The Twins Almanac for August

August 1, 1953
Elliott Makes MLB Debut

1942 Watertown graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Harry Elliott makes his major league debut with the Cardinals, pinch hitting against Dodgers lefty Preacher Roe, who was coming off four-straight All-Star seasons. (Elliott struck out, but connected for his first major league homer off Roe on September 1.) 

Elliott was just the third University of Minnesota alumnus to make it to the majors, and the first since 1913.

He had some prodigious minor league seasons, but missed his window of opportunity for a significant major league career, not signing his first professional contract until he was almost 27, after a brief stint as a touring jazz pianist, service in the Navy Air Corps, and attending the U of M on the G.I. Bill.

Fun Fact: Elliott was teammates with Bud Grant on the U of M baseball and football teams from 1946 to ’49. (Grant was also a star basketball player at the U.)

While playing for the Anoka town team in the summer of 1947, Elliott had a two-home run game against Gophers football and wrestling star Verne Gagne. (The Chicago Bears selected Gagne in the 1947 draft, but owner George Halas insisted that Gagne choose either football or wrestling. He chose wrestling, and the rest is history.)

August 1, 1983
Lysander Pitches 11-Hit Shutout

Rick Lysander gives up 11 hits and three walks in a 7-0 win against the Angels in the second game of a doubleheader at the Metrodome. The Twins turned three double plays in the game.

Fourteen baserunners in a complete-game shutout is tied for the Twins record. Pretty hard to imagine that record ever being surpassed at this point. 

August 1, 1985
Twins Trade for Blyleven

Cleveland trades Bert Blyleven back to the Twins for four players, including 1984 first-round draft pick and future All-Star Jay Bell. 

In a remarkable coincidence, Bell made his major league debut facing Blyleven on September 29, 1986, and became the 11th player to homer on his first career pitch. What’s more, it was Blyleven’s 46th home run allowed on the season, breaking Hall of Famer Robin Roberts’ 30-year-old single-season record. (Bert would give up 50 altogether, while notching 17 wins and pitching an American League-leading 271.2 innings.)

August 1, 1986
Puckett and Blyleven Put on a Show

Bert Blyleven held the visiting Athletics to just two hits while tying a then team record with 15 strikeouts to become the 10th player in major league history with 3,000 K’s. 

In classic Blyleven fashion, one of Oakland’s two hits was a home run by shortstop Alfredo Griffin, who only hit four all season. His team record-tying 15th K came against Jose Canseco, who must not have taken enough steroids that day. (Johan Santana set a new single-game record, striking out 17 in just eight innings on August 19, 2007.)

Kirby Puckett, meanwhile, had himself a day, hitting for the seventh cycle in team history. It was Puck’s fourth-straight game with three or more hits, and his second such streak of the season. Twins won 10-1. 

August 1, 1994
Ripken Plays in 2,000th Consecutive Game

Ten-year-old me was at the Metrodome on this date in 1994 to see Cal Ripken Jr. play his 2,000th consecutive game. 

August 1, 2016
Kepler Hits Three Home Runs

Max Kepler has just the fifth 3-home run game in Twins history in a 12-5 win in Cleveland. It was the first three-home run game by a Twin since Justin Morneau nine years earlier. A Twins player hit three home runs in a game just four times in the team’s first 55 seasons, and it has now happened nine times since 2016, with at least one such occurrence in each season except the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. 

Kepler had a second three-home run game in Cleveland on June 6, 2019, connecting for all three off disgraced righty Trevor Bauer in a 5-4 Twins win. 

Eddie Rosario and Nelson Cruz have also hit for three home homers in a game twice, with Cruz’s two three-homer games coming just nine days apart in 2019.

August 1, 2017
Hand Makes First Appearance Versus Twins

2008 Chaska graduate Brad Hand pitches a 1-2-3 top of the ninth, including strikeouts of Miguel Sanó and Joe Mauer, to earn the save for the Padres in his first career appearance against the Minnesota Twins.  

 

August 2
Happy Birthday, Tom Burgmeier

It’s the birthday of 1961 St. Cloud Cathedral graduate and 17-year major league reliever Tom Burgmeier, born in St. Paul in 1943.

He lettered in wrestling, hockey, and baseball at Cathedral, and threw three no-hitters his senior season.

He was signed out of high school by the Houston Colt .45s, made his major league debut with the Angels in 1968, and went on to play 17 seasons with the Angels, Royals, Twins, Red Sox, and Athletics. Tom was a Twin from 1974 to ’77, and represented the Red Sox at the 1980 All-Star Game.

