They were champions: 1991 Minnesota Twins

"See you later Aguilera"

I remember being with friends in Paynesville MN for the start of the 1991 World Series. The first pitch thrown by Jack Morris was a strike - I seem to remember it was a called strike. We jumped off our couches in celebration of that one pitch, knowing of course that in the scheme of things it meant nothing. We laughed. Our upbeat mood proved most apt for the duration of that magical series.
The Twins called the Metrodome home. The memories are receding.
The Dome was built as an essential answer to our sports infrastructure issues. It was supposed to help U of M football recruiting but it appears this was misguided. The state got its money's worth with a heyday of Twins baseball that included the 1987 and 1991 seasons. The Twins had a 15-game win streak in 1991. That stretch of success vaulted us from fifth place to first. In all we would win 95 games in the regular season, good for taking the West banner.
Note that there was a three-year gap between our 1987 and '91 championships. Fans appeared to maintain their enthusiasm even though we finished dead last in the division in 1990. Our '90 mark was a languishing 74-88.
We can easily forget today that Gary Gaetti was not part of the '91 team. His name is such a standard from that era, associated with third base. We might forget that Mike Pagliarulo came on to play a key role in '91 at third. The Twins signed Pagliarulo less than 12 hours after Gaetti left as a free agent for the California Angels. Pagliarulo came here from the New York Yankees. The front office kept on refreshing things by signing free agents Jack Morris and Chili Davis. I never liked the way the Twins P.A. announcer pronounced "Chili." Davis wielded his bat from the DH role. Morris was a top-echelon starting pitcher of course. He was a nemesis of ours when he pitched for Detroit.
We reaped benefits from a trade we made in 1989: Frank Viola to the Mets for relief pitchers Rick Aguilera and David West and starter Kevin Tapani. Didn't Chris Berman of ESPN refer to Aguilera as "See you later Aguilera?" Only seven players were still on the roster from the 1987 team. None of those seven were pitchers.
Pagliarulo was platooned with handsome Scott Leius who we always heard was a friend of actor Matt Dillon. Chuck Knoblauch was in his prime at second base and not yet showing symptoms of the horrible psychological disorder that would prevent him, as a Yankee, from being able to throw the ball to first base. I have always felt the problem was due to obsessive compulsive disorder. The brain takes over where instincts were meant to operate.
"See you later Aguilera" was a fine closer and racked up 42 saves. We had a 1-2-3 punch in starting pitching with Morris, Tapani and Scott Erickson. The fourth and fifth spots weren't as clear cut. We saw Allan Anderson, David West and Mark Guthrie hurling from the mound.
The beloved Tony Oliva served as bench coach. "Tony O." was hitting coach in 1987. And of course back in 1965, when we won the pennant, Tony was in full glory as one of the best hitters to ever play the game.
Kent Hrbek won the Lou Gehrig Award in 1991. Jack Morris won the Babe Ruth Award. Morris was World Series MVP. Kirby Puckett was the ALCS MVP. Knoblauch was Rookie of the Year. We had three players on the All-Star roster: Aguilera, Morris and Puckett. Erickson was slated to be the All-Star starting pitcher but he got injured.
I was 36 years old in 1991. As the years pass, of course, those of us with vivid memories of '87 and '91 will increasingly sound like old-timers. I can never put thoughts of the 1965 team out of my head. Minnesota was so mesmerized by the still-new Twins in '65. Sandy Koufax prevented us from taking it all in '65, though we pushed the Dodgers to seven games. I feel sad that the '65 team is one notch below the '87 and '91 units in terms of accomplishment. Our memories of '65 should be embraced with just as much fondness.
My reminiscing is not to suggest that today I'm a big Twins fan. I'm not. I worry about the players whose bodies are subjected to so many dangers. We hear about this much more for football than baseball but baseball has substantial risk. In the age before pitch counts, pitchers were at great risk of "throwing their arms out." Pitchers came and went in the '60s all the time because of this, and now I find that profoundly sad.
Kirby Puckett probably died as the result of getting hit in the face with a pitch. Back in '64 it was Twins hero Jimmie Hall who was severely beaned by Bo Belinsky. Many have speculated that Hall eventually went into decline due to effects of that. So I feel for those guys and worry about how they face risks. In football the worry is fundamental and profound. Weighing this, I frankly have withdrawn from pro sports interests at this stage in my life.
But I invite you to read the lyrics to my song called " 'Til the Last Out" which is my tribute to the 1991 Twins. Asterisk: Yes, I know the '91 Series did not end with an "out" because it ended with Gene Larkin hitting into the gap. But as a matter of pure principle, those Twins played 'til the last out in terms of their nonstop intensity. So that's the theme. Will I have the song recorded? As always I'll say that I write lots of lyrics and poetry and only occasionally do I have some recorded. We'll see.
 
" 'Til the Last Out"
by Brian Williams
 
Poppy Bush was president in 1991
We would someday pull the lever for his eldest son
Minnesota Twins were in their glory at the Dome
Teflon Roof and plastic grass were part of their dear home
 
Hrbek in his prime with all those skills that made him great
Knoblauch in the days when he could still throw that ball straight
Gagne playing shortstop, handling that pill
Mr. Pagliarulo, makin' plays at will
 
CHORUS:
'Til the last out, 'til the last out
They tested all their fortitude and drive
'Til the last out, 'til the last out
They made us all just glad to be alive
 

Puckett out in center was a jewel of a star
He could bring the house down when he hit the ball so far
Coming from Toledo as the answer to our prayers
Kirby was a bowling ball, goin' on a tear
 
Atlanta was the team we had to face for No. 1
With a staff of pitchers who could put us on the run
Back and forth the Series went, like a tug of war
Then we got Game 7, let's break down the door
 
(repeat chorus)
 
Like a god from ancient Greece Jack Morris took the hill
He was all just steely-eyed, going for the kill
Zeroes on the scoreboard had us gasp all through the night
All we needed was one run and we would win the fight
 
Gene Larkin sent the ball into that open space in left
Gladden came across the plate - fans all cheered and wept
Twins were on the throne just like in 1987
Baseball had our self-esteem lifted up to heaven
 
(repeat chorus)


- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com