FanPost

The Dazzle Man for the Twins Hall of Fame

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

I'm not sure who was on the mysterious 66-member committee that voted on the Twins Hall of Fame this year, but I know I didn't get a vote (unlike last year). Apparently Dan Gladden came in second in 2016, after getting the most votes in 2015. I submit the following case for admission to the committee members, so that perhaps next year Gladden can finally get the necessary votes to push him into the Hall.

da13b9bc356b541dba19adb1c2c6b377.0.jpg

  1. 1991 World Series Game 7 hustle double:
  2. 1987 World Series Game 1 grand slam:
  3. He was one of 7 Twins on both World Championship teams.
  4. He was the Twins left fielder when Kirby Puckett roamed center. He was great friends with Puck right up until Kirby's death.
  5. He played with fire. Personal story: I lived in the East Bay during the Twins glory years and saw all my Twins games at the Oakland Coliseum. The Bash Brother A's, of course, were awesome during the same period. One game during warm ups the players were running from the foul lines to center field. I remember Gladden and Puckett meeting Jose Canseco and Carney Lansford after their jogs and then watching all four yapping over their shoulders as they walked back to the foul lines. They did this several times. I'd give anything to know what they were saying to each other.
  6. He played with grit. He had two hits after he broke his finger when he hit Steve Lombardozzi. Lombardozzi had driven to Gladden's house to pick a fight. Gladden was playing with his young daughters when Lombo got there, but still got the better of him.
  7. He played with a mullet.
  8. He won a championship in Japan, too. He was the first person to start a fight in the NPL in 14 years.
  9. He tells hilarious stories on the radio. The duller the game, the better the stories. He's always sly with the play-by-play straight man, whether it's John Gordon or Corey Provus.
  10. He made Minnesota his home. He's been a Twins broadcaster since 2000. He sent his kids - and his wife - to school here. His daughter married Gary Gaetti's son. He's as famous as almost any other Twin - please let him in the Hall!