History of the Minnesota Twins facts for kids
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, USA. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is named after the "Twin Cities" area, which includes Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Twins started in 1901 as the Washington Senators, one of the American League's first teams. After 61 years in Washington, D.C., the team moved to Minnesota in 1961 and became the Twins. They were the first major league baseball team to use a state name instead of a city name.
The Twins franchise has had 29 managers and won three World Series championships. Seven managers have led the team to the playoffs. Ron Gardenhire managed the Twins from 2002 to 2014 and took them to the playoffs six times, more than any other manager. Two managers have won the World Series with the team: Bucky Harris in 1924 (when they were the Senators) and Tom Kelly in 1987 and 1991.
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From Washington to Minnesota: The Early Years (1901–1960)
The team began in 1901 as the Washington Senators. By 1903, baseball leagues had made agreements, and the World Series began. In 1905, the team officially changed its name to the Washington Nationals, but the "Senators" nickname was still often used by fans and media. After 61 years in Washington, the team moved to Minnesota in 1961. Washington later got a new team, which is now the Texas Rangers.
The Minnesota Twins: A New Era (1961–present)
Why the Name "Twins"?
The name "Twins" comes from the nickname for the Twin Cities area. The team's owner, Calvin Griffith, wanted to avoid making fans in either Minneapolis or St. Paul feel left out. So, he decided to name the team after the entire state: the Minnesota Twins. This was a new idea in professional baseball at the time. Other teams, like the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers, later followed this trend.
The team's first logo was "TC" for "Twin Cities." This logo stayed until 1987. In 2002, the "TC" logo returned to some uniforms, along with a cartoon logo of two players shaking hands over the Mississippi River. This cartoon represented the two minor league teams that used to play in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The "TC" logo has been on all Twins uniforms since 2014.
Exciting Times in the 1960s
When the Twins arrived in Minnesota in 1961, fans were very excited. The team had many talented players like Harmon Killebrew, Bob Allison, Camilo Pascual, Zoilo Versalles, Jim Kaat, Earl Battey, and Lenny Green. Tony Oliva joined in 1962 and became a great hitter. In 1962, the Twins won 91 games, their first winning season in Minnesota.
In 1965, the Twins, led by manager Sam Mele, won 102 games and the American League Pennant. Star players like Killebrew, Oliva, and Zoilo Versalles (who won the league MVP award) helped the team succeed. Pitcher Mudcat Grant won 21 games. However, the Twins lost the 1965 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. Even though they lost, this exciting season made the team very popular in Minnesota.
In 1967, the Twins were in a very close race for the pennant. They were just one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox with two games left, and those two games were against each other! Unfortunately, the Red Sox won both games and took the pennant. Rod Carew was named the American League Rookie of the Year that season.
Billy Martin became manager in 1969. The Twins won the American League West division, thanks to players like Carew, Oliva, and Killebrew. But they lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the first-ever American League Championship Series. The Orioles then lost to the "Miracle Mets" in the World Series. The Twins won their division again in 1970 but were swept by the Orioles again in the playoffs.
Ups and Downs in the 1970s
The team continued to have winning records in 1971, but then they had a tough decade. They often finished around .500 (winning as many games as they lost). Tony Oliva and Rod Carew were still strong hitters, but Harmon Killebrew's home run numbers went down due to injuries.
The team's owner, Calvin Griffith, faced financial challenges. Some star players, like Lyman Bostock and Larry Hisle, left the team for other opportunities. Rod Carew was also traded after the 1978 season.
The Tom Kelly Era: World Series Champions! (1980–1992)
In the early 1980s, the Twins struggled, winning only a small percentage of their games. In 1982, they had their worst season in Minnesota, losing 102 games. From 1961 to 1981, the team played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. The Mall of America now stands where the stadium used to be. In 1982, the team moved indoors to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.
In 1984, Calvin Griffith sold the Twins to Carl Pohlad. The team slowly got better. Players like Kent Hrbek, Tom Brunansky, Gary Gaetti, Frank Viola, and the rising star Kirby Puckett helped turn things around. In 1987, the Twins made it to the World Series for the first time since 1965! They beat the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games to win the 1987 World Series. All games in that series were won by the home team. The 1987 Twins set a record for the fewest regular season wins by a World Series champion, with 85 wins.
The Twins won more games in 1988, but they couldn't beat the strong Oakland Athletics team. Pitcher Frank Viola won the Cy Young Award that year.
In 1990, the Twins had a surprisingly bad season, finishing last in their division. But 1991 was a breakout year! New players like Shane Mack and Chuck Knoblauch, along with stars Hrbek and Puckett, played great. The pitching staff was also excellent, with 20-game winner Scott Erickson and newly acquired Jack Morris. The Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs and then faced the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series.
