Minnesota Twins

Lore & Background

The franchise won the World Series in 1924 as the Senators, and in 1987 and 1991 as the Twins. The team was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1901 as one of the eight original teams of the American League. It was named the Washington Senators from 1901 to 1904, the Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1955, and the Senators again from 1956 to 1960. The Washington Senators spent the first decade of their existence finishing near the bottom of the American League standings. Their fortunes began to improve with the arrival of 19-year-old pitcher Walter Johnson in 1907. In 1912, the Senators improved dramatically, finishing in second place. The team had a period of prolonged success in the 1920s and 1930s, led by Walter Johnson, as well as fellow Hall-of-Famers Bucky Harris, Goose Goslin, Sam Rice, Heinie Manush, and Joe Cronin. In 1924, the Senators won the American League pennant for the first time and then defeated the New York Giants in the 1924 World Series. This would mark the only World Series triumph for the franchise during their 60-year tenure in Washington. The following season they repeated as American League champions but lost the 1925 World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1933, the Senators won the pennant again but lost the World Series to the Giants. After Griffith's death in 1955, his nephew and adopted son Calvin took over the team presidency. The American League agreed to let Griffith move his team to the Minneapolis-St. Paul region for the 1961 season. Renamed the Minnesota Twins, the team set up shop in Metropolitan Stadium. Success came quickly, winning the American League pennant in 1965. A second wave of success came in the late 1980s and early 1990s under manager Tom Kelly, winning the franchise's second and third World Series (and first and second in Minnesota).

Did You Know?

• The team was commonly referred to as the Senators throughout its Washington history, and unofficially as the 'Grifs' during Clark Griffith's tenure as manager from 1912 to 1920.
• The 1924 World Series was decided in the 12th inning of Game 7 when a bad-hop grounder and a dropped foul ball helped the Senators win.

Twins Tenure and World Series Triumph

Greg Gagne established himself as a cornerstone of the Minnesota Twins infield from 1983 to 1992. Originally drafted by the New York Yankees in 1979, he was traded to Minnesota on April 10, 1982, along with Paul Boris and Ron Davis for Roy Smalley. After spending time in the minors during 1982 and most of 1983-1984, he earned the starting role in 1985. He became one of the American League's best defensive shortstops and was a key member of both World Series championship teams in 1987 and 1991.

Defining Moments on the Field

On October 4, 1986, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Gagne hit two inside-the-park home runs against Chicago White Sox pitcher Floyd Bannister in a 7–3 victory. His most famous moment came in Game One of the 1991 World Series, where he hit a game-winning three-run homer off Atlanta's Charlie Leibrandt. Across 27 postseason games in 1987 and 1991, Gagne batted .220 (22-for-100) with 4 home runs, 5 doubles, 10 RBI, and 12 runs scored.

Departure and Later Career

After the 1992 season, Gagne left the Twins because the team signed Kirby Puckett to a $5.3 million contract for 1993 and had Pat Meares ready at shortstop. He then signed a three-year, $10.6 million contract with the Kansas City Royals. After three years in Kansas City, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1996 and 1997 before retiring from baseball.

Legacy and Life After Baseball

Gagne lived in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, during his playing days and now resides in Somerset, Massachusetts. He served as the head baseball coach at Bishop Feehan High School. He was a guest at the Metrodome farewell ceremony, sitting in the broadcast booth with Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven for half an inning. On February 8, 2010, he was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame and inducted at Target Field on September 4, 2010.