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).
October 12, 1987 - MPR’s Jim Bickal provides a summary of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, where the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-3.
October 12, 1987 - MPR Journal host Gary Eichten talks with MPR’s Jim Bickal from the locker room of the American League Champion Minnesota Twins. There is a lot of celebration on winning American League pennant…and champagne.
October 13, 1987 - MPR’s Mike Mulcahy reports on American League pennant celebration at the Metrodome as fans reacted loudly to the AL Champion Minnesota Twins taking the field as part of event. The Twins now go onto the MLB World Series.
October 16, 1987 - MPR’s Jim Bickal reports on how the American League Minnesota Twins and National League St. Louis Cardinals are preparing for play in the Major League World Series. Items of focus include noises, odd structure of dome, and teams playing against each other for the very first time.
October 21, 1987 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews David Broder, journalist for The Washington Post. Broder laments the existence of Minnesota’s sports dome, and its detrimental effect on baseball.
February 17, 1989 - MPR Journal’s Gary Eichten interviews Dick Such, pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins, about the potential he sees in the 1989 spring training pitching roster.
September 21, 1990 - MPR Journal’s Gary Eichten presents interview segments of Andy MacPhail, general manager for the Minnesota Twins, who breaks down what went wrong in the 90-91’ MLB season.
January 7, 1991 - Former Minnesota Twins owner Calvin Griffith reflects on Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, and life. Griffith also comments on who he thinks should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
June 12, 1991 - Howard Sinker provides cautious positive commentary on the the good play of the Minnesota Twins in the early part of 1991 MLB season.
June 27, 1991 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten gets the inside scoop from Kevin Strong, a baseball player from Minneapolis who finds himself as a rookie for the Minnesota Twins minor league affiliate Elizabethton Twins.