1965 Minnesota Twins season
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Twins
won the 1965 American League pennant
with a 102-60 record. It was the team's first pennant
since moving to Minnesota, and the 102 wins was a team record.
in Washington, D.C.
-- the city the Twins franchise called home until 1960—the Twins beat the Washington Senators
2-1 to clinch the pennant. Jim Kaat
was the winning pitcher.
Six Twins made the All-Star Game
, (which was played in the Twins' home park, Metropolitan Stadium
). First baseman
Harmon Killebrew
, shortstop Zoilo Versalles
, outfielders Tony Oliva
and Jimmie Hall
, catcher Earl Battey
, and pitcher Mudcat Grant
. Overall, 1,463,258 fans attended Twins games, the highest total in the American League
.
Most Valuable Player
. He also led the team with 126 runs scored, and won a Gold Glove Award
for his play at shortstop
. Oliva led the AL with a .321 batting average
. Killebrew was limited to 113 games by injuries, but still hit 25 HR and 75 RBI.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
won the 1965 American League pennant
American League pennant winners 1901-68
Each season in Major League Baseball , one American League team wins the pennant, signifying that they are the league's champion and have the right to play in the World Series. The pennant was presented to the team with the best win–loss record each year through the 1968 season, after which the...
with a 102-60 record. It was the team's first pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
since moving to Minnesota, and the 102 wins was a team record.
Regular season
On September 26 at D.C. StadiumRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-- the city the Twins franchise called home until 1960—the Twins beat the Washington Senators
1965 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season involved the Senators finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 70 wins and 92 losses.- Offseason :* November 30, 1964: Tim Cullen was drafted by the Senators from the Boston Red Sox in the 1964 first-year draft....
2-1 to clinch the pennant. Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
was the winning pitcher.
Six Twins made the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, (which was played in the Twins' home park, Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
). First baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
, shortstop Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
, outfielders Tony Oliva
Tony Oliva
Tony Pedro Oliva is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played his entire 15-year baseball career for the Minnesota Twins . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
and Jimmie Hall
Jimmie Hall
Jimmie Randolph Hall is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves .-Minor league career:After attending Belmont High School and playing...
, catcher Earl Battey
Earl Battey
Earl Jesse Battey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago White Sox , the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins...
, and pitcher Mudcat Grant
Mudcat Grant
James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
. Overall, 1,463,258 fans attended Twins games, the highest total in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
.
Offense
Versalles was named ALAmerican League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. He also led the team with 126 runs scored, and won a Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
for his play at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Oliva led the AL with a .321 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. Killebrew was limited to 113 games by injuries, but still hit 25 HR and 75 RBI.
Pitching
Grant led the league with 21 wins, becoming the first black pitcher in the history of the American League to win 20 games in a season. Kaat won the Gold Glove for pitchers.Notable transactions
- June 8, 1965: 1965 Major League Baseball Draft1965 Major League Baseball DraftThe 1965 Major League Baseball Draft is the first year in which a draft took place for Major League Baseball.In Major League Baseball's first Free Agent Amateur Draft, the Kansas City Athletics selected Arizona State sophomore Rick Monday as the number one pick...
- Del UnserDel UnserDelbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
was drafted by the Twins in the 2nd round, but did not sign. - Graig NettlesGraig NettlesGraig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...
was drafted by the Twins in the 4th round.
- Del Unser
Roster
| 1965 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 131 | 394 | 117 | .297 | 6 | 60 | |
| SS | 148 | 522 | 149 | .285 | 20 | 86 | |
| CF | 160 | 666 | 182 | .273 | 19 | 77 | |
| RF | 149 | 576 | 185 | .321 | 16 | 98 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | 401 | 108 | .269 | 25 | 75 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 270.1 | 21 | 7 | 3.30 | 142 | |
| 45 | 264.1 | 18 | 11 | 2.83 | 154 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 106 | 6 | 5 | 3.40 | 85 | |
| 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4.20 | 15 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 2.13 | 59 | |
| 56 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 2.24 | 59 | |
| 29 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4.44 | 35 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Awards and honors
- Zoilo VersallesZoilo VersallesZoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
, Shortstop, American League MVP - Sam MeleSam MeleSabath Anthony "Sam" Mele is a former right fielder, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball...
, Associated Press AL Manager of the Year