Clyde Doepner, the only full-time curator employed by a major league baseball team, said there’s a possibility of opening a Twins museum. Club management has discussed a possible museum and perhaps locating it in the Ford Centre, the historic office building located near Target Field.
Doepner has been collecting Twins memorabilia dating back to when the ball club played at Met Stadium. He has more than 7,000 memorabilia items in his personal collection, including not only Twins items but also from the franchise’s days in Washington, D.C.
The former high school teacher and baseball coach was hired two years ago as the franchise prepared for its opening of Target Field in 2010. He credits team president Dave St. Peter with his hiring. St. Peter and other club leaders wanted Target Field to be a place that told the history of baseball in Minneapolis-St. Paul including the Twins.
Although Doepner has collected items ranging from the autographs of U.S. presidents to a Twins jersey that incorrectly spelled Minnesota, there is a memory he described as more special than anything else. “The day Harmon Killebrew knew my name,” Doepner said.
Call them the “Smash Boys.” Miguel Sano, 18, hit 20 home runs in 267 at bats for the Twins Elizabethton team in the Appalachian Rookie League. Eddie Rosario, 19, hit 21 balls out of the park in 270 at bats for Elizabethton.
Since the July All-Star break Twins first baseman Justin Morneau is hitting .235 in 14 games with no home runs and nine RBI. He has been unable to play since August 28.
The late Angelo Giuliani, a famous Twins scout, is among nine people being inducted into the Saint Thomas Academy Athletic Hall of Fame on September 30.
Glenn Caruso, football coach of nationally ranked St. Thomas, will be the featured speaker at the C.O.R.E.S luncheon on Thursday, November 10. C.O.R.E.S is an acronym for coaches, officials, educators, reporters and sports fans.