Minnesota Twins Tony Oliva & Jim Kaat Elected to HOF

Minnesota Twins baseball fans have always known that someday they would see two more of their legends be recognized for their play on the field. Well, the wait is over.

Former Twins Tony Oliva & Jim Kaat have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Golden Days Era Committee.

In a release by the Minnesota Twins ballclub, Oliva received 12 votes (75%) of the 16 ballots to win the election and Kaat received 12 votes (75%) of the 16 ballots. They join Gil Hodges (Golden Days Era Committee), Minnie Miñoso (Golden Days Era Committee), Bud Fowler (Early Baseball Era Committee), and Buck O’Neil (Early Baseball Era Committee) in the Class of 2022.

Both Oliva and Kaat who are 83, have now joined their former teammates Harmon Killebrew (1984), Rod Carew (1991), Kirby Puckett (2001), and Bert Blyleven (2011) as the fifth and sixth Twins to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

In his 25-year career, Kaat ruled the pitcher's mound with 180 complete games and 31 shutouts.

Oliva and Kaat will be inducted into Cooperstown in July of 2022.

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Ten Most Disappointing Minnesota Sports Seasons

The 2021 Minnesota Twins entered the season with high expectations, but unfortunately, they've made the list of most disappointing Minnesota teams of all time.

Disappointment is a common feeling for Minnesota sports fans as the years continue. Following the NBA Championship win for Milwaukee, SportsCenter was quick to point out that Minnesota has the current longest streak of seasons without a championship appearance in the four major sports (MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL). The Minnesota Lynx also chimed in on the stat after claiming four championships since 2011.

The ten teams that are on this list all follow a similar pattern. The year prior was either a great season with a playoff run or one that featured a strong core of players that appeared to have taken the next step. Offseason/preseason expectations were high with even Las Vegas oddsmakers believing in a deep run. Unfortunately, those preseason expectations fell short for the following teams. None of the teams listed below made the playoffs.

Filed Under: Baseball Hall of Fame, Baseball's highest honor, Jim Kaat, Minnesota Twins, Tony Oliva

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