This Week in Twins History: June 21-27

Written by: Justin Murphy on 21st June 2009

This Week in Twins History: June 21-27 | read this item

Security is a broad term. Perhaps too broad.

Strictly speaking, and as it applies to baseball, a security guard is a person employed by the stadium whose job it is to ensure the safety of the fans and field personnel. But, if you take “safety of the field personnel” to include protecting the playesr from injustice, or providing health care options to the umpires, then you can see where Gary Baggott was coming from.

On June 24, 2002, the Twins were playing the White Sox at the Metrodome. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the score was tied at four. Jacque Jones was batting with two outs and Luis Rivas on second base. He drove a 1-1 Bob Howry offering into deep left-center, scoring Rivas for the go-ahead run. Not satisfied with a double, Jones dashed for third but dove in just behind the tag for the third out.

Enter bullpen security guard Baggott, a 10-year Metrodome veteran. Incredulous, and unwilling to neglect his duties, the former corrections officer stormed down the third base line towards umpire Joe West, waving his glasses. He was noticed by second base umpire Jerry Crawford, who, in the words of Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, “went crazy.” Baggott was promptly ejected, and security—or something like that—was re-established.

June 22, 1969 was another crazy day, but this time ‘crazy’ in the traditional baseball sense. In the first half of a doubleheader with the Athletics, the Twins lost 7-3 after Jim Kaat allowed three consecutive two-out home runs in the third inning. That feat tied an American League record. In his Twins career, Kaat gave up 270 home runs, second only to Brad Radke’s 326.

In the second game, Kaat received and took advantage of a second chance, when he earned a save in the 13th inning of a 4-3 victory. The previous inning, reliever Jim Perry had executed a suicide squeeze, bringing Tony Oliva home from third with the tie-breaking tally. It’s hard to verify, but this may be the only time a Twins starter has recorded a win-loss decision and a save on a single day.

June 22 is also the 25th anniversary of Carl Pohlad assuming control of the Twins. On the field that day before a Twins-White Sox game at the Metrodome, Pohlad signed a letter of intent to purchase Calvin Griffith’s 52% ownership stake for $32 million. The Twins lost the game 8-6 on a ninth inning Harold Baines home run.

The date June 26 is notable in Twins history mainly for a sundry assortment of one-hitters and multi-hitters. In 1964, Gerry Arrigo hurled a one-hit, complete game shutout of the White Sox in the first half of a doubleheader. The only hit was a ninth inning single by leadoff hitter Mike Hershberger.

21 years later to the day, Ken Schrom accomplished the same feat, giving up only a Willie Wilson single in a 2-1 victory. The Twins were actually trailing the entire game after giving up an unearned run in the first, but Roy Smalley secured the win with a ninth inning RBI single that scored Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti.

On June 26, 1971, Minnesota did plenty of hitting, with 11 base hits, but was unable to convert any of those runners into runs, and lost to the Brewers 5-0. Milwaukee pitcher Marty Pattin had a very odd complete game shutout, striking out just two batters and giving up over a hit an inning.

The Twins later topped that dubious mark twice: with 12 hits and no runs on September 19, 1975 against California, and with a major league record-tying 13 hits and no runs on August 31, 2005 in a 1-0 loss to the Royals. In that game, starter Kyle Lohse was poorly treated, as he allowed just three hits in seven shutout innings.

And, finally, an offensive performance that paid dividends. June 26, 1977 was Rod Carew Day at the ballpark, and the man of honor did not disappoint. In a 19-12 romp over the White Sox, Carew was 4-5 with two singles, a double and a home run. His six RBIs were a career high.

Dave Goltz, the Pelican Rapids native and long-time Twins righthander, turns 60 years old on June 23. Although he’s little known among fans today, Goltz is sixth all-time for the Twins in starts, innings pitched and wins, third in complete games, and eighth in strikeouts. In 1977, he led the AL with 20 wins and 39 starts, and came in sixth in Cy Young voting.

Another old-time Twin, Don Mincher, celebrates his 71st birthday on June 24. Mincher, Minnesota’s first baseman from 1961-66, had an on-base percentage of .341 over that time, and hit 90 home runs. He hit a home run off Don Drysdale in the first game of the 1965 World Series, but was just 3-23 overall.

Jim Deshaies, who went 17-25 for the Twins in 1994-95 after seven seasons with the Astros, is 49 on June 23. Luis Rodriguez, the slap-hitting utility infielder from 2005-2007, turns 29 on June 27, and is currently employed by the San Diego Padres.

Former Brave Alejandro Pena will always have a special place in Twins fans’ hearts for giving up Gene Larkin’s walk-off RBI single in the tenth inning of Game 7 in the 1991 World Series. He did, however, win two championships—with the Dodgers in 1988, and with Atlanta in 1995. Wish him a happy half century on June 25.

Until next week, Twins fans.

Topics: Alejandro Pena, Bob Howry, Brad Radke, Calvin Griffith, Carl Pohlad, dave goltz, Don Drysdale, Don Mincher, Gary Baggott, Gary Gaetti, Gene Larkin, Gerry Arrigo, Harold Baines, Jacque Jones, Jerry Crawford, Jim Deshaies, Jim Kaat, Jim Perry, Joe West, Ken Schrom, kirby puckett, Kyle Lohse, Luis Rivas, Luis Rodriguez, Marty Pattin, Mike Hershberger, Minnesota Twins, Rick Stelmaszek, Rod Carew, roy smalley, This Week in Twins History, Tony Oliva, Willie Wilson