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PERRY FINELLI: The East, possibly becoming brief freezing drizzle or flurries, the temperatures falling in the East and near-steady in the West, and then for tonight, a chance of light snow in the West, scattered snow showers or flurries in the East, lows ranging from the teens in the northwest near 30 in the southeast.

In Duluth, right now, it's cloudy where it's 38 degrees. St. Cloud reporting cloudy skies and 29 degrees; Rochester, cloudy and 33; Twin Cities now, west winds 15, gusting to 24. It's cloudy, and the 2 o'clock temperature 32 degrees.

[BEEP]

MARK HEISTAD: Hello, this is Mark Heistad, encouraging you to be listening each weekday morning from 5:00 to 9:00 for Morning Edition. We'll update you on the overnight events around the world, as well as the news from around our region. That's Morning Edition weekday mornings from 5:00 to 9:00.

[BEEP]

PERRY FINELLI: This is KNOW 91.1 FM, 13:30 AM, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the Twin Cities. News and information station of Minnesota Public Radio.

MIKE MOSS: This is Mike Moss. We're going to take a break from Worldview today, to be able to bring you all the excitement of the celebrations for our world champion Minnesota Twins. Worldview will be back tomorrow afternoon with the latest on the Mideast peace conference in Madrid and a conversation about the role of public relations in the Soviet Union. Yes, the Soviet Union.

And we'll also be talking with a couple of schoolteachers from what used to be East Germany, who have some interesting things to say about education in the United States. I hope you'll join us for Worldview tomorrow and stay with us this afternoon for all of the activities to celebrate the Twins World Series win.

- (SINGING) If you ever get annoyed

Look at me, I'm self-employed

I love to work at nothing all day

GARY EICHTEN: And good afternoon, everybody. This is Gary Eichten reporting from the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. Taking care of business here. This is the big celebration for the 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins.

Probably 3/4 of the seats are taken up. People are up on their feet, waving their homer hankies, getting ready for the arrival of the Minnesota Twins. This is the official celebration. Twins will be talking to the folks. You can hear music in the background.

There's going to be a lot more of that, a lot of cheering. And we hope you can stay with us for the next hour or so, as we put a real nice ribbon on what has been a fantastic baseball season here in Minnesota. This live broadcast is made possible in part by the advocates of Minnesota Public Radio. Contributors include the James R. Thorp Foundation and Cargo Incorporated, supporting Minnesota's tradition of community service.

Howard Sinker is here, who, of course, has been serving as our baseball all commentator throughout the playoffs and World Series. Howard was writing the lead story for the Star Tribune on each of the games. Bill Wareham, our man at the playoffs and the World, Series is here, microphone in hand. And Mark Zdechlik is out gathering tape from around the area. It should be a fun day, gentlemen, should be a fun day.

BILL WAREHAM: It's been a fun week, Gary. I hope it ends on a fun note here. This looks like it's going to be great.

HOWARD SINKER: I'm happy whenever I can hear Bachman-Turner Overdrive over my left shoulder. By the way, this is a song they play in Atlanta anytime the Braves win. And until this year, they were only playing at about 50 times a season. And I think there was a little bit of rubbing it in when the Twins PR masters stole it Saturday night after game 6.

GARY EICHTEN: Well, somehow I have to feel that at some point we're also going to hear the Marvin Gaye classic "Let's get it on," which, of course, Jack Morris made famous his fight song, as it were, before the marvelous seventh-game performance by Jack Morris.

BILL WAREHAM: It certainly needs to be said that whatever happens here today, and it does look like it's going to be a good time, nothing will compare with that series itself. I don't think, gentlemen.

GARY EICHTEN: No. Baseball at its finest, no question about it. My understanding is that the parade is mostly over in Minneapolis. Everything has gone very, very smoothly. You'll recall in 1987, the first time this community had to put up with this kind of nonsense--

HOWARD SINKER: Terrible stuff, terrible stuff.

