The news has broken that the Pohlad family, who have owned the Minnesota Twins since 1984, have decided to sell the club. This marks the first time since the team's founding in 1901 that a Pohlad or Griffith will not own the franchise.
Former Twins manager Tom Kelly was consulted about the potential sale, and he shared some amusing anecdotes about his interactions with the Pohlad family over the years. Kelly recounted a story about team owner Carl Pohlad buying him a new suit one day, much to Kelly's surprise and bewilderment.
"Mr. Pohlad, he would come in the and sit in my office at the Dome periodically... he come in he had an Entourage with them... and then he would come in and I think he just just what I thought I just thought he wanted to get away and sit down and uh exhale sort of," Kelly said. "And uh I you know I'm a sort of a young fell 30 what the hell was I P 36 35 you're pretty young so uh I you know we two different backgrounds here I think so yeah so I never knew really what to say to him so I blur it out one day boy that Carl that's a nice suit and so he says you really like it I said yeah it's sharp sharp looking I said you had it on all day I don't see any wrinkles I said that's pretty pretty nice."
Kelly went on to describe how Pohlad then had a suit delivered to him, along with multiple dress shirts, ties, and even shoes. Kelly was overwhelmed by the generosity, saying "I was going oh my goodness gracious so now I'm walking back to the Dome I got four bags I'm carrying I'm going Jesus Christ I was just making conversation."
The potential sale of the Twins has Kelly and his former teammates reminiscing about their time with the organization. Kelly shared another story about former Twins player Gabby Hartnett, who told him to compliment Pohlad's car the next time he came around.
While Kelly is sad to see the Pohlad family depart, he is hopeful that the new owners will keep the team in Minnesota. With 15 years remaining on the Twins' lease at Target Field, and Hennepin County negotiating to extend it to 20 years, Kelly believes the team is unlikely to relocate.
However, the potential sale price of $1.5 billion presents a significant challenge for any prospective buyers. Kelly's former teammates Joe Mauer and Patrick Reusse joked that they likely don't have the financial resources to purchase the club.
As the Twins' future ownership hangs in the balance, Kelly's stories provide a glimpse into the team's rich history and the relationships he built with the Pohlad family over the decades. While change is on the horizon, the Twins' legacy in Minnesota appears secure.
Part 1/4:
The Twins' Potential New Owners
The news has broken that the Pohlad family, who have owned the Minnesota Twins since 1984, have decided to sell the club. This marks the first time since the team's founding in 1901 that a Pohlad or Griffith will not own the franchise.
Former Twins manager Tom Kelly was consulted about the potential sale, and he shared some amusing anecdotes about his interactions with the Pohlad family over the years. Kelly recounted a story about team owner Carl Pohlad buying him a new suit one day, much to Kelly's surprise and bewilderment.
Part 2/4:
"Mr. Pohlad, he would come in the and sit in my office at the Dome periodically... he come in he had an Entourage with them... and then he would come in and I think he just just what I thought I just thought he wanted to get away and sit down and uh exhale sort of," Kelly said. "And uh I you know I'm a sort of a young fell 30 what the hell was I P 36 35 you're pretty young so uh I you know we two different backgrounds here I think so yeah so I never knew really what to say to him so I blur it out one day boy that Carl that's a nice suit and so he says you really like it I said yeah it's sharp sharp looking I said you had it on all day I don't see any wrinkles I said that's pretty pretty nice."
Part 3/4:
Kelly went on to describe how Pohlad then had a suit delivered to him, along with multiple dress shirts, ties, and even shoes. Kelly was overwhelmed by the generosity, saying "I was going oh my goodness gracious so now I'm walking back to the Dome I got four bags I'm carrying I'm going Jesus Christ I was just making conversation."
The potential sale of the Twins has Kelly and his former teammates reminiscing about their time with the organization. Kelly shared another story about former Twins player Gabby Hartnett, who told him to compliment Pohlad's car the next time he came around.
Part 4/4:
While Kelly is sad to see the Pohlad family depart, he is hopeful that the new owners will keep the team in Minnesota. With 15 years remaining on the Twins' lease at Target Field, and Hennepin County negotiating to extend it to 20 years, Kelly believes the team is unlikely to relocate.
However, the potential sale price of $1.5 billion presents a significant challenge for any prospective buyers. Kelly's former teammates Joe Mauer and Patrick Reusse joked that they likely don't have the financial resources to purchase the club.
As the Twins' future ownership hangs in the balance, Kelly's stories provide a glimpse into the team's rich history and the relationships he built with the Pohlad family over the decades. While change is on the horizon, the Twins' legacy in Minnesota appears secure.