The Minnesota Twins have one of the more interesting histories in Major League Baseball. The franchise began as one of the American League’s original clubs in Washington, D.C., in 1901, played for six decades as the Washington, D.C., and moved to Minnesota for the 1961 season. Since the move, the Twins have won three American League pennants and two World Series championships in Minnesota. The franchise’s two Minnesota championships came in 1987 and 1991.
This history includes the team’s owners, home ballparks, Hall of Famers and their hometowns, Rookie of the Year winners, MVP winners, and World Series history.
From Washington Senators to Minnesota Twins
The franchise began play in Washington in 1901 as one of the eight original American League franchises. The club was also known as the Washington Nationals for part of its early history, although “Senators” became the name most associated with the team.
The franchise struggled for much of its early existence, but everything changed when Clark Griffith became its leading figure. Griffith eventually became owner and built the Senators into the team that won the 1924 World Series, Washington’s only championship.
After Griffith died in 1955, control passed to his nephew Calvin Griffith. Calvin eventually made the controversial decision to move the franchise to Minnesota after the 1960 season.
On October 26, 1960, the move was approved, creating the Minnesota Twins. The new name reflected the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Minnesota Twins Ownership History
The franchise’s ownership history is unusual because ownership has been dominated by two families for most of its modern history.
Early Washington ownership
Ban Johnson and Fred Postal — early Washington franchise ownership
Thomas C. Noyes — early 20th-century ownership
Clark Griffith — major owner and franchise builder, beginning in 1920
Calvin Griffith — controlled the franchise after Clark Griffith’s death and moved the team to Minnesota. The Griffith family controlled the franchise for decades. Clark Griffith’s ownership lasted from 1920 until his death in 1955, and Calvin Griffith then became the controlling owner.
Minnesota ownership
Calvin Griffith — 1961–1984
Calvin Griffith became the first owner of the Minnesota Twins. He brought the franchise from Washington to Minnesota and oversaw the club during the 1965 pennant season and the development of stars such as Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Tony Oliva.
Carl Pohlad — 1984–2010
Carl Pohlad purchased the Twins in 1984. Under his ownership, Minnesota won the 1987 and 1991 World Series.
Pohlad Family — 2010–present
Following Carl Pohlad’s death, the franchise remained in the Pohlad family. MLB currently lists the Carl R. Pohlad Family as the ownership group, with Jim Pohlad as control owner. The family explored selling the team in 2024 but announced in 2025 that the Twins would remain under Pohlad ownership.
So, in the simplest terms, the franchise’s modern ownership history is:
Griffith Family → Pohlad Family
Every Major Home Ballpark
Because the Twins franchise began in Washington, its complete ballpark history is longer than just the three Minnesota stadiums.
Washington Era
American League Park
1901–1903 — Washington, D.C.
This was the original home of the American League Washington franchise.
Boundary Field
1904–1910 — Washington, D.C.
The Senators played at the ballpark that was commonly known as Boundary Field during this period.
Griffith Stadium
1911–1960 — Washington, D.C.
Originally constructed as a replacement for the old wooden park, Griffith Stadium became the longtime home of the Senators. It was renamed for Clark Griffith in 1923.
It hosted World Series games in 1924, 1925 and 1933, including Washington’s 1924 championship.
Minnesota Ballparks
Metropolitan Stadium
1961–1981 — Bloomington, Minnesota
Metropolitan Stadium was the Twins’ first Minnesota home. The club played there from its first Minnesota season in 1961 through 1981.
The stadium was later demolished, and the site eventually became the location of the Mall of America.
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
1982–2009 — Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Metrodome became one of the most recognizable buildings in Minnesota sports.
It was home to the Twins for 28 seasons and witnessed both of Minnesota’s World Series championships: (1987- 1991)
Target Field
2010–present — Minneapolis, Minnesota
Target Field opened in 2010 and returned the Twins to an outdoor baseball stadium in downtown Minneapolis. It remains the Twins’ home today.
Minnesota Twins Hall of Famers
The Twins have produced an impressive collection of Baseball Hall of Famers. The players who went into Cooperstown primarily as Twins are:
Hall of Famer
Position
HOF Year
Hometown/Birthplace
Harmon Killebrew
1B/3B
1984
Payette, Idaho
Rod Carew
2B/1B
1991
Gatun, Panama Canal Zone
Kirby Puckett
OF
2001
Chicago, Illinois
Bert Blyleven
P
2011
Zeist, Netherlands
Jim Kaat
P
2022
Zeeland, Michigan
Tony Oliva
OF
2022
Pinar del Río, Cuba
Joe Mauer
C/1B
2024
St. Paul, Minnesota
MLB identifies these seven players as the players who entered the Hall as Twins.
