When the American League expanded in 1961, Calvin Griffith seized the opportunity to move his Washington Senators to what he hoped would be a better region. An expansion Senators franchise filled the gap left by his move, placating the congressmen who insisted on a franchise in Washington. Griffith was unhappy with Washington as a baseball town and felt that the neighborhoods away from the Capitol were declining. In Minnesota the team was renamed the Twins for Minneapolis-St. Paul, the Twin Cities.

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Griffith may have been tighter with his money than many other owners, but he was always a good judge of talent. With Tony Oliva and, later, Rod Carew joining the likes of Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison, the Twins won their first AL pennant in 1965 and won consecutive division titles in 1969-70. But Griffith's fiscal policies could not work in the free agency era. When other owners started to bid competitively for free agents, Minnesota was doomed to lose most of its good players, sooner or later. Griffith certainly wasn't going to replace them by signing free agents himself. After nearly a decade of losing teams and declining attendace, he sold the franchise in 1984 to local banker Carl Pohlad. Subsequently the Twins revived, due largely to the talent Griffith had signed, such as Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky, Kirby Puckett, and Frank Viola. Minnesota surprised the baseball world in 1987 with its first World Championship. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » January 9, 1961: The new Minnesota Twins and the American Association finally agree on a $500,000 indemnity payment to the minor league for the Minneapolis/St. Paul territory, ending two months of negotiation. » May 3, 1971: The Toei Flyers set a Japan League record of five home runs in one inning, tying the American record held by several teams, most recently the Minnesota Twins in 1966. The record will be tied in 1977 and 1980, and finally broken in 1986. » February 5, 1991: Jack Morris signs a contract with his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins. In doing so, he turns down a 3-year offer from the Detroit Tigers. » August 14, 1991: California's Dave Winfield slugs the 400th home run of his career, becoming the 23rd player in history to reach the milestone, in a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Twins. The blow comes off Minnesota southpaw Dave West. » October 3, 1991: In the 2nd game of a doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins, Chicago C Carlton Fisk smashes two home runs to lead the White Sox to a 13-12 victory. In doing so, just nine months shy of his 44th birthday, Fisk becomes the oldest 20th century player to hit a pair of 4-baggers in the same game. His 7th inning grand slam off Steve Bedrosian also makes him the oldest major leaguer ever to hit a bases loaded homer. Cap Anson, at 45, clubbed two homers on this date in 1897: he's the oldest to hit a pair. » July 21, 1993: In Minnesota's 7–2 win over Detroit, Tony Phillips goes 0–4 with two strikeouts against two Minnesota Twins pitchers —- Kevin Tapani and Carl Willis. It is his only game without a hit, walk or hit batsmen in a string of 101 games. » August 31, 1993: The Minnesota Twins defeat the Indians in 22 innings by a score of 5-4. » June 1, 1996: With five singles, Chuck Knoblauch leads the Minnesota Twins over Texas, 9–5. » February 6, 1998: The Minnesota Twins trade All–Star 2B Chuck Knoblauch to the Yankees for minor leaguers P Eric Milton, P Danny Mota, OF Brian Buchanan, SS Cristian Guzman, and $3 million. » September 17, 1998: Cleveland OF Manny Ramirez ties a major league record by hitting his 6th home run over a 3–game span. It's his 43rd on the year. The last American League player to do so was Gus Zernial in 1951. The Indians defeat the Minnesota Twins, 9–1. » September 2, 1999: Well drilling in Toronto. Starter David Wells of the Blue Jays is opposed by Bob Wells of the Minnesota Twins who strikes out Jays rookie Vernon Wells. Toronto wins, 6–1. » September 25, 2000: The Indians play the 2nd 3-team doubleheader since 1900 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. The Tribe defeats the Chicago White Sox, 9-2, in the opener, then loses the 2nd game to the Minnesota Twins, 4-3. The last 3-team doubleheader was in 1951. » October 28, 2001: Commissioner Bud Selig says it is possible that two major league teams could be eliminated by the start of next season. The Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays are the teams mentioned as most likely to be eliminated. » January 9, 2002: Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan says Bud Selig should resign because he appeared to violate major league rules in a 1995 loan from a company controlled by the owner of the Minnesota Twins. Conyers, The House Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat says the loan created an "irreparable conflict of interest" for Selig in his plan to fold two franchises, a proposal that most likely would include the Twins." Selig rejects the suggestion saying, "The suggestions made in your letter are wholly unacceptable." » September 15, 2002: The Minnesota Twins become the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs, defeating the Indians, 5–0. Minnesota will be making its 1st postseason appearance since 1991.