The 1991 World Series is considered one of the greatest of all time. In Game 6, with the Twins facing elimination, Kirby Puckett hit a game-winning home run in the 11th inning to force a Game 7. In the final game, Jack Morris pitched a complete 10-inning shutout, helping the Twins win 1–0 and bring home another championship! Both the Twins and the Braves had finished last in their divisions the year before, making their World Series appearance even more amazing. Like in 1987, all seven games in the 1991 World Series were won by the home team.
After 1992, the Twins had another tough period, with losing records for eight years. Many players retired or got injured. Kirby Puckett had to retire at age 35 in 1995 due to vision loss. He was a Twins legend and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 1997, the team almost moved to North Carolina, but a new stadium deal didn't happen. In 1998, the team rebuilt, trading away many high-paid players to start fresh.
A New Century, A New Contender (2000s)
In 2000, the team introduced a new mascot, T.C. Bear. On the field, things got much better. From 2001 to 2006, the Twins had their longest streak of winning seasons since moving to Minnesota. They won their division three years in a row from 2002 to 2004. In 2002, the team was almost shut down by MLB, but a court decision allowed them to keep playing. They made it to the American League Championship Series that year but lost to the Anaheim Angels.
In 2006, the Twins made an incredible comeback, winning their division on the very last day of the season! They were 12 games behind at the All-Star break. However, they were swept in the playoffs by the Oakland Athletics. That year, the Twins had many award winners: Joe Mauer (Player of the Month), Johan Santana (Pitcher of the Month, Cy Young Award), Francisco Liriano (Rookie of the Month), and Justin Morneau (MVP). Torii Hunter also won a Gold Glove for his great defense.
In 2007, the Twins had a disappointing season. After the season, Torii Hunter left to play for the Angels, and Johan Santana was traded to the New York Mets.
In 2008, the Twins tied with the Chicago White Sox for the division lead. They played a special one-game playoff, but the Twins lost and missed the playoffs. In 2009, the Twins again tied for the division and won a one-game playoff against the Detroit Tigers. But they were swept by the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. This was the third time the Yankees had beaten the Twins in the playoffs that decade.
New Stadium, New Hopes
For many years, the Twins argued that they needed a new stadium to compete financially. The Metrodome, though loud and quirky (which gave the Twins a home-field advantage in their World Series wins), didn't bring in enough money from luxury suites and concessions. The Twins were often rumored to be moving to other cities. In 2002, they were almost disbanded by MLB, but a court ruling kept them playing at the Metrodome.
In 2006, the Minnesota state government approved a plan for a new stadium for the Twins. Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the bill. On January 5, 2009, owner Carl Pohlad passed away, and his sons took over the team. The Pohlad family invested a lot of their own money into building the new stadium, Target Field.
Target Field Era (2010–present)
The Twins' first season at Target Field was a big success! They won 94 games and their second straight AL Central title. However, they were swept by the Yankees in the playoffs again. After that, the Twins had four tough seasons, losing at least 90 games each year. Manager Ron Gardenhire was fired after the 2014 season and replaced by Paul Molitor.
Recent Seasons
In 2015, the Twins improved, finishing second in their division with 83 wins. Torii Hunter even returned to play his final season with the team.
However, 2016 was a very difficult year. The Twins lost their first nine games and finished with a record of 59–103, their worst season in Minnesota.
But in 2017, the Twins made history! They finished with an 85–77 record and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. They were the first team ever to make the postseason after losing 100 games the year before. They lost to the New York Yankees in the Wild Card game.
The 2018 season was the last for Twins star player, Joe Mauer. He made a special appearance as a catcher in his final game, receiving a huge standing ovation. The Twins finished second in their division. Paul Molitor was replaced by Rocco Baldelli as manager.
In 2019, the Twins had an amazing season, winning 101 games, their second-most in franchise history! They won the AL Central division. They also became the first team ever to have at least five players hit 30 or more home runs. Manager Rocco Baldelli was named American League Manager of the Year. But the Twins were swept by the New York Yankees in the playoffs again.
The 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Twins won the AL Central division but were swept in the Wild Card Series by the Houston Astros. This loss gave the Twins the longest playoff losing streak in major North American sports.
In 2021, the Twins had a disappointing year, finishing last in their division. Many star players, like Byron Buxton and Kenta Maeda, were injured.
The 2022 season saw the Twins add new players like Carlos Correa. They started strong, leading their division in early July. But they struggled later in the summer and missed the playoffs.
In 2023, the Twins traded for pitcher Pablo López. After a so-so first half, they played much better in the second half and won the AL Central division. They swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series, but then lost to the Houston Astros in the Division Series.
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