Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Ron Gardenhire in younger days

Ran across this YouTube video from a Twins 1987 spring training game.

Besides being amused by how much Gardy's body has changed over the years, I'm posting it because the clip also features Harmon Killebrew, who was one of the broadcasters for the team in '87. It is my recollection that Herb Carneal was strictly radio, Killebrew strictly TV, and John Gordon and John Rooney (the other voice on this clip) switched back and forth. Rooney left the Twins broadcasts for the White Sox after the season; he was one-and-done in Minnesota.


Rooney and Killer spent the at-bat discussing, vaguely, the issue of who the Twins would keep as a utility infielder. It was a three-way battle, with holdover Ron Washington versus imports Gardenhire and Al Newman. Newman won the job; Washington wound up with the Orioles; Gardenhire spent the entire 1987 season in Portland with the Twins Triple-A club and never played in the majors again.

Today. of course, Newman's out of the game and Washington and Gardenhire are prominent managers.

1 comment:

  1. Happy birthday Strato-to-matic! I got my first set of cards in 1977.

    Chris

    http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/7158/strat-o-matic-turns-50

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