Harmon Killebrew
Killebrew was born in Payette, Idaho, and became one of baseball’s greatest power hitters. He spent his Minnesota career from 1961 through 1974 and hit 475 of his 573 career home runs as a Twin. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Rod Carew
Born in Gatun, Panama Canal Zone, Carew became one of baseball’s greatest pure hitters. He won seven American League batting titles and the 1977 AL MVP Award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Kirby Puckett
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Puckett became the face of the Twins during their championship years. He was a key player on both the 1987 and 1991 championship teams and was inducted into Cooperstown in 2001.
Bert Blyleven
Born in Zeist, Netherlands, Blyleven was one of the greatest curveball pitchers in baseball history. He played two major stretches with Minnesota and was inducted in 2011.
Jim Kaat
Born in Zeeland, Michigan, Kaat pitched for the Senators before the move to Minnesota and then became one of the Twins’ most durable pitchers. He won 283 games during his career and entered the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Tony Oliva
Born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, Oliva played his entire major league career with Minnesota. He won the 1964 Rookie of the Year Award and three batting titles. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Joe Mauer
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mauer was the ultimate hometown Twin. He was the first overall pick in the 2001 draft and spent his entire 15-year major league career with Minnesota. He won three batting titles and the 2009 AL MVP Award before being elected to the Hall of Fame.
Other Hall of Famers Connected to the Franchise
Because the Twins are the continuation of the Washington Senators franchise, the team’s Hall of Fame history also includes important Washington figures.
Among those associated with the franchise are:
Walter Johnson — born Humboldt, Kansas — Hall of Fame 1936
Clark Griffith — born Clear Creek, Missouri — Hall of Fame 1946
Sam Rice — Washington Senators
Heinie Manush — Washington Senators
Goose Goslin — Washington Senators
Bucky Harris — Washington Senators
Joe Cronin — Washington Senators
Dave Winfield — St. Paul, Minnesota
Paul Molitor — St. Paul, Minnesota
Jack Morris — St. Paul, Minnesota
MLB’s Twins Hall of Fame list includes players and executives who played, coached or managed for the franchise, even when their primary team for Hall of Fame purposes was another club.
Walter Johnson, for example, was born in Humboldt, Kansas, and spent his entire playing career with Washington. He finished with 417 victories and was elected to the Hall in 1936.
Clark Griffith, born in Clear Creek, Missouri, was both a major figure in the creation of the franchise’s identity and a Hall of Fame executive.
Twins Rookie of the Year Winners
The Twins have had a remarkable collection of Rookie of the Year winners.
Year
Player
Award
1964
Tony Oliva
AL Rookie of the Year
1967
Rod Carew
AL Rookie of the Year
1979
John Castino
AL Rookie of the Year
1991
Chuck Knoblauch
AL Rookie of the Year
1995
Marty Cordova
AL Rookie of the Year
MLB’s award history lists these five Minnesota Twins winners.
There were also earlier Washington Senators winners that are part of the franchise history, including Bob Allison in 1959 and Albie Pearson in 1958.
Tony Oliva — 1964
Oliva immediately became a star, batting .323 with 32 home runs and 94 RBI. He became the first player in MLB history to win batting titles in each of his first two full seasons.
Rod Carew — 1967
Carew hit .292, made the All-Star team and won the Rookie of the Year Award. He eventually became a seven-time batting champion and Hall of Famer.
John Castino — 1979
Castino won the award after an outstanding rookie season at third base.
Chuck Knoblauch — 1991
Knoblauch arrived during one of the greatest seasons in Twins history and helped Minnesota win the World Series.
Marty Cordova — 1995
Cordova became Minnesota’s fifth Rookie of the Year winner since moving to the Twin Cities.
Minnesota Twins MVP Winners
The Twins have produced five American League Most Valuable Players.
Year
MVP
Team
1965
Zoilo Versalles
Minnesota Twins
1969
Harmon Killebrew
Minnesota Twins
1977
Rod Carew
Minnesota Twins
2006
Justin Morneau
Minnesota Twins
2009
Joe Mauer
Minnesota Twins
Zoilo Versalles — 1965
Versalles was the first Twins player to win the AL MVP. His outstanding season helped Minnesota win the American League pennant and reach the 1965 World Series.
Harmon Killebrew — 1969
Killebrew produced one of the most powerful seasons in Twins history, hitting 49 home runs and driving in 140 runs while leading Minnesota to the AL West championship.
Rod Carew — 1977
Carew hit .388 with 239 hits, 128 runs and 100 RBI and won the AL MVP Award. It remains one of the greatest offensive seasons in franchise history.
Justin Morneau — 2006
Morneau became the first Canadian-born player to win the American League MVP Award.
Joe Mauer — 2009
Mauer hit .365, won the batting title, and became the only catcher in AL history to win three batting titles. He was also the AL MVP as Minnesota captured the AL Central.
World Series History
The franchise has won three World Series championships:
1924 — Washington Senators
1987 — Minnesota Twins
1991 — Minnesota Twins
The Twins therefore have two championships since moving to Minnesota, while the franchise’s 1924 championship came in Washington.
1924 World Series — Washington Senators
Washington Senators defeated New York Giants, 4 games to 3
This was the franchise’s first World Series championship.