GARY EICHTEN: --the parade went kind of slowly. There were fires, the low-riding. Corvettes, some of the catalytic converters touched off. The confetti, and there was smoking, and convertibles, and the rest. This year, they've been riding on the big pickup trucks so the fans could see them. And the parade apparently has gone very, very well.

HOWARD SINKER: No fur coats this year either.

GARY EICHTEN: No fur coats this year.

HOWARD SINKER: Unlike '87. Yeah. The Twins didn't want to offend the animal rights activists.

GARY EICHTEN: 63,000 tickets were sold for this event here at the Metrodome. Now, there are still lots of empty seats. My guess is that a lot of the people who are going to fill those seats are still out outside watching the parade come to an end.

And I'm guessing, too, that a lot of people thought this was going to run a lot later, and they probably weren't planning to come over here till 2:30, 3 o'clock, thinking, well, my goodness, it couldn't be on schedule, could it?

HOWARD SINKER: No, no. Nothing ever starts on time when you have a celebration like this. I've just noticed in the last 15 minutes a lot of seats that were empty have filled up. And I think they're going to come pretty close. Remember, they're only-- and I use "only" loosely-- 51,000 people who came here in '87 for that spontaneous celebration. And I think they'll meet that today.

BILL WAREHAM: You'll probably also see a lot of good Minnesotans looking ahead here yesterday, thinking, well, it might rain on our parade, so let's get our ticket for inside in case, we can't stand outside on the curb and cheer our Twins on.

GARY EICHTEN: That's what they built the dome for, exactly this kind of weather. Well, there are a whole host of dignitaries, as you might expect. Governor Arne Carlson is here. And the governor is a big sports fan, especially basketball. He loves college basketball. We talked to him a few minutes ago, though, about the Twins, about the celebration, and allowed us how this is a great day for the state of Minnesota. Here's what he had to say.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Oh, it's remarkable. The Malcolm Baldrige Award is given out annually to that business which best reflects quality. And for the second year in a row, it was won by a Minnesota company, Xytech, in Redwood Falls. So I went down there this morning, and then to come back to the Twins in the afternoon and give them a certificate as the world's best baseball club-- this is a great day for Minnesota.

SPEAKER: You know your sports a lot better than a lot of people do. How do you think this World Series stacked up?

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Oh, I'm glad, really glad you asked. I would argue, without being overly biased, that this one, and probably the 1946 World Series, Saint Louis versus Boston, were probably the two best World Series, possibly of the century, but certainly within my lifetime.

SPEAKER: Tell me about that one.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Well, that was the one where Enos Slaughter was on first base. Harry Walker hit a bloop single out into left field. And Slaughter went all the way from first to home. Incredible play. Harry "the Cat" Brecheen was on the mound, and he won three games for St. Louis.

And you saw the same thing in 1991-- Morris, aged 36, going deep into his reserve of experience and coming out with a 10 inning shutout. That's remarkable. Absolutely remarkable pitching. But you saw great hitting. And I'll tell you, I haven't seen better defense than then I can remember. Both teams were absolutely sparkling on defense.

SPEAKER: You always hear that these kind of things pull the community together and all of that. Do you think that's mostly hyperbole, or is there really some truth to that?

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: I think there's a lot of truth to it. You need hyperbole. That's a given. But this is fun. People aren't here because it's anything other than a totally enjoyable experience. People like to wake up in the morning and be part of something that they feel is upbeat. How much more upbeat can you get than this?

SPEAKER: Thanks, Governor. It's been a great year.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Oh, it's just-- and wait. We've got more good things coming. The Final Four is coming to Minnesota. And the North Stars are getting back on track. They've given us great hockey. I think Clem Haskins basketball team is going to do well. And I'll tell you, I think the Timberwolves are ready to be a very competitive ball club. So there's a lot of good things coming up for Minnesota.

