My Vintage Minneapolis Millers & St. Paul Saints Collection

[Tay1038]

1932 Minneapolis Milllers v. Indianapolis Indians Baseball Program (Scored) ~ July 16, 1932 - Joe Hauser 29th Home Run of the Season!

Tough program year to find. The program has seen better days, but fun addition nonetheless. Millers Win, defeat Indians 7-4.

WP-Vandenberg. Hauser (29), Harris, and Smith homer. 9th straight win for the Millers.

[Tay1038]

1933 Minneapolis Millers v. Kansas City Blues Program (Scored) from September 9th when Joe Hauser Hit Historic HR #68 & HR #69 - Single Season Professional HR Record


I finally set some time aside to research my Millers programs and ran across my 1933. I previously noticed that Hauser hit a couple home runs that game and knew it was from historic season, but after some additional research came to find out that those two homers were his final two (HR #68 & #69) of the season thus making this program even more historic and important than I was anticipating! I suddenly had that same feeling when you find money in a pair of jeans or coat you haven’t worn for awhile.

[Tay1038]

1932 Worch Cigar (Minneapolis Millers) Set & Vintage 5 Cent Worch Cigar Cedar Wood Box and Label

[Duluth Eskimo]

Very nice

[Tay1038]

1956 Minneapolis Millers vs. New York Giants Program & Ticket, and 1959 Minneapolis Millers v. AA All-Stars Program & Ticket (Fifth and final hosted All-Star game by Millers, and first at Met Stadium)

On June 7, 1956 the Millers played the New York Giants in an Exhibition Game held at the NEW Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minn. Former Miller alumni, Willie Mays of the Giants hits 2 home runs, 1 estimated at 450 feet, before 21,832 fans.

[Tay1038]

1921 Bill McKechnie Game Used Bat (Ty Lober Professional Model) – Hall of Fame

This bat ranks right up there with my Monte Irvin and Gavvy Cravath as one of the scarcest game-used bats in my collection today. For your viewing is a game-used bat from Hall of Fame manager Bill McKechnie. Originally issued to Ty Lober, who spent his 1921 season with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, the bat was used by McKechnie in 1921, his only season with the Minneapolis Millers. The bat has been side written, "39 ½ Wm. McKechnie 8-15-21 Minneapolis BBC” indicting that Hall of Fame Pirates & Reds manager Bill McKechnie came into possession of the bat at some point during the 1921 season (also in the American Association) and sent back to Hillerich & Bradsby, likely to have bats made for himself in the same style.

In 1921, Bill MeKechnie finished his playing career at third base for Minneapolis. He had only a .234 lifetime average in the major leagues but hit .321 for the Millers with 8 HRs and 65 RBI’s. Following his playing days, McKechnie compiled a long and successful record as a manager, winning pennants with three different National League (St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) earning himself a spot in the Hall of Fame in 1961. McKechnie had also played for St. Paul in 1912 and is the only Hall of Famer to have played for both the Millers and Saints.

Special thank you to fellow N54 member for selling this one to me! I can't imagine there is another McKechnie gamer out there.

[Tay1038]

1955 Minneapolis Millers vs AA All-Star Game Program and Ticket Stub - Signed by Don Larsen!

Here is a fun one! There was an All-Star Game in Minneapolis when Larsen beat Branca!

As author Stew Thornley pointed out, the pitchers getting decisions in the 1955 game were notable. Larsen pitched a perfect game for the Yankees in the World Series in 1956. And Branca gave up “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World’’ for the Dodgers to the Giants’ Bobby Thomson in the third game of the 1951 National League playoff.

The American Association All-Star game started in 1934, but there was a gap in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. When played, the team with the best record on a certain date in the schedule would host the game, and play a collection of stars from the remaining seven teams. According to Thornley’s research, the Millers had the best record and hosted five All-Star Games: four at Nicollet Park and one in 1959 at Met Stadium.

On Thursday, July 21, 1955 the Minneapolis Millers hosted their fourth AA All-Star game, and final at Nicollet Park. The Millers were defeated by the AA All-Stars 16-6. LP-Ralph Branca. Trailing 5-2 after the 6th, the All-Stars scored 11 runs in the the 7th. Don Larsen of Denver is the WP (Larsen was 8-1, with his only loss coming against the Millers on July 10). Larsen also hit a 2-run homer in the 9th.

For your amusement is a beautifully scored program and ticket stub from the 1955 AA All-Star game. I recently acquired this program a couple weeks ago, and thought it would be fun to write to Don Larsen to see if I could ask him to autograph it. Today I received it back and it turned out awesome! Thanks Mr. Larsen!

[David Skoglund]

Impressive.

Stopped by CHS Field today, the home of the current St. Paul Saints. They're in the process of building a museum on site.