Manager Bucky Harris and pitcher Walter Johnson were central figures. Johnson, after losing Games 1 and 5, entered Game 7 in relief and helped preserve the victory. Earl McNeely’s RBI double in the 12th inning gave Washington the championship.
Series result
Senators 4 — Giants 3
1965 World Series — Twins Lose to Dodgers
Minnesota reached the World Series in only its fifth season after moving from Washington.
The Twins faced the Los Angeles Dodgers and took an early 2–0 lead, winning Games 1 and 2.
But Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers came back to win four of the final five games.
Final result
Los Angeles Dodgers 4 — Minnesota Twins 3
Game-by-game:
Game 1 — Twins 8, Dodgers 2
Game 2 — Twins 5, Dodgers 1
Game 3 — Dodgers 4, Twins 0
Game 4 — Dodgers 7, Twins 2
Game 5 — Dodgers 7, Twins 0
Game 6 — Twins 5, Dodgers 1
Game 7 — Dodgers 2, Twins 0
1987 World Series — First Minnesota Championship
After 26 seasons in Minnesota, the Twins finally won their first World Series.
Minnesota defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3.
The Twins were only 85–77 during the regular season, making the championship particularly unusual. They then defeated Detroit in the AL Championship Series before beating St. Louis in the World Series.
World Series
Twins 4 — Cardinals 3
Every game was won by the home team.
The Twins won Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 in the Metrodome, while St. Louis won Games 3, 4 and 5 at Busch Stadium.
World Series MVP
Frank Viola
Viola won two games in the Series, including the decisive Game 7, when he pitched eight strong innings in Minnesota’s 4–2 victory.
1991 World Series — One of Baseball’s Greatest
Four years after their first Minnesota championship, the Twins returned to the World Series.
They faced the Atlanta Braves in a seven-game classic.
Final result
Twins 4 — Braves 3
Once again, every game was won by the home team. Minnesota won all four games at the Metrodome, while Atlanta won all three games in Atlanta.
Game 6
With the score tied 3–3 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Kirby Puckett hit a walk-off home run to keep the Twins alive.
Game 7
The deciding game became one of the most famous games in World Series history.
Jack Morris pitched all 10 innings for Minnesota, shutting out Atlanta. Gene Larkin then delivered the championship-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 10th.
Final: Twins 1, Braves 0.
World Series MVP
Jack Morris
Morris finished the Series 2–0 with a 1.17 ERA and 23 innings pitched.
Twins World Series Championship Summary
Year
Team
Opponent
Result
Series Record
World Series MVP
1924
Washington Senators
New York Giants
Won
4–3
—
1965
Minnesota Twins
Los Angeles Dodgers
Lost
3–4
Sandy Koufax
1987
Minnesota Twins
St. Louis Cardinals
Won
4–3
Frank Viola
1991
Minnesota Twins
Atlanta Braves
Won
4–3
Jack Morris
The Twins’ Greatest Eras
The Killebrew and Oliva Era
The 1960s established Minnesota as a legitimate baseball town.
Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, Jim Kaat and Zoilo Versalles became the foundation of the franchise.
The Twins won the AL pennant in 1965, although the Dodgers defeated them in seven games.
The Carew Era
Rod Carew became one of baseball’s greatest hitters.
His 1977 MVP season was the high point of his Minnesota career, when he hit .388 and came close to becoming the first American League hitter since Ted Williams to hit .400.
The Puckett Era
The late 1980s and early 1990s produced the most successful period in Twins history.
The core included:
Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Frank Viola, Bert Blyleven, Gary Gaetti,
Chuck Knoblauch, Dan Gladden, Jack Morris, Rick Aguilera.
That group produced two World Series championships in four seasons.
The Mauer Era
The 2000s brought another generation of stars.
Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Johan Santana and Torii Hunter helped return Minnesota to prominence.
Mauer’s 2009 MVP season stands among the greatest individual seasons ever produced by a catcher.
A Franchise Built on Great Players
The Minnesota Twins have gone through tremendous changes since their days as the Washington Senators. They have moved cities, changed ballparks, changed ownership and gone through several generations of players. Yet the franchise’s identity has remained remarkably consistent. From Walter Johnson and Clark Griffith in Washington to Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew in the 1960s and 1970s, then Kirby Puckett and the 1987 and 1991 champions, and finally Joe Mauer and the modern Twins, the organization has repeatedly produced players who became part of baseball history.
The franchise has three World Series championships overall — 1924, 1987 and 1991 — with two of those coming after the club became the Minnesota Twins. It has had seven players enter Cooperstown primarily as Twins, five AL MVP winners, and five Minnesota-era AL Rookie of the Year winners.
For a franchise that has spent more than a century in professional baseball, the story of the Twins is really the story of several different teams connected by one continuous baseball history—from Washington to Minnesota, from Griffith Stadium to Target Field, and from Walter Johnson to Joe Mauer.
Artie Fischal