His 745 career appearances are the most by any pitcher born or raised in Minnesota (more than Charley Bender, “Bullet” Joe Bush, Rube Walberg, Jerry Koosman, Jack Morris, Glen Perkins…)

Howard Luloff wrote a great biographical essay on Burgmeier for the Halsey Hall SABR book Minnesotans in Baseball ⇨ SABR.org/bioproj/person/tom-burgmeier/

August 2, 1966
Hall Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam

Tied with the Red Sox 3-3 with two out in the bottom of the ninth, Twins left fielder Jimmie Hall hits a walk-off grand slam.

Bonus Fact: Hall broke Ted Williams’ American League home run record for first-year players with 33 in 1963. Hall’s record stood until 27-year-old rookie José Abreu hit 36 in 2014. (*Note: “First-year,” not necessarily “rookie,” as in the case of Mark McGwire, who hit 49 in 1987, but made his major league debut in 1986.)

August 2, 1982
Denman Earns Win in Major League Debut

Pitching for the Red Sox, 1974 Richfield graduate Brian Denman earns the win in Oakland, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. 1961 St. Cloud Cathedral graduate Tom Burgmeier earned the four-inning save (on his 39th birthday).

August 2, 1986
Luebber Strands 14 Baserunners

Steve Luebber shuts out the Athletics at Met Stadium, despite allowing 14 baserunners on eight hits and six walks. Those 14 baserunners are tied for the team record in a complete-game shutout.

Fun Fact: In Luebber’s next start (August 7 in Texas), he had a no-hitter going with two out and two strikes in the ninth.

August 2, 1995
Sorrento Hits Grand Slam Versus Twins

After Greg Harris walks Eddie Murray, Jim Thome, and Manny Ramirez to start the bottom of the fifth, Eddie Guardado comes in and quickly gets ahead of Paul Sorrento 0-2 before the former Twin crushes a grand slam. Cleveland won 12-6. 

August 2, 1999
Pudge Has Big Game

Iván Rodríguez homers off LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado, powering the Rangers to a 5-4 win. Iván hit 29 home runs against the Twins—his most against any team by a long shot. He hit nine off Brad Radke. 

August 1–2, 2016
Twins Hit 19 Extra-Base Hits

Mired in the worst seasons in franchise history (so far), the Twins set a team record with 19 extra-base hits over two games. Joe Mauer and Max Kepler hit four each, with Kepler hitting three home runs in the August 1st game. 

August 3
Happy Birthday, Tim Graupmann

Happy birthday to 1981 Grand Rapids graduate Tim Graupmann. He played three seasons in the Twins farm system and was teammates with Kirby Puckett his first year with Elizabethton in 1982. These days, Tim is a chiropractor with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and operates a bed & breakfast at the historic Gilbert Mansion in Grand Rapids.

August 3, 1962
Killer Hits Monster Homer

Harmon Killebrew hit a monster home run off Hall of Famer Jim Bunning over the roof and out of Tiger Stadium on this date in 1962. The only other right-handed batters to hit the ball over the roof of Tiger Stadium are Frank Howard, Mark McGwire, and Cecil Fielder. 

August 3, 1969
Reese Snaps McNally’s Streak

Rich Reese hit a seventh-inning pinch-hit grand slam on this date in 1969 which wound up snapping Orioles starter Dave McNally’s 15-game winning streak. And he had won 17-straight stretching back to 1968.

Bonus Fact: The American and National Leagues each split into two divisions (East and West) in 1969. The Twins won the first two AL West titles in ’69 and ’70, but were swept by Baltimore three games to none in the ALCS both years. 

August 3, 1987
Nail-File Incident

The man comes down on mischievous knuckleballer Joe Niekro for practicing good personal hygiene on the mound on this date in 1987. 

August 3, 2004
Silva Pitches 11-Hit Shutout

Carlos Silva pitched an ELEVEN-HIT shutout on this date in 2004. He also walked two and another batter reached on a fielder’s choice for a total of 14 baserunners, which tied the team record for baserunners in a complete-game shutout. The record for hits in a complete-game shutout is 13 by Mudcat Grant on July 15, 1964. 

The Twins turned six double plays in Silva’s shutout. Despite the 14 baserunners, Silva only threw 99 pitches. Torii Hunter, Corey Koskie, Justin Morneau, and Henry Blanco homered in the 10-0 home win over the Angels. 

Bonus Fact: Silva beat the Brewers on just 74 pitches on May 20, 2005, giving up five hits and no walks in a 7-1 win at the Dome. He led the majors with 0.430 walks per nine innings that season.

August 1–3, 2016
Twins Score 35 Runs Over Three-Game Span

The Twins scored 10-plus runs in three-straight games against the same team for the first time in team history between August 1 and this date in 2016. (They had previously done it in three-straight games, but never against one team.) Joe Mauer went 10-for-15 with two walks, a homer, four doubles, a triple, six RBI, and eight runs scored. Max Kepler went 7-for-12 with four walks, four home runs (including three in one game on August 1st), 10 RBI, and eight runs scored. 

