Pacific Coast League (1972-1977)
Tombstone
Born: November 12, 1971 – Affiliation change from Tacoma Cubs
Affiliation Change: 1978 (Tacoma Yankees)
First Game: April 14, 1972 (W 8-4 vs. Eugene Emeralds)
Last Game: September 5, 1977 (L 6-4, W 4-2 @ Spokane Indians)
Pacific Coast League Championships: None
Stadium
Cheney Stadium (8,002)11975 Tacoma Twins Program
Opened: 1960
Dimensions (1975): Left 325′, Center 425′, Right 325′21975 Tacoma Twins Program
Ownership & Affiliation
Major League Affiliation: Minnesota Twins
Owners: Tacoma Baseball, Inc. (E.J. “Jimmy” Zarelli, et al.)
Attendance
Background & Key Players
The Tacoma Twins of the Pacific Coast League were the top farm club of the Minnesota Twins for six seasons in the mid-1970’s.
The Tacoma teams of the Twins era produced many future Major Leaguers, but few of much renown. The best of the bunch were catcher Rick Dempsey (Tacoma ’72) and outfield Lyman Bostock (Tacoma ’74’-75). Dempsey played 24 seasons in the majors and earned Most Valuable Player honors for the 1983 World Series as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. Bostock seemed destined for stardom until his shocking and senseless murder in September 1978.
Perhaps the Tacoma Twins best player, by Class AAA standards, was hard-hitting first baseman Randy Bass (Twins ’75-’77). Over the course of three summers in Tacoma, Bass slugged 64 home runs. Bass’ Major League career never really took off. But he became the most feared hitter in Japan after signing with the Hanshin Tigers of Central League in 1983. Bass won back-to-back Japanese Triple Crowns in 1985 and 1986.
Experiment with Pro Soccer
During the summer of 1976, the Twins local ownership group flirted with professional soccer. Tacoma Baseball, Inc. partnered with future Washington governor Booth Gardner to form the Tacoma Tides of the American Soccer League. The Tides shared Cheney Stadium with the Twins during the bicentennial summer, but folded after only one season of play.
The Twins era in Tacoma came to an end in 1978 with a parent club shift to the New York Yankees.
Tacoma Twins Shop
In Memoriam
Outfielder Lyman Bostock (Twins ’74-’75) was shot to death in a case of mistaken identity in his hometown of Gary, Indiana on September 23, 1978 at the age of 27. Washington Post obituary.
Links
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