Fargo-Moorhead Twins

Fargo-Moorhead Twins
Fargo-Moorhead Twins
(1914–1917, 1933–1942, 1946–1960); Fargo, North Dakota; Moorhead, Minnesota;
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes	Class-D (1914–1917, 1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Previous leagues	Northern League (1914–1917, 1933–1942, 1946–1960)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams	Cleveland Indians (1934–1940); Pittsburgh Pirates (1947–1948); Cleveland Indians (1953–1957); New York Yankees (1958–1960);
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	Moorhead Ballpark (1933–1935); Barnett Field (1936–1960);

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]

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]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame Alumni

Dizzy Dean (1941) Inducted, 1953

Lloyd Waner (1947, MGR) Inducted, 1967

Notable alumni

Horace Clarke (1960)

Mudcat Grant (1954) 2x MLB All-Star

Steve Gromek (1940) MLB All-Star

Danny Litwhiler (1952) MLB All-Star

Ray Mack (1938) MLB All-Star

Roger Maris (1953) 7x MLB All-Star; 2x AL Most Valuable Player (1960-1961)

Pete Mikkelsen (1960)

Joe Pepitone (1959) 3x MLB All-Star

Jim Perry (1957) 3x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL Cy Young Award

Dick Stigman (1954) 2x MLB All-Star

Ron Taylor (1957)

Ben Tincup (1942)

Bob Unglaub (1914-1916)

Bill Zuber (1934)

Year-by-year record

(from Baseball Reference Bullpen)

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1933	30-75	8th	Alvin Theis / Ralph Williams
1934	64-53	1st	Jack Knight	League Champs
1935	72-39	2nd	Hal Irelan	Lost League Finals
1936	59-61	5th	Hal Irelan
1937	70-41	2nd	Jack Knight	Lost League Finals
1938	60-56	5th	Jack Knight
1939	66-48	3rd	Jack Knight / Chester Bujaci	Lost in 1st round
1940	50-67	6th	Chester Bujaci / Wes Griffin
1941	48-69	6th	Wes Griffin / Mike Blazo
1942	54-68	7th	Mike Blazo / Ben Tincup

1946	63-41	2nd	Bruno Haas	Lost League Finals
1947	70-49	3rd	Bruno Haas	Lost in 1st round
1948	41-85	8th	Bruno Haas / Ralph DiLullo
1949	56-70	7th	Art Doll
1950	49-77	8th	Art Doll
1951	59-65	6th	Emil Gall
1952	44-80	7th	Nick Cullop / Bob Harmon / Danny Litwhiler
1953	86-39	1st	Zeke Bonura / Santo Luberto	League Champs
1954	85-55	1st	Phil Seghi	League Champs
1955	61-64	5th	Phil Seghi / Paul O'Dea
1956	49-74	8th	Tom Oliver
1957	65-57	4th	Frank Tornay / Ken Blackman
1958	72-51	2nd	Ken Silvestri	League Champs
1959	64-59	3rd	Dee Phillips	Lost in 1st round
1960	58-66	6th	John Fitzpatrick

References

^ Baseball Reference Bullpen
^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Moorhead&state=MN&country=US
^ 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
^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Moorhead&state=MN&country=US
^ Barnett Field
^ http://www.digitalballparks.com/NorthernOrig/Barnett_640_2.html Digital Ballparks]
^ <https://library.ndsu.edu/fargo-history/?q=content/barnett-field

[1] Baseball Reference Bullpen

[2] ttps://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] ttps://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Moorhead&state=MN&country=US

[5] Barnett Field

[6] ttp://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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