GARY EICHTEN: Governor Arne Carlson-- we were speaking with the governor a few minutes ago, just one of many, many dignitaries on hand. All together, 63,000 hardy souls are expected to be here this afternoon for, I guess, the official, the official celebration of the 1991 World Series.

BILL WAREHAM: And there was nothing quite like the spontaneous celebration after the seventh game of the World Series. I don't know, were you out in the street, Howard?

HOWARD SINKER: I knew where they were keeping the beer in the first base dugout that night and where the Twins employees were sneaking in for sips. That was really the most incredible thing I've ever seen, save for Jack Morris on Sunday night. That was just such an exciting thing. The Twins thought there'd be 5,000 people, maybe 10,000 people. And all of a sudden, the house filled up. And it was incredible.

GARY EICHTEN: Some great signs around the stadium. Hrbek, you're on us to Minnesota. And of course, Kent Hrbek, a hometown boy, took a lot of abuse during the World Series. He had a tough series at the plate anyway, didn't hit much, but remains certainly one of, if not, the best defensive first baseman in baseball.

HOWARD SINKER: Best first baseman in history who's never won a Gold Glove. And I'm afraid that's going to continue this year.

GARY EICHTEN: Thanks, TK and the Twins. And what else do we have up here?

HOWARD SINKER: A lot of thank-you signs, a lot of "thanks for the memories" type of signs, a lot of things that were done quickly and by hand but look better than the mass-produced stuff.

GARY EICHTEN: Howard, Bill, you've both had a chance to see all seven games up close. To the neophyte watching this from afar, I don't recall offhand more than one or two individual athletic performances that could possibly match Jack Morris's pitching performance in the seventh game of the World Series. I certainly never saw anything personally like that. Was I just--

HOWARD SINKER: You combine the performance with when it happened. And that's what makes it utterly magnificent. I mean, Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in an NBA game in the middle of the season when nobody cares.

Nevada, Las Vegas, last year, beats up everybody during the regular season, comes to the NCAA tournament and then demolishes itself in the Final Four. This was the ultimate performance and the ultimate game, and that's what made it so great.

BILL WAREHAM: And the context of the thing-- this is a guy who we had no reason to believe was going to be fresh, but he looked as strong as ever, those last two innings. That was truly amazing.

HOWARD SINKER: Yeah. Stronger in the eighth, ninth and 10th then the fourth, fifth and sixth.

BILL WAREHAM: After 250-some innings or more during the season there, I was odd.

GARY EICHTEN: If you're just joining us, we're live at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. This is the culmination of a day of celebration for the 1991 Minnesota--

[AUDIO OUT]

Well, sorry about that. We had a temporary technical problem. Somebody pulled our plug on us. I thought the broadcast was better than that, guys. But we're live at the Metrodome. And what's happened, of course, through the day, there was a parade in St. Paul this morning, a parade through downtown Minneapolis this afternoon.

And here we are at the dome, along with many, many thousands of other people, lots of music. Bill Wareham was just hit with a roll of toilet paper. They pulled the plug on us. But we're still here. We're going to tough it out like Jack did in the 10th.

HOWARD SINKER: Must be those guys who did the billboard in Atlanta, too. I think they snuck up here.

BILL WAREHAM: Well, I think I would guess that the Twins must be assembling somewhere. And we're waiting for some kind of dramatic entrance here. The parade must be near over at this point, if not already over.

HOWARD SINKER: I'm waiting for the house lights to go down and the dry ice to come up.

GARY EICHTEN: I would imagine we'll get the same kind of entry we had through the big, big tunnel, when in fact, the team came back from Detroit in 1987 for the spontaneous welcome home that so many people enjoyed so much and which is part of Minnesota lore at this point.

Big giant homer hanky waving across the way here at the Metrodome. We're located on about the 45-yard line. Interestingly enough, the Metrodome has already washed its hands of baseball. It's a multi-use stadium, and so they had to get it all set up for football. It also allows more people to sit as well. You can seat 63,000 for football, 55,000 for baseball.

