On This Date in 1998: In a blockbuster trade that the @LATimes called “one of baseball’s biggest,” the Dodgers send Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile to the Marlins for Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, St. Cloud legend Jim Eisenreich, and minor leaguer Manuel Barrios.

Happy 26th birthday to 2015 Wayzata graduate Joey Gerber, who made it to the majors with the Mariners in 2020. Didn't allow a hit in his first two MLB relief appearances, retiring Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, and Shohei Ohtani. Pitched for the townball @MNHamelHawks in 2016.

Kent Hrbek had six-straight multi-hit games between April 24th and 30th, 1988, going 13-for-24 (.542) with nine of those 13 hits going for extra bases (five doubles and four homers).

With the addition of Jerry Kindall’s 1958 rookie card, I now have every @Topps card of a Minnesota high school graduate from the 1950s.

I pity the catcher.

Outstate Minnesota natives Charley Albert Bender, “Bullet” Joe Bush, and Rube Walberg all won World Series rings with the Philadelphia A’s.

31-year-old St. Paul native and former major league spitballer Hank Gehring was set to pitch for the Kansas City Blues in 1912, but tragically died of kidney failure (uremia) on this date. Read more about Gehring on the Almanac ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/January/#Ha…

Happy 64th birthday to 1977 St. Cloud Tech graduate and @StCloudState Hall of Famer Jim Eisenreich. He made his major league debut batting leadoff and playing center field in the #MNTwins' first-ever regular season game at the Metrodome. twinsalmanac.com/jimeisenrei…

Chet Wieczorek was born in Winona on this date in 1915. Hit .342 with 37 HRs and 111 runs batted in with the Duluth Dukes in 1936. Hit .366 w/ 28 HRs and 130 RBI at Portsmouth, OH in 1938. After being out of pro ball in 1944 & '45 (presumably WWII), he made it to Triple A.

Former major league center fielder Bill Barnes was born in Shakopee on this date in 1858 ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/April/#Bill…

Playing for the visiting Angels, @DaveWinfieldHOF hit for 15 total bases at the Metrodome on this date in 1991, going 5-for-6 with three home runs and a double. That's the most total bases ever by a major leaguer on Minnesota soil (Met Stadium, the Dome, or Target Field).

1944 Harding graduate and 1958 NL All-Star outfielder Walt Moryn was born in St. Paul on this date in 1926. During his eight-year major league career, he was teammates with the likes of Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, and Roberto Clemente.

#MNTwins first baseman Joe Mauer collected his 2,000th hit on this date in 2018—a two-RBI grounder right up the middle in the seventh inning of a 4-0 victory over the #WhiteSox at Target Field. He also lined an RBI-single to right in the third inning.

St. Paul natives Mickey Rocco and @DaveWinfieldHOF.

St. Cloud native Tom Burgmeier pitched in 745 major league games. That’s the most of anybody from Minnesota.

If you ask me, this is still the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history.

Which city has produced the most first-ballot Hall of Famers? Joe Mauer will be the third from St. Paul.

Happy 72nd birthday to 1969 St. Paul Murray graduate Tom Johnson. He earned two wins and a save in his first three major league appearances with the #MNTwins in 1974. twinsalmanac.com/tomjohnson/