Fargo-Moorhead Twins

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.

Fargo-Moorhead Twins
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass-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)

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 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 in 1996.

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]

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

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

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

Year-by-year records

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
193330-758thAlvin Theis / Ralph Williams
193464-531stJack KnightLeague Champs
193572-392ndHal IrelanLost League Finals
193659-615thHal IrelanDid not qualify
193770-412ndJack KnightLost League Finals
193860-565thJack KnightDid not qualify
193966-483rdJack Knight / Chester BujaciLost in 1st round
194050-676thChester Bujaci / Wes GriffinDid not qualify
194148-696thWes Griffin / Mike BlazoDid not qualify
194254-687thMike Blazo / Ben TincupDid not qualify
194663-412ndBruno HaasLost League Finals
194770-493rdBruno HaasLost in 1st round
194841-858thBruno Haas / Ralph DiLulloDid not qualify
194956-707thArt DollDid not qualify
195049-778thArt DollDid not qualify
195159-656thEmil GallDid not qualify
195244-807thNick Cullop /< br /> Bob Harmon / Danny LitwhilerDid not qualify
195386-391stZeke Bonura / Santo LubertoLeague Champs
195485-551stPhil SeghiLeague Champs
195561-645thPhil Seghi / Paul O'DeaDid not qualify
195649-748thTom OliverDid not qualify
195765-574thFrank Tornay / Ken BlackmanDid not qualify
195872-512ndKen SilvestriLeague Champs
195964-593rdDee PhillipsLost in 1st round
196058-666thJohn FitzpatrickDid not qualify

[1]

References

  1. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "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.
  10. "Barnett Field | Fargo History". library.ndsu.edu.
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