Anyway, they've set it up now for football. And the stage itself, the big stage is about the 50-yard line, right in front of the football press box, for those of you who've been here. On the scoreboard itself is what remains to me, or for me, one of the great memories. It is the scoreboard from the seventh game of the World Series-- Braves-Twins.

You follow that with 10 zeros for the Braves, 9 zeros, and a 1 for the Twins. 1 to 0, seventh game of the World Series. Howard, you said that the Morris performance in the seventh game is going to put him in the Hall of Fame. Do you really believe that?

HOWARD SINKER: I think that's what's going to put him over the top. This is a guy who's won 20 games, one season, 21 games, another season, a 250-inning guy. If he pitches four more or five more seasons, he'll come close to 300 victories. He'll have all the statistics that should get him there.

And there are a lot of people who are going to focus back on that Sunday night in October, in 1991 when he was the toughest, the baddest, the most excited guy around. And it wasn't just the pitching. It was just the way he controlled the situation from the mound-- the pacing, the stalking, the taking the extra time when he needed it. And it was hard as well as his arm.

GARY EICHTEN: Howard Sinker, who covers the Twins for the Star Tribune. Bill Wareham, of course, was covering all of the games for us at Minnesota Public Radio. Bill, down in Atlanta, you did a story one night, which I thought was pretty interesting, having to do with the similarity between the experience in Atlanta this year and the experience in this town in 1987.

BILL WAREHAM: Well, I'll say, Gary, when I left Atlanta, I could still feel that. And it really seemed like the Braves were destined to win this one. In the same way, it seemed like the Twins were destined to win in 1987. So I was worried coming back home.

GARY EICHTEN: Well, obviously, the crowd has picked up on Bob Casey's announcement-- Bob Casey, the longtime Metrodome announcer. I thought he was announcing that the team was here, but still no sign of the team.

HOWARD SINKER: I thought they liked Bill's answer, just now. I thought they-- that's what I assumed that that cheer was for.

BILL WAREHAM: I don't see the team either, although I do see some state troopers coming out of the door into right field corner here.

GARY EICHTEN: That would probably indicate that the team is going to make its appearance. We're talking before about Kent Hrbek, who had a real tough series at the plate. And one of the uglier aspects-- one of the few ugly aspects of this World Series had to do with the death threats that Kent Hrbek's mother received. A few minutes ago, Bill Wareham talked with Tina Hrbek, Kent Hrbek's mother, about the World Series, about the celebration.

TINA HRBEK: A little nervous. I'm excited.

BILL WAREHAM: Little nervous, but it can't be any worse than it was the last week.

TINA HRBEK: No, really, they talk about getting a ticket for the edge of the seat all summer. And this really was this series on the edge of your seat for all those games.

BILL WAREHAM: Now you've watched Kent play a lot of baseball. Can you imagine--

TINA HRBEK: Since he was years old?

BILL WAREHAM: Can you remember anything quite like this?

TINA HRBEK: No. No.

BILL WAREHAM: How about 1987?

TINA HRBEK: That was great. Yeah. I think maybe that has a little edge on this because, first time around. But they're pretty comparable. Great.

BILL WAREHAM: And as far as baseball goes, now '87, to my mind, was a great community event. It brought everyone together, and all that. But as far as baseball goes, I don't remember anything quite like this. Do you?

TINA HRBEK: No. No. This is really crazy, the World Series itself.

BILL WAREHAM: Now, where were you during the 10th inning of game 7? Were you sitting behind home plate?

TINA HRBEK: Yes. Yes, I was.

BILL WAREHAM: What was it like for you?

TINA HRBEK: It was crazy. I tell you, I just sat on the edge of my seat. A couple times, I even put my hand over my face, and I thought, I just can't watch this because I had said to my daughter. I said, I think this is going to be one of those 1-run games, or 1 to 0. And the way it was going, it was just anybody's game. And when it got to that 10th inning, I thought-- [LAUGHS]

BILL WAREHAM: Kent did not have a good series at the plate this year.

