In 2010 the 50 greatest Twins list of all time was announced, commemorating the 50th season of franchise’s existence.

In early September that year, I spent a good part of the weekend watching the ’10 version of the Minnesota Twins play some great baseball vs. the Texas Rangers. The pennant race was heating up, and Twins on the field were playing like real ball players who like to play in October.

At Target Field that weekend, many of the greatest Twins of all time (many who played deep into cold weather of the Fall) reunited to play a “legends” game. It was pure pleasure to watch the “Boy’s of Summer” take to the new outdoor field in Minnesota and try to recapture their “Glory Day.”

The highlight of the Legends Game for me was watching Kent Hrbek put his own special mark on Target Field. T-Rex, as he was known back in the day, tried to make one of his patented foul ball catches near first base, but this time instead of getting Metrodome rug burn, he dented out a chunk of the new Twins infield grass. It’s a good thing Hrbie has a sense of humor.

The 50 Greatest Twins list was  voted on by a panel of print, radio, and television journalists, plus senior members of the Minnesota Twins staff.

Here is the entire list of players. I will create links to each player, as I blog about each one in the typical Sports Daddy story telling tone.

• Rick Aguilera
• Bob Allison
• Earl Battey
• Bert Blyleven
• Lyman Bostock
• Tom Brunansky
• Rod Carew
• John Castino
• Michael Cuddyer
• Gary Gaetti
• Greg Gagne
• Ron Gardenhire
• Dan Gladden
• Dave Goltz
• Jim “Mudcat” Grant
• Eddie Guardado
• Larry Hisle
• Kent Hrbek
• Torii Hunter
• Jim Kaat
• Tom Kelly
• Harmon Killebrew
• Chuck Knoblauch
• Jerry Koosman
• Corey Koskie
• Gene Larkin
• Billy Martin
• Gene Mauch
• Joe Mauer
• Sam Mele
• Paul Molitor
• Justin Morneau
• Jack Morris
• Joe Nathan
• Tony Oliva
• Camilo Pascual
• Jim Perry
• Kirby Puckett
• Frank Quilici
• Brad Radke
• Jeff Reardon
• Johan Santana
• Roy Smalley
• Rick Stelmaczek
• Kevin Tapani
• Cesar Tovar
• Zoilo Versalles
• Frank Viola
• Dave Winfield
• Al Worthington

“I watch a lot of baseball on the radio.”
- Gerald Ford, U.S. President

Yes, I tend to agree with this quote on some levels. When I was a kid, I used to listen to Twins games every night on WCCO radio from my room while doing homework. I can remember back in 1982, when the Twins played their first regular season games at the Metrodome, I’d take my homework up to my “office” and work on while Herb Carneal did the play by play of the games.

We didn’t get the games on TV so “watching” baseball was all in my imagination. As the calls from Minneapolis came through the airwaves, I would visualize what the players looked like. (We didn’t get many pictures of the players in local newspaper, the Watertown, SD ”Public Opinion”)

So while I listened to Herb describe Twins Rookie Gary Gaetti’s tenacity and strong arm with an obvious powerful swing, I never knew what he really looked like. I always pictured him with dark skin. It was like this for almost every player in that Class of ’82, until I actually got to see them play later that season.

I think that it is why the “live” games were so memorable for me. When I did see the players, it was like seeing a radio DJ for the first time, and being surprised.

Maybe that is what President Ford was trying to say with this “off beat” quote?