Fargo-Moorhead Twins

Last updated
Fargo-Moorhead Twins
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes Class-D (1908, 1914–1917, 1922, 1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Previous leagues
 Red River Valley League (1897)
Northern League (1908, 1914–1917)
Dakota League (1922)
Northern League (1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 6 (1915, 1917, 1934, 1953, 1954, 1958)
Team data
Previous names
Fargo Divorcees/Fargo Red Stockings(1897)
Moorhead Barmaids (1897
Fargo Browns (1908)
Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers (1914–1917)
Fargo Athletics (1922)
Fargo-Moorhead Twins (1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Previous parks
Moorhead Ballpark (1933–1935)
Barnett Field (1936–1960)

The Fargo-Moorhead Twins were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1933 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1960, representing the neighboring cities of Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. The Twins won six league championships during their seasons of play. Earlier minor league teams had also represented the cities. Baseball Hall of Fame members Dizzy Dean (1941) and Lloyd Waner (1947) are Fargo-Moorhead Twins alumni, as is 2x AL Most Valuable Player Roger Maris.

Contents

History

The Fargo-Moorhead Twins played in the Northern League from 1933–1942 and 1946–1960. The Twins were an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians (1934–1940, 1953–1957), Pittsburgh Pirates (1947–1948) and New York Yankees (1958–1960). [1] [2]

The preceding Fargo-Moorhead area teams were the 1897 Red River Valley League members Fargo Red Stockings and Moorhead Barmaids, who were the first area minor league franchises. Fargo (1902–1905), the Fargo Browns (1908) and Fargo-Moorehead Graingrowers (1914–1917) all played as members of the Northern League and the 1922 Fargo Athletics played in the 1922 Dakota League. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1]

On May 6, 1953, the Fargo-Moorhead Twins defeated Sioux Falls in their Opening Day game by a score of 12-3. A record crowd of 10,123 fans came to Barnett Field. In the game, Roger Maris got his first professional baseball hit. That season, Twins player Frank Gravino would hit 52 home runs. The Twins would host the Northern League All-Star game and defeat the Northern League All-Stars by a score of 8-4. The Twins finished with a record of 86-39 (improving from their record of 44-80 in 1952) and bested Duluth to win the Northern League championship. Roger Maris would be selected as the 1953 Northern League Rookie of the Year. [7]

Fargo-Moorhead teams won Northern League Championships in 1915, 1917, 1934, 1953, 1954, 1958, claiming six overall titles. [2] [1]

Baseball would return to Fargo Moorhead in 1996 when the Fargo Moorhead Redhawks joined the new Northern League.

The ballparks

From 1936-1960, the Fargo-Moorhead Twins played their home games at Barnett Field in Fargo, North Dakota. It was located at 19th Avenue and Broadway and was torn down in 1963 to build North High School. [8]

In addition to Barnett Field, in 1933–1935, Fargo-Moorhead teams played select home games at Moorhead Ballpark in Moorhead, Minnesota. [9] [10]

1961 Roger Maris hits HR #58. He hit 61 Home runs in 1961 1961 Roger Maris HR 58.jpg
1961 Roger Maris hits HR #58. He hit 61 Home runs in 1961

Notable alumni

Year-by-year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
193330-758thAlvin Theis / Ralph WilliamsDid not qualify
193464-531st Jack Knight League Champions
193572-392nd Hal Irelan Lost League Finals
193659-615th Hal Irelan Did not qualify
193770-412nd Jack Knight Lost League Finals
193860-565th Jack Knight Did not qualify
193966-483rd Jack Knight / Chester BujaciLost in 1st round
194050-676thChester Bujaci / Wes Griffin Did not qualify
194148-696th Wes Griffin / Mike BlazoDid not qualify
194254-687thMike Blazo / Ben Tincup Did not qualify
194663-412nd Bruno Haas Lost League Finals
194770-493rd Bruno Haas Lost in 1st round
194841-858th Bruno Haas / Ralph DiLullo Did not qualify
194956-707th Art Doll Did not qualify
195049-778th Art Doll Did not qualify
195159-656thEmil GallDid not qualify
195244-807th Nick Cullop / Bob Harmon
Danny Litwhiler 		Did not qualify
195386-391st Zeke Bonura / Santo LubertoLeague Champions
195485-551st Phil Seghi League Champions
195561-645th Phil Seghi / Paul O'Dea Did not qualify
195649-748th Tom Oliver Did not qualify
195765-574thFrank Tornay / Ken Blackman Did not qualify
195872-512nd Ken Silvestri League Champions
195964-593rd Dee Phillips Lost in 1st round
196058-666th John Fitzpatrick Did not qualify

[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  2. 1 2 3 "Moorhead, Minnesota Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ↑ "1908 Fargo Browns Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ↑ "Fargo Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. ↑ "Fargo, North Dakota sports teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. ↑ "1922 Dakota League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. ↑ Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero, pp.54-58, Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, Touchstone Books, Published by Simon & Schuster, New York, 2010, ISBN   978-1-4165-8928-0
  8. ↑ "Professional Baseball History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ↑ "Barnett Field - Fargo North Dakota - Former Home of the Fargo-Moorhead Twins". www.digitalballparks.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Barnett Field | Fargo History". library.ndsu.edu.
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