TINA HRBEK: No.

BILL WAREHAM: How has he dealt with that? I imagine you've talked to him about--

TINA HRBEK: I don't think that bothers him. They were winning. And like he says, it's a team effort. When one is down, the other one was picking them up. And the whole season was kind of that way. And it showed it in the World Series.

BILL WAREHAM: Now, I remember at least one occasion over the past few years as you've given them hints on his batting stance.

TINA HRBEK: Oh! That kind of got blown out of proportion, I guess. It was kind of a "pass to me through somebody else." And I had mentioned it to him. And it just kind of went from there.

BILL WAREHAM: Could a mother give him any advice in this situation?

TINA HRBEK: No. He's the ballplayer. And I guess he has to do what he thinks is right for himself. Just like any other sport, everybody has their own way of doing it. And he finds what's right for him.

BILL WAREHAM: The other thing that came up during the World Series involving Kent, of course, was the Gant, so-called wrestlers, lift their first base. What was your opinion, first of all, of the play?

TINA HRBEK: Actually, the play happened so fast. And then, of course, they didn't replay it here on the screen, like they do with some of the plays. But I had thought it was just momentum that carried them both of the plate. And Atlanta just wanted to make a big thing out of it. And they did.

BILL WAREHAM: Blown out of proportion?

TINA HRBEK: Yeah, all right.

BILL WAREHAM: Was this fun for you?

TINA HRBEK: Yeah. You mean the thing with Kent, do you mean?

BILL WAREHAM: No, no. I mean--

TINA HRBEK: Just the whole thing?

BILL WAREHAM: --the whole thing.

TINA HRBEK: Yeah, sort of. When I had gone down, we had had the phone call here that wasn't--

GARY EICHTEN: Well, that was Bill Wareham speaking with Tina Hrbek, Kent Hrbek's mother. And everybody is on their feet right now. And the reason is the door has opened to the big tunnel that leads into the Metrodome. I see Whitecaps back there, which would indicate that the heroes have arrived.

HOWARD SINKER: There are players and players' families there. They're standing. It looks like someone's cuing them as to when to come in.

GARY EICHTEN: There are all 60,000 people here-- 55,000 to 60,000 people. They are on their feet, as you might imagine. You can hear them with that familiar chant, I guess it is.

BILL WAREHAM: And I imagine in just a moment, it's going to get so loud, we'll have trouble hearing one another here, as soon as those boys come out of the tunnel.

GARY EICHTEN: This is the official celebration for the 1991 Minnesota Twins, the best team in the world, the best baseball team in the world.

BOB CASEY: Good afternoon, once again, ladies and gentlemen.

GARY EICHTEN: Here's Bob Casey.

BOB CASEY: And welcome to Metrodome, home of the 1991 World champion Minnesota Twins!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: And here they come, slowly making their way out of the big tunnel.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

BOB CASEY: At this time, let's welcome the families, the friends, and the special guests of our world champions.

GARY EICHTEN: Poor Bob Casey drowned out by the crowd. No artificial stimulants needed here this afternoon. People said that this is different than 1987. And it certainly is. There's no question about that. But I think it's also fair to say that the baseball fans in Minnesota think ever much, if not more, of this team than the '87 group.

HOWARD SINKER: I think that if this hadn't been so well-organized, the people would still be here. I think that they could have pulled off the same thing without all the organization. And I think that's a real tribute to the fans, a lot of whom we should pay special tribute to those who skipped school today.

GARY EICHTEN: Absolutely. I have to confess, I missed what Bob Casey said. I think everybody missed what Bob Casey said. The team--

BOB CASEY: Ladies and gentlemen.

GARY EICHTEN: Let's go to Bob Casey.

