My Vintage Minneapolis Millers & St. Paul Saints Collection

[Duluth Eskimo]

The Millers played at Nicollet Park in Minneapolis for many years prior to the opening of Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington in 1956. They played there until the Twins came on in 1961. Nicollet Park was nowhere near the size of Met stadium. Minor league pennants are very difficult overall, but the Millers were a high level team that had more than most. I have a number of different styles for the Millers. The St Paul Saints on the other hand are much more difficult to find.

[MikeGarcia]

...awesome thread... I collect Worch Cigar Premiums so I'm familiar with the Saints and Millers from the thirties....

..

[Tay1038]

1920's Ossie Bluege Hillerich & Bradsby Game Used Bat

Ossie Bluege played 44 games with the Minneapolis Millers in 1922 before being called up to the Majors with the Washington Senators, where he played his entire career from 1922 through 1939. He was a member of the Senators' 1924 World Series championship team, the franchise's only title before moving to Minnesota in 1961.

After retiring in 1939, Bluege managed in the minors for four years before taking over the Senators from 1943 to 1947. In 1948, Bluege was named the Senators' farm director, where his greatest scouting coup was a young Harmon Killebrew. In 1958 he became the team's comptroller, shortly before its relocation to Minneapolis as the Minnesota Twins. He remained the team's comptroller until his retirement in 1971, having served the organization for 50 years.

This is by far one of the most obscure bats in my collection today!

[Tay1038]

Game-Used Bats from Red Robbins, Ed Sadowski & Stu Locklin & 1958 Program w/ticket stubs

Finally after two years chasing these down I was able acquire three key game used bats to add to my 1958 Minneapolis Millers Junior World Series Championship team project, along with a 1958 game program with ticket stubs.

Over the years the Millers were participants in four Junior World Series; matchups between the champions of the American Association and the International League. In the 1932 championship, the team was defeated by the Newark Bears 4 games to 2. The Millers, under manager Bill Rigney clinched the 1955 series against the Rochester Red Wings, 4 games to 3, in the final ball game played at Nicollet Park. In 1958, the Millers, with Gene Mauch as manager, beat the Montreal Royals 4 games to 0. Their last appearance in this Series was in 1959, with Mauch as manager, when the Millers lost the series 4 games to 3 to the Havana Sugar Kings.

All three players were members of the 1959 Millers team, paying alongside 19 year old Carl Yastrzemski during probably one of the most bizarre minor league playoff series vs. Havana Cuba. Much has been written about that event which took place before 3,000 gun toting soliders and an armed Fidel Castro.

Author Stew Thornley recalls the event: http://www.stewthornley.net/millers_havana.html

[Scott Garner]

Terrific pickups, Tay!

[Tay1038]

Thanks Scott. I've got a few more goodies to share here soon!

[Tay1038]

c.1929 Zeke Bonura Hillerich & Bradsby Game Used Bat

Zeke Bonura had a 7 year MLB career from 1934-1940 with a 4 year stay with the American League Chicago White Sox. During that time period, Bonura terrorized the opposing pitchers posting a .307 batting average with 119 home runs and 794 RBI. He hit 100+ RBI in 4 of his 7 seasons!

Fun Fact: Before Albert Belle went and ruined all the fun, Bonura was the White Sox single-season RBI record holder. He drove in 138 runs for the White Sox in 1936, and that record stood for 62 years before Belle shattered it with 152 in 1998.

Bonura played a brief 55 games in Minneapolis over two seasons in 1941 & 1946; and although not one of the most famous players to suit up in a Millers uniform, a fun addition to add to the collection nonetheless.