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 Fargo-Moorhead Twins played in the Northern League (1933–1942, 1946–1960) and were an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians (1934–1940, 1953–1957), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1947–1948) and the New York Yankees (1958 Fargo-Moorehead Graingrowers1960).[1]

Fargo-Moorhead Twins
(1914–1917, 1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Fargo, North Dakota
Moorhead, Minnesota
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass-D (1914–1917, 1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Previous leagues
Northern League (1914–1917, 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-Moorehead Graingrowers (1914–1917)
Fargo-Moorhead Twins (1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Previous parks

The preceding Fargo-Moorhead team, also playing in the Northern League, was the Fargo-Moorehead Graingrowers (1914–1917). The Northern League folded from 1918–1932.[2]

1953 season

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.[3]

Fargo-Moorhead won Northern League Championships in 1915, 1917, 1934, 1953, 1954, 1958, claiming six overall titles.[4]

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. [5]

Prior to Barnett Field, in 1933–1935, Fargo-Moorhead played home games at Moorhead Ballpark in Moorhead, Minnesota. [6][7]

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

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame Alumni

Notable alumni

  • Roger Maris (1953) 7x MLB All-Star; 2x AL Most Valuable Player (1960-1961)
  • Jim Perry (1957) 3x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL Cy Young Award

Year-by-year record

(from Baseball Reference Bullpen)

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
193330-758thAlvin Theis / Ralph Williams
193464-531stJack KnightLeague Champs
193572-392ndHal IrelanLost League Finals
193659-615thHal Irelan
193770-412ndJack KnightLost League Finals
193860-565thJack Knight
193966-483rdJack Knight / Chester BujaciLost in 1st round
194050-676thChester Bujaci / Wes Griffin
194148-696thWes Griffin / Mike Blazo
194254-687thMike Blazo / Ben Tincup
194663-412ndBruno HaasLost League Finals
194770-493rdBruno HaasLost in 1st round
194841-858thBruno Haas / Ralph DiLullo
194956-707thArt Doll
195049-778thArt Doll
195159-656thEmil Gall
195244-807thNick Cullop / Bob Harmon / Danny Litwhiler
195386-391stZeke Bonura / Santo LubertoLeague Champs
195485-551stPhil SeghiLeague Champs
195561-645thPhil Seghi / Paul O'Dea
195649-748thTom Oliver
195765-574thFrank Tornay / Ken Blackman
195872-512ndKen SilvestriLeague Champs
195964-593rdDee PhillipsLost in 1st round
196058-666thJohn Fitzpatrick
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References
  1. Baseball Reference Bullpen
  2. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Moorhead&state=MN&country=US
  3. 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
  4. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Moorhead&state=MN&country=US
  5. Barnett Field
  6. http://www.digitalballparks.com/NorthernOrig/Barnett_640_2.html Digital Ballparks]
  7. <https://library.ndsu.edu/fargo-history/?q=content/barnett-field
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