BOB CASEY: Before we bring on the team, we have a number of special guests that we would like to recognize at this time. And to kick things off, I am pleased to introduce to you the governor of our great state of Minnesota, the World Champion Twins, Governor Arne Carlson!

GARY EICHTEN: Well, [CHUCKLES] they got his name wrong, and, of course, got the traditional politicians welcome from a sports crowd. "Here's governor Arne Carlson," that would be.

HOWARD SINKER: Anderson is a pretty good guess for a Minnesota Governor, though.

BOB CASEY: You bet!

GARY EICHTEN: The governor has a plan.

BOB CASEY: Are we going to welcome the Twins home today?

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Are the Twins the best team in baseball?

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Now, when they come in, we're going to give them the most rousing welcome ever, right?

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Now, let me now, at this time, bring up the mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Don Fraser, Jim Scheibel. Come on!

GARY EICHTEN: Well, once again, the politicians getting the traditional welcome from the sports crowds. I don't think the fans-- Howard, Bill, I don't think the fans are here to see the politicians. But of course, this goes with the territory. And why not?

HOWARD SINKER: Fraser, of course, is one of the biggest baseball fans in the Twin Cities. We all know that. That's been well documented.

BILL WAREHAM: And Scheibel likes to run. So he's an athlete. He can appreciate this.

GARY EICHTEN: And the chant goes up, "we want the Twins," which is why these people came, of course.

HOWARD SINKER: Although I think some of them did come here to see the county commissioners.

GARY EICHTEN: Now, the Twins wives have those red-- are those leather jackets that were specially made for them?

HOWARD SINKER: Those are leather jackets available at a store called the Sharper Image, only about $250. They sold a bunch of them.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: The entire United States owes many sleepless nights, tension, headaches, and chewed fingernails to the 1991 Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: This is Governor Arne Carlson. Live from the Metrodome here on Minnesota Public Radio.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: We have all witnessed the most thrilling seven-game World Series in modern baseball history with three extra-inning games, four games determined by the last pitch, five games decided by 1 run, and five games decided by winning teams the last time at bat. That's right. The 1991 Minnesota Twins by going from worst to first have once again proven that anything is possible!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: He said before that the players were in here. And I don't think they're actually here yet. I think we have team officials and the wives. I don't think the players have actually come in through the tunnel.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Contributions by the entire team-- great defense, clutch batting and unbelievable pitching-- made this world championship possible.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

The entire state of Minnesota can proudly boast that thanks to the tremendous endurance and skill of our Minnesota Twins, we are the champions!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: That was governor Arne Carlson speaking to some 60,000 people here at the Metrodome. He's got more to read from his plaque, it looks like.

HOWARD SINKER: Some of the team officials are here.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: We now proclaim Tuesday, October 29, 1991, to be World Champion Minnesota Twins Day.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Now, a great organization has strength from the bottom to the top. That's how you win championships. And the Twins have shown that they have that strength at all levels. Let me now--

GARY EICHTEN: I think the fans are getting very impatient. They want the team. They're here to celebrate the team. And I don't think they want a lot of folderol here.

BILL WAREHAM: I think it would be a good political move to turn over the microphone to perhaps Jack Morris. I think that would earn Arne a lot of votes the next time he's up for election.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Let me now introduce the owners of the Minnesota Twins, Carl and Eloise Pohlad!

[MUSIC PLAYING]

GARY EICHTEN: Carl Pohlad, of course, bought the team in 1984 from Calvin Griffith-- Calvin, an old-style baseball owner who I think would freely admit he simply ran out of money. Here's Carl Pohlad.

CARL POHLAD: It's thrilling, isn't it? Louder! It's really thrilling. It's thrilling to me. This is a wonderful, wonderful day for all of us. And I can't tell you on behalf of the Minnesota Twins how much we appreciate all you fans that have supported us throughout the year. We couldn't have done it without you. And I might add, we're going to try and do it again next year to make it the third time.

