy over whether public investments in stadiums were worthwhile.
Nine Twins players have have had their numbers retired: Harmon Killebrew (3), Tony Oliva (6), Joe Mauer (7) Kent Hrbek (14), Bert Blyleven (28), Rod Carew (29), Kirby Puckett (34), and Jim Katt (36).
August 4, 1994 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with local sports commentator Howard Sinker about the retirement of Minnesota Twin first baseman Kent Hrbek. Sinker shares high praise of Hrbek, who played an integral part on the Twins roster for the 1987 and 1991 World Series Championships.
April 3, 1995 - Local sports commentator Howard Sinker shares his thoughts on the state of professional baseball coming out of Major League Baseball strike. Sinker sees a long road ahead in getting fans excited again about the game.
April 3, 1995 - As the Minnesota Twins come out of the Major League Baseball strike, Jerry Bell shares discount program for upcoming game tickets. Bell also expresses the ongoing concern for small market teams over a lack of revenue sharing in the MLB.
April 27, 1995 - With the home opener at hand, local sports commentator Howard Sinker gives his rough appraisal of Minnesota Twins in the 1995 MLB season.
June 9, 1995 - Baseball players “Mudcat” Grant and Harmon Killebrew, both on the 1965 Twins team, recollect on that historic season and how it unfolded. Killebrew talks about an injury that almost kept him from playing and the current baseball strike and Grant reveals how he got the nickname "Mudcat".
July 7, 1995 - Local sports commentator Howard Sinker provides commentary about Minnesota Twins trade of Rick Aguilera as the team finds itself with a dismal mid-season record.
August 1, 1995 - Baseball commentator Howard Sinker talks with MPR’s Gary Eichten about the Minnesota Twins trading away veteran pitching staff, leaving the team with four rookies and a second year pitcher.
May 1, 1996 - Local sports commentator Howard Sinker gives his impressions of the Minnesota Twins during the first month of 1996 MLB season.
June 10, 1996 - This hour of Midmorning features an episode of MPR’s Voices of Minnesota series. Segments include interview with David Durenberger; a Minnesota Twins update, with Marty Cordova, Chuck Knoblauch, and Paul Molitor; and a conversation with Anthony Horn, producer-creator of the Saint Paul Saints documentary Baseball, Minnesota.
August 19, 1996 - This hour of Midmorning features Voices of Minnesota segments with David Lanegran, an urban geographer; a Minnesota Twins update, including interviews with players Frank Rodriguez, Scott Stahoviak, and Paul Molitor; and an Odd Jobs piece on mussel transport.