Category Archives: Keeping Track

Keeping Track

1965 Rewind: Game Thirty-seven

BOSTON 2, MINNESOTA 0 IN BOSTON

Date:  Thursday, May 27.

Batting stars:  Frank Kostro was 1-for-2 with two walks.  Tony Oliva was 2-for-4 with a stolen base, his second.  Jimmie Hall was 0-for-2 with two walks.

Pitching stars:  Jim Kaat pitched seven innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Johnny Klippstein pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Dave Morehead pitched eight shutout innings, allowing three hits and six walks with five strikeouts.  Felix Mantilla was 2-for-3 with a run.  Carl Yastrzemski was 1-for-2 with a walk.

The game:  It was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh, when singles by Yastrzemski, Mantilla, and Tony Conigliaro loaded the bases with none out.  The next batter hit into a force out, but then an error and a sacrifice fly brought home a pair of runs.  The Twins biggest threats came in the first and last innings.  In the first, with two out, a single, an error, and a walk loaded the bases but Bob Allison popped up.  Three one-out walks filled the bases in the ninth, but Dick Radatz came on to strike out pinch-hitters Don Mincher and Sandy Valdespino to end the game.

Of note:  Zoilo Versalles was 0-for-4.  Jerry Kindall was 0-for-4.  Harmon Killebrew was 0-for-4.

Record:  The loss dropped the Twins to 23-14 and dropped them to second place, a half game behind Chicago.

Notes:  Kostro was playing in place of Rich Rollins, who was apparently rested.  Kindall was moved back to the second spot in the batting order.  Earl Battey was apparently rested as well.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 11

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Joe Battin (1853)
Freddy Parent (1875)
Rabbit Maranville (1891)
Al Schacht (1892)
Pie Traynor (1898)
Hal Trosky (1912)
George Case (1915)
Ike Delock (1929)
Ron Musselman (1954)
John Hobbs (1955)
Cory Snyder (1962)
Roberto Hernandez (1964)
Damion Easley (1969)
Jason Grilli (1976)

Al Schacht played in the majors for three years, but was better known as "The Clown Prince of Baseball".

George Case was the first base coach for the Twins in 1968.

On this Veterans' Day, we would like to thank all current and former members of the military for their service, especially those who are part of the wgom.

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Keeping Track

1965 Rewind: Game Thirty-six

MINNESOTA 9, BOSTON 7 IN BOSTON

Date:  Wednesday, May 26.

Batting stars:  Harmon Killebrew was 1-for-3 with a home run (his sixth) and two walks, scoring three times.  Bob Allison was 1-for-3 with a three-run homer (his sixth) and a walk, scoring twice.  Earl Battey was 2-for-3 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

Pitching stars:  Jim Perry pitched 3.2 innings of relief, giving up an unearned run on three hits and no walks with one strikeout.  Bill Pleis pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Carl Yastrzemski was 1-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in three.  Felix Mantilla was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI.  Dick Radatz struck out four in two shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk.

The game:  It was a game of big innings.  Allison hit a three-run homer in a four-run top of the first.  The Red Sox got one back in the bottom of the first and scored five in the second, highlighted by Yastrezemski's three-run double, to go up 6-4.  Killebrew homered in the third to cut the lead to 6-5.  In the fifth, Tony Oliva homered and Battey had a two-run double in a four-run inning that gave the Twins a 9-6 lead.  Boston got one in the sixth to make it 9-7 but did not score again.  They did load the bases with two out in the ninth, but Al Worthington came in to retire Tony Conigliaro on a ground out to end the game.

Of note:  Rich Rollins was 0-for-3.  Oliva was 1-for-5 with a home run, his eighth.  Jimmie Hall was 1-for-5 with a run.  Camilo Pascual started but lasted only 1.2 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks with no strikeouts.

Record:  The win made the Twins 23-13 and put them in a tie for first place with Chicago (the Twins led based on winning percentage).

Notes:  The Twins were really struggling to find a second-place hitter.  They started the season with Jerry Kindall in that spot, but by this time he had been dropped to eighth and was hitting .204.  He was replaced with Rollins, who was little better--the 0-for-3 in this game dropped him to .227.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 10

Jim Whitney (1857)
Cy Morgan (1878)
Del Gainer (1886)
Chick Fewster (1895)
Jimmie Dykes (1896)
Birdie Tebbetts (1912)
Johnny Lipon (1922)
Cal Ermer (1923)
Gene Conley (1930)
Norm Cash (1934)
Mike Vail (1951)
Paul Thormodsgard (1953)
Larry Parrish (1953)
Larry Christenson (1953)
Bob Stanley (1954)
Jack Clark (1955)
Kenny Rogers (1964)
Keith Lockhart (1964)
Butch Huskey (1971)
Shawn Green (1972)
Brian Dinkelman (1983)

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Keeping Track

1965 Rewind: Game Thirty-five

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MINNESOTA 17, BOSTON 5 IN BOSTON

Date:  Tuesday, May 25.

Batting stars:  Bob Allison was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer (his fifth) and a walk, scoring three times.  Zoilo Versalles was 2-for-5 with a home run (his fourth) and a double, scoring three times and driving in three.  Earl Battey was 2-for-4 with a home run (his second) and a walk, scoring twice and driving in five.

Pitching stars:  Mudcat Grant pitched a complete game, giving up five runs on eight hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Eddie Bressoud was 2-for-4 with a home run (his fourth) and a double.  Jerry Moses hit a pinch-hit home run.  Gary Geiger, who entered the game as a defensive replacement, hit a home run in his only at-bat.

