Author: David Shama

Warmath’s last team finished with a 4-7 record.  Recruiting success and fan support had slipped since the 1960s and a nervous administration decided to change head football coaches, but no one since has been able to duplicate Warmath’s achievements at Minnesota.

In recent years Carol travelled frequently from her home in Kansas City to see her dad, now 97. He’s often in a wheelchair and living in a suburban Minneapolis retirement facility.  She was here in March, despite her fight with cancer.

Carol, 65, had won a battle with melanoma a few years ago.  Like her dad, she was a fighter and survivor.

Warmath saw his youngest child, Billy, pass away years ago at age 30.  He lost his wife Mary Louise in 2002 and now Carol.  Warmath’s oldest child, Murray Jr., attended the funeral on Friday.

Franzen said Warmath frets about the fates of his children and wife while being grateful for his own longevity and blessings.  “He feels it’s unfair that they went so early,” Franzen said.  “That they didn’t have a long life like him.”

Warmath is often reminded of Billy’s passing by the four seasons of the year.  “He will say Billy would be fishing, or we’ll drive by someplace where he and Billy played golf,” said Franzen who was a good friend of the younger Warmath.

Warmath loved the outdoors, including hunting and fishing.  These days most of his time is spent at his residence where he often has visitors including players from all his years coaching the Gophers.

Those in attendance at Carol’s funeral included former players and coaches during the Warmath era.  Some came from out of town including Bobby Bell, the two-time All-American who more than any player was responsible for a remarkable run from 1960-62 when the Gophers won 22 of 29 games.

Like Carol, Bell lives in the Kansas City area.  He was making a public appearance in December of last year when he saw Carol.  It was a connection he will long remember and be grateful for.

Bell knew Carol when he played for the Gophers. “All the coaches just treated us like part of the family,” Bell said.

In December Carol modestly told Bell he didn’t remember her.  He replied: “Oh, yes I do.”  And then he gave her hug.

Carol remembered Bell and a long list of other Gophers who played for her father.  Even last year she was back in Minneapolis to watch the Gophers play in their new stadium.  She never forgot her alma mater and the place her dad earned so much fame.

Carol Warmath Dillow was a special Golden Gopher.  And at the funeral service to celebrate her life last Friday the processional music couldn’t have been more appropriate:

The “Minnesota Rouser!”

Hall of famer Harmon (“Killer”) Killebrew told Sports Headliners on Wednesday that the Twins have a great hitting and fielding team, but will be tested in their weekend series that starts tonight in New York against the Yankees.

Although the Twins won the Central Division championship last year, they couldn’t defeat the Yankees in a single game during 2009 including three playoff games.  In regular season games the Twins are 14-41 against the Yankees since 2002 and 3-23 at Yankee Stadium.

Killebrew, who played 14 seasons with the Twins and remains close to the organization, doesn’t fuss over the past, emphasizing this is a new season and ballclub.  He agrees, though, the weekend series with the Yankees, a return series in Minneapolis later this month and a May 19-20 series in Boston will let the Twins know more about their ball club.

“I think so because you have to look at the Yankees as a standard in the American League,” he said. “I think they know they (the Twins) can beat any club in baseball right now.  If they can play well in this series coming up against the Yankees I think it will mean a lot for this season.”

Killebrew said “good pitching” usually bests “good hitting” and the Twins staff will likely determine how much this year’s team accomplishes.  “We have a great defensive ball club,” he said.  “We have a great hitting ball club, and we do have some really good pitchers.”

The Twins, 22-12, lead the Central Division, while New York has the same record and is in second place in the East.  There’s much opinion that the 2009 World Series champion Yankees are still among the best teams in baseball.  ESPN Power rankings list the Rays No. 1, followed by the Yankees and Twins.  https://espn.go.com/mlb/powerrankings

Killebrew is impressed with the Twins’ depth and the club has won despite injuries that have sidelined several players including pitchers Joe Nathan (out for the season), Jose Mijares and Pat Neshek, plus catcher Joe Mauer, first baseman Justin Morneau, second baseman Orlando Hudson, shortstop J.J. Hardy (on the disabled list) and third baseman Nick Punto.