Justin Morneau continued the evolution of Canadian Baseball players, who along with Joe Mauer and Johan Santana, was part of a group of star players that the Twins had in the 2000s.

Morneau debuted for the Twins in 2002, and became their lead First Baseman two years later.  He had his best season in 2005, winning the MVP on a 34 HR/130 RBI season while batting .321, but he was not boing to be a one-great season player.  Morneau went to the next four All-Star Games, and was second for the MVP in 2007.   He also had a four-year run (2005-08) where he had at least 23 Home Runs, 100 RBI, and batted at least .270 with a Slugging Percentage of .490 or greater.  

As Morneau declined, he became expandable, and the then-struggling Twins traded him to Pittsburgh during the 2012 Season.  WIth Minnesota, Morneau batted .278 with 1,318 Hits and 221 Home Runs.

Morneau entered the Twins Hall of Fame in 2020.

There were few players who more hurt their baseball career more from serving their country in World War II than Cecil Travis.  Travis was a three-time All-Star and in the ’41 season, he would lead the American League in Hits with a .359 Batting Average.  Travis batted over .300 six other times and in that season before World War II finished sixth in MVP voting.

July 18 – August 7, 1960
Brenda Lee
I’m Sorry

Arguably the most important Minnesota Twin Pitcher in the 1980’s, Frank Viola will always be synonymous with his 1987 and 1988 seasons.  In ’87, after coming off of his fourth consecutive 16 Win season, Viola would be named the MVP in the 1987 World Series, bringing the title to the Twin Cities for the first time.