The game:  Tony Oliva singled in the first run and a second scored on a ground out, putting the Twins up 2-0 in the first inning.  In the fourth, Allison hit a two-run homer and Jerry Kindall had a solo shot in a four-run inning that made it 6-0.  The Red Sox got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, but the Twins scored five in the fifth to put the game out of reach.  Battey had a three-run homer and Versalles a two-run homer in the inning.

Of note:  Rich Rollins was 2-for-6 with a double.  Oliva was 2-for-6 with a home run (his seventh), scoring twice and driving in three.  Harmon Killebrew was 3-for-6 with two runs, raising his average to .302.

Record:  The win made the Twins 22-13, still in second place, but only one game behind Chicago.

Notes:  Pitchers were definitely used differently in 1965.  We've seen a lot of quick hooks, and then we see Grant pitch a complete game in a 17-5 victory.  I cannot think of a circumstance in which a pitcher would throw a 17-5 complete game now.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 9

George Wood (1858)
Harvey Hendrick (1897)
Johnny Gooch (1897)
Jerry Priddy (1919)
Bob Wren (1920)
Bill Bruton (1925)
Whitey Herzog (1931)
Bob Gibson (1935)
Jim Riggleman (1952)
Teddy Higuera (1958)
Dion James (1962)
Chad Ogea (1970)
Adam Dunn (1979)
Chuck James (1981)
Joel Zumaya (1984)

Bob Wren was the head coach of Ohio University from 1949-1972.

Jim Riggleman has managed San Diego, the Cubs, Seattle, and Washington.

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Keeping Track

1965 Rewind: Game Thirty-four

KANSAS CITY 6, MINNESOTA 2 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Saturday, May 22.

Batting stars:  Zoilo Versalles was 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, and a walk, scoring once.  Jimmie Hall was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Sandy Valdespino was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Pitching star:  Dick Stigman struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Fred Talbot struck out seven in 7.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks.  Ken Harrelson was 3-for-5 with a triple and a double, scoring twice and driving in one.  Mike Hershberger was 1-for-3 with a home run (his second) and a walk.

The game:  In the first inning, Harrelson had an RBI triple and scored on a wild pitch to give the Athletics a 2-0 lead.  Valdespino delivered a two-out RBI single in the third to cut the lead to 2-1, but the Athletics got two more in the fourth on two singles, an error, and a sacrifice fly.  The Twins never got closer than three runs after that.

Of note:  Tony Oliva was 0-for-5 with a run, dropping his average to .227.  Harmon Killebrew was 1-for-4.  Earl Battey was 1-for-4.

Record:  The loss dropped the Twins to 21-13, still in second, still two games behind Chicago.

Notes:  The Twins used two pitchers as pinch-runners, Dave Boswell and Mudcat Grant.

Keeping Track

1965 Rewind: Game Thirty-three

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MINNESOTA 6, KANSAS CITY 4 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Friday, May 21.

Batting stars:  Zoilo Versalles was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer (his third) and a walk, scoring twice.  Jimmie Hall was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Rich Rollins was 2-for-4 with a double.

Pitching star:  Camilo Pascual struck out eight in eight innings, giving up four runs (one earned) on six hits and five walks.

Opposition stars:  Jim Gentile was 1-for-5 with a two-run homer, his ninth.  Jim Landis was 1-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice.  Bert Campaneris was 1-for-4 with a walk, a run, and a stolen base (his tenth).

The game:  A bases-loaded walk to Jerry Kindall gave the Twins a 1-0 lead in the second inning.  Gentile hit a two-run homer in the third to put the Athletics ahead 2-1.  The Twins got the lead back in the fifth, with Tony Oliva's RBI single tying the score and a double play putting them in front.  Versalles hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 5-2 and Earl Battey had an RBI single in the seventh to increase the lead to 6-2.  It looked like it was over, but Kansas City opened the ninth with a walk and a single, resulting in the removal of Pascual.  Bill Pleis got a strikeout, but an error made it 6-3 and brought the tying run to the plate.  Al Worthington came in and got the final two outs (one a run-scoring ground out) to end the game.

Of note:  Sandy Valdespino was 1-for-5 with a run.  Oliva was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.  Harmon Killebrew was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Record:  The win made the Twins 21-12, still in second place, but now only two games behind Chicago.

Notes:  Bob Allison sat out this game and would only pinch-hit in the next one, leading one to think he might have had a minor injury or illness.  Starter Diego Segui was removed in the second inning after the bases-loaded walk to Kindall.  That's a remarkably quick hook.  It's possible that he had a minor injury or illness, too, but he not only made his next start on schedule, he threw a complete game in it.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 7

Chris Von der Ahe (1851)
Ed "The Only" Nolan (1857)
Bill Brubaker (1910)
Dick Stuart (1932)
Jake Gibbs (1938)
Jim Kaat (1938)
Joe Niekro (1944)
Buck Martinez (1948)
Willie Norwood (1950)
Guy Sularz (1955)
Orlando Mercado (1961)
Russ Springer (1968)
Todd Ritchie (1971)
Glendon Rusch (1974)
Esmerling Vasquez (1983)
Danny Santana (1990)

Promoter entrepreneur Chris von der Ahe, referred to as "Bill Veeck with a handlebar mustache", owned the St. Louis franchise from 1882-1899.

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