August 3, 2019
Cruz Has Second 3-HR Game

In a Saturday night home game versus the Royals on this date in 2019, 39-year-old DH Nelson Cruz had his second three-home run game in 10 days, becoming the first Twin to have two such games in a season, and joining Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler as the only Twins to have two 3-HR games altogether.

Cruz is the only player in major league history with two 3-HR games after age 39. Not even the steroid-addled Barry Bonds did it. 

The August 3 game was Cruz’s fourth game of the season with at least 11 total bases. Believe it or not, the only other player in Twins history with even two 11-total base games in one season was Jason Kubel in 2008. Of course the team single-game record is 14 by Kirby Puckett that one Sunday in Milwaukee in 1987. 

Nelly had five RBI in the game. He finished the season with FIVE 5-RBI games, which is the most in Senators/Twins franchise history. And who had the second-most 5-RBI games in team history? Wouldn’t you know it’s Jason Kubel again, with four such games in 2009. 

Remarkably, a Twins player only hit three home runs in a game four times in the team’s first 55 seasons, and then they had eight such games in a four-year period between 2016 and 2019. 

The most recent of now 10 three-home run games in Twins history was by Miguel Sanó on May 18, 2021.

August 4, 1945
Birthdate of Mike Davison

Springfield (MN) High School graduate Mike Davison was born in Galesburg, IL on this date in 1945. He pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 1969 and ’70 (and shares a 1971 Topps rookie card with the great George Foster). 

After his pro career, he played townball with the Windom Pirates. He passed away in Glencoe, MN in 2013 at age 67. 

August 2–4, 1963
Hall’s Big Weekend

Rookie Jimmie Hall homered in all three games of a weekend series in Kansas City between August 2 and this date in 1963. He homered 33 times altogether on the season, breaking Ted Williams’ American League record for first-year players. Hall’s record stood for 50 years until José Abreu hit 36 in 2014.

August 4, 1985
Carew’s 3,000th Hit

Angels first baseman Rod Carew singled off Twins lefty Frank Viola for his 3,000th hit on this date in 1985. Kent Hrbek was there at first base to shake Carew’s hand. Color commentator Harmon Killebrew got a little choked up on the telecast. Killebrew interviewed Carew on the field after the game.

August 4, 1987
Matchup of 300-Game Winners

In just the fourth matchup of 300-game winners since 1900, the Angels’ Don Sutton (317) held the Twins to three runs over six innings, while Steve Carlton (328) gave up nine runs in just 4.2 innings on this date in 1987. The 645 combined wins is the most ever in a pitching matchup.

August 4, 1988
Anderson Pitches to Contact

Allan Anderson pitched the only complete game in Twins history without a strikeout or walk on this date in 1988. He threw just 102 pitches and faced only 29 batters in the 2-1 Twins in Toronto, which was over in 2 hours and nine minutes. (Of course Anderson famously finished the season as the American League ERA leader.)

August 4, 1993
Hrbek Drives In 1,000th Run

Kent Hrbek knocked in his 1,000th career run on this date in 1993, joining Harmon Killebrew as the only players in Twins history with 1,000 RBI. Kirby Puckett later joined the club, and to this date, they are the only three members in Twins history. 

August 4, 2017
Colón Becomes Oldest Twin to Pitch Complete Game

44-year-old Bartolo Colón became the oldest player in Twins/Senators history to pitch a complete game, beating the Rangers 8-4 at Target Field on this date in 2017. The only runs Colón surrendered came in the first and ninth innings, on an Adrián Beltré two-run single in the first and a two-run homer by Carlos Gómez with two out in the ninth. 

Brian Dozier led off the bottom of the first AND second innings with home runs off the Rangers’ Martín Pérez.

August 10, 1969
Tovar Breaks Up No-Hit Bid

César Tovar broke up Orioles pitcher Mike Cuellar’s no-hit bid leading off the top of the ninth on this date in 1969. Pepito broke up two Baltimore no-hit bids in the ninth inning that season. (Baltimore, of course, got the last laugh, sweeping the Twins in the first-ever ALCS that fall.)

Tovar had his team’s only hit five times in his career—tied for the MLB record. (He did it four times with the Twins and once with the Rangers. In the other three games outside of 1969, the one hit came prior to the ninth inning.)

RELATED NOTE: Joe Mauer broke up three no-hit bids in the ninth inning. 

