Welcome to the Baseball History Podcast: Featuring This Week in Baseball History, baseball dictionary and a tour of baseball cities. I’m your game announcer Bob Wright.
This is game 07 of the 2009 baseball season
In the first inning let’s take a look at This Week in Baseball History for the 2 week of February.
February 11
1985 Twins’ first baseman Kent Hrbek signs a new contract making him the club’s first million dollar player.
Kent Allen Hrbek , nicknamed “Herbie”, was born May 21, 1960 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He grew up in the shadows of old Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington and was destined to become a Minnesota Twin. Hrbek was a big kid who played the game as hard as anyone and had more fun than most. While not nationally popular to the extent of his peer and friend Kirby Puckett, Hrbek was a popular hometown favorite.
In the 1981 season Hrbek batted .379 in the California League, best among all pro hitters for the season. He treated Twins fans to much excitement from the day he donned a Twins uniform. As a late season “call up” on August 24, 1981 he homered in the 12th inning at Yankee Stadium to give the Twins a win.
In 1982, his official rookie year, he hit the first home run in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on April 3, 1982 in an exhibition game against the Phillies.
As a rookie he garnered his only All-Star selection, batting .301 with 23 home runs and 92 Runs Batted In while finishing second to Cal Ripken, Jr. in the American League Rookie of the Year vote. For years afterwards he provided a consistent left-handed power bat and developed into a reliable fielder at first base.
For most of his career, “Herbie” batted cleanup, immediately after Kirby Puckett.
In 1984 Hrbek won the Twins Most Valuable Player award after driving in a personal best 107 runs and on February 11, 1986, he signed a one year deal that made him the first player from the Twins to be awarded a $1 million dollar contract.
By 1987 he was the senior member of the club and that season set a Metrodome record by launching 20 of his career-high 34 home runs in front of the home fans en route to an American League West division title.
He added a solo home run vs. Detroit in Game Two of the American League Championship Series, then blasted the 14th grand slam in World Series history in Game Six of the Fall Classic, which the Twins won the next day to complete an improbable championship run. He also is known around Minnesota for waking up very early on the morning of game 7 of the 1987 World Series to go on a duck hunt before playing in the game.
With batting championship skills, the burly, sometimes overweight Hrbek sacrificed some batting average for power, but also exhibited improved discipline at the plate through his career. For a power hitter, he posted surprisingly low strikeout totals, never fanning more than 87 times in a season.
In 1991, while batting .284 with 20 home runs and 84 Runs Batted In, he helped Minnesota rise from a last-place finish the season before to their second World Series title in five years, defeating Atlanta in another seven-game set.
Hrbek hit a home run to aid the club’s Game One victory, but his most memorable contribution during the series came in Game Two, when he snuffed out a Braves’ rally with a bit of first base chicanery.
Fans may remember him best for a confrontation with Ron Gant in Game 2, when Hrbek wrapped his arms around Gant’s thigh to lift him off the bag as he was returning to first base. The commentators at the time remarked that Hrbek’s “235 pound frame helped him lift the lighter Gant who weighs only 192 pounds.” The umpire, Drew Coble, called Gant out, citing forward progress would have caused Gant to step off the bag. The call was later cited on ESPN’s website as one of the “worst calls in history.”
In Game 7, with the score still tied 0-0 in the 8th inning, Hrbek executed an uncommon 3-2-3 bases-loaded double play with catcher Brian Harper that saved the Twins against the Braves’ biggest threat of the game. The Twins eventually won the game 1-0, with Gene Larkin hitting a bases-loaded single to center field that scored Dan Gladden in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Hrbek retired after the players strike prematurely ended the 1994 season.
Only Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs or collected more Runs Batted In in a Twins uniform.
Hrbek had his number 14 formally retired on August 13, 1995 and when the Twins established their own “Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame” in 2000, Hrbek was one of six former players inducted into the initial class.
In 1982 Kent Hrbek’s father died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Since then, Hrbek has worked to increase awareness of the disease. He hosts an annual charity golf tournament in Minnesota to raise money for ALS research, and makes many public appearances on behalf of the cause.
For a little light hearted entertainment I invite you to go to the new Baseball History Podcast web site at BaseballHistoryPodcast.com and check out the poem by Phil Bolsta called:
In this inning we’ll open up the Baseball Dictionary
Under the letter: B
bad bounce
A batted ball that bounces and then unexpectedly deflects in a direction contrary to what the fielder anticipates; for example, “The grounder took a bad bounce and hit Smith in the face.”
If you would like to a part of Baseball History Podcast, submit your written contribution for the tour segment. I will only be doing the tour when one is sent in by a listener. You can do the segment on any stadium or team; past or present; Minor League, Major League, Negro League or any league outside of the US. Write about 1 page in a conversational tone, send it to me, I will record it, and you will get the credit.
You can email me at baseballhistory@gmail.com.
You can follow me on Twitter; I’m BaseballHistory.
Look for the new BHP web site at BaseballHistoryPodcast.com.
Well, that’s it for today’s game of Baseball History Podcast. I’ll see you later at the ballpark.
Hrbek At The Bat ©
It looked extremely rocky for the Twins in ’86,
They expected to contend, but instead they took some licks.
And so when losses mounted and far outnumbered wins,
A pallor wreathed the features of the patrons of the Twins.
On the last day of the season, though, the fans were not depressed,
For there’s hope that springs eternal within a Twins fan’s breast.
And they knew if mighty Hrbek could unleash his mighty swing,
T’would put a smile on their face and keep them warm till spring.
But it looked as if their wounded pride would not be healed this day,
The score stood four to six with but an inning left to play.
And so when Gagne popped it up and Salas hit it flat,
There seemed but little chance of Hrbek’s getting to the bat.
But Kirby bounced a single off the artificial grass,
Gaetti lined a shot to left that struck the plexiglass!
A hush swept through the Metrodome, for fate had surely beckoned,
For there was Puckett safe on third, and G-Man huggin’ second.
And then the gladdened multitude cheered and screamed and squealed,
It rattled off the scoreboard and the canvas in right field.
They cheered till they could cheer no more, for this was worth the wait,
For Hrbek, mighty Hrbek, was advancing to the plate.
There was ease in Hrbek’s manner and a twinkle in his eyes,
There was grease on Hrbek’s fingers as he polished off some fries.
And when some popcorn spilled out as he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the Dome could doubt ’twas Hrbek at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as the game ground to a halt,
Five thousand tongues applauded as he drained a chocolate malt.
And as the pitcher glared at him, his hands upon his hips,
The mighty Hrbek gestured for a hot dog and some chips.
And then the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Hrbek clutched his stomach as if it struck him there.
The trainer started running out, but Kent just shook his head,
“It’s just some gas,” burped Hrbek. “Strike one,” the Umpire said.
With a smile borne of confidence, he took some practice cuts,
And stepped back in the batter’s box while munching on some nuts.
He signaled to the pitcher and again the spheroid flew,
“Got some salt?” asked Hrbek, and the Umpire said, “Strike two!”
The smile is gone from Hrbek’s lips. He mutters, “Time out, please,”
And hurries to the dugout for a Whopper, double cheese.
And now the pitcher holds the ball and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Hrbek’s blow.
Oh, somewhere there’s a stadium where fans all shout and cheer,
As their team wins its division and the playoffs every year.
But inside the empty Metrodome, all is still and quiet.
But just you wait till next year – mighty Hrbek’s on a diet!