August 10, 1971
Killebrew Hits 500th & 501st Home Runs

Harmon Killebrew hit his 500th and 501st home runs off Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar at Met Stadium on this date in 1971. (Twins lost 4-3.)

The Twins actually gave away Harmon Killebrew 500th Home Run commemorative mugs way back on July 6th, assuming he would have reached the milestone by then, but he was having an uncharacteristically slow stretch in terms of home run production.

August 10
Happy Birthday, Dan Johnson

Happy 45th birthday to Blaine High School graduate and 10-year major league first baseman Dan Johnson, born in Coon Rapids on this date in 1979. 

He hit not one but TWO of the biggest home runs in Tampa Bay Rays history, in 2008 and 2011. He later attempted to make a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher with the St. Paul Saints.

August 10, 1994
Hrbek’s Final Game

Kent Hrbek played his final game in a Minnesota Twins uniform on this date in 1994, collecting three RBI (including on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch) and scoring one run in a 17-7 win over the Red Sox at home in the Dome. (It was also Red Sox left fielder Tom Brunansky‘s final game.)

Kirby Puckett went 2-for-3 with three walks, a grand slam, and three-run homer, for a total of seven RBI. Remarkably, there had only been eight 7-RBI games in Twins history prior to 1994, but it was done three times in 1994: Twice by Kirby Puckett and once by Pedro Muñoz.

August 10, 2004
Quinlan 21-Game Hitting Streak

Hill-Murray graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Robb Quinlan hit in his 21st-straight game with the Angels on this date in 2004. It was the longest hitting streak by a rookie in Angels history. He hit .407 in the July and was named American League Rookie of the Month. 

August 10, 2011
Nathan Becomes Twins Saves Leader

Joe Nathan earned his 255th save on this date in 2011, surpassing Rick Aguilera as the Twins’ all-time leader.

August 11, 1929
Birthdate of Pete Bright

Minnesota baseball legend Pete Bright was born on this date in 1929. The Cyrus High Schooler struck out all 21 batters he faced in a perfect game against Alberta in 1947.

He went on to a storied townball career, and was inducted into Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978, when he was 50 years old. Folks, the farmer kept pitching until he was 72!

August 11, 1970
Pitcher Drops Below .300

Twins pitcher Jim Perry went 0-for-3 on this date in 1970, dropping his average below .300 for the first time since June 2. He peaked at .368 on June 21, and finished the season at .247. He had a nice season on the mound, too, winning 24 games and the AL Cy Young Award.

Heck, these days a position player batting .300 entering play on August 11 is noteworthy. Who are some other pitchers in Twins history who could handle the bat? Get the conversation started in the comments section below.

August 11, 1974
Harmon Killebrew Day

The Twins celebrated Harmon Killebrew Day at Met Stadium on this date in 1974. Owner Calvin Griffith announced the team would retire Killebrew’s number 3 at a later date. Governor Anderson, Senators Humphrey and Mondale, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul all gave speeches. Killebrew came through in the game, connecting for two RBI singles, and scoring the eventual game-winning run as the Twins swept the three-game series with Baltimore.

The following season, Killebrew played for Kansas City, and the Twins retired his number before a game with the Royals on May 4 … Harmon homered in the first inning! 

 

The Twins actually trailed Cleveland 4-3 with two out in the bottom of the ninth when Terry Jorgenson doubled home David McCarty. Brian Harper went 4-for-8 in the game. (Worth noting, Muñoz entered the game as a pinch hitter in the 20th inning.)

Mike Trombley was the starting pitcher the next day and got a speeding ticket around 2 AM as he was hurrying home to get some rest. Couldn’t wriggle out it, he said. He only lasted 2.1 innings in the game, giving up seven runs on 10 hits and a walk. 

Dick Bremer has a fun story about Muñoz. Bremer bumped into Ted Williams at the ’92 All-Star Game in San Diego and the Splendid Splinter brought up Muñoz, saying, “I love the way he f*cking turns on a curveball!” Pretty high praise. 

The Twins collected 13 hits, two walks, and a reached-on-error for a grand total of 16 base runners and still managed to lose to the Royals 1-0 at Kaufman Stadium on this date in 2005.

Twins starter Kyle Lohse had a three-hit shutout going through seven innings before yielding to Juan Rincón who pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. 

The game was still scoreless entering the bottom of the ninth when former Twin Denny Hocking hit a lead-off single off reliever Matt Guerrier. The next batter reached on an error by third baseman Terry Tiffee. Not sure if it was a potential double-play ball, but it allowed Hocking to move into scoring position. Terry Mulholland then came in and struck out DH Matt Stairs swinging before right fielder Emil Brown drove-in Hocking for a 1-0 Royals walk-off win. 

August 31, 2007
Baker Flirts with Perfect Game