GARY EICHTEN: Carl Pohlad, accompanied by his wife Eloise, and also at the podium, mayors Scheibel and Fraser. And of course, the governor is still working the mic.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: And now let me bring up the rest of the Pohlad family, Jim and Mary Pohlad--

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Bob and Becky Pohlad--

And Bill Pohlad!

GARY EICHTEN: Still waiting for the players.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: And now some of the executives with the Twins organization-- First and foremost, Jerry and Phyllis Bell.

GARY EICHTEN: Jerry Bell is the president of the team and was a key figure in getting the Metrodome put together, building the Metrodome.

JERRY BELL: Thank you very much. One thing I'd like to say is people have often asked, how can a team go from last place to first place? I can tell you the way it starts is with good people. Our players, the best people to ever put on a uniform and play the game of baseball. And that's how it starts, with their families and with the players themselves working hard to do a good job at whatever they do. That's how they've become number one, and everyone can take an example from that. Thank you very much.

GARY EICHTEN: Now noticeably absent is Andy MacPhail, who, I understand, is down in Florida already getting ready for the 1992 season.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Now representing The Minnesota Twins baseball department, Bob Gephardt.

GARY EICHTEN: Bob Gephardt, who is leaving the Twins. He goes to work as the general manager of the New Colorado Rockies franchise.

BOB GEPHARDT: Ladies and gentlemen--

HOWARD SINKER: This will be the last World Series he sees for a few years.

BOB GEPHARDT: --we all are proud to be here today as a result of the outstanding talent that you have on your Minnesota Twins. The new additions to our ball club, the young players from our minor league system, and the ballplayers that have been here in the past-- we have the world champion Minnesota Twins. Thank you.

GARY EICHTEN: Bob was another Minnesota boy who played big league ball. I think he was from Sleepy Eye. And the pitch for a while.

HOWARD SINKER: Lives in Mankato.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Now representing the Twins management, Howard and Yvonne Fox. Howard, come on up.

GARY EICHTEN: Well, the parade of Twins executives continuing now as the crowd is on its feet, waiting, waiting, waiting for the 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins.

HOWARD FOX: This is next to the best, most happy time I've ever had in my life. I guess '87 was the best. But you people have made it all possible, and we really appreciate your support. What a great state! What a great area! Thank you.

GARY EICHTEN: Howard Fox was with the Griffith organization for years. I didn't frankly know he was still with the Twins.

HOWARD SINKER: He was the president of the chairman of the board of directors.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: --1992 again!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Governor Arne Carlson presiding at the podium.

GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON: Now let me turn it back to Bob Casey to bring on the players!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Bob Casey, the longtime Metrodome PA announcer, now gets the enviable job of announcing the 1991 World Champions.

BOB CASEY: Are you guys having fun? Let's hear some noise!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Suppose he's going to give that "no smoking" announcement.

BILL WAREHAM: I was just waiting for that. [LAUGHS]

BOB CASEY: And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's meet the men behind the scenes-- the team physicians, and trainers, and equipment managers, the team doctors, Dr. Al J. Mackenzie and Dr John [INAUDIBLE]. The trainer--

GARY EICHTEN: All kidding aside, the Twins were very fortunate not to have any serious injuries. And I suppose some credit needs to go to the medical staff, the training staff.

HOWARD SINKER: All you have to do is look at the disabled list and see all those Milwaukee Brewers, who spent most of the season in traction, and you can appreciate these guys.

BOB CASEY: There we go. Bobby, get up here. Come on!

GARY EICHTEN: These must be the bat boys. Let's go back to Bob Casey.

BOB CASEY: And now we come to the feature part of the show. Let's bring on the 1991 World Champion!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: The tunnel door is open again.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

And I guess from the reaction of the crowd, we don't have to tell you that the team is now actually coming onto the field, slowly starting to make their way out. Very slowly, I might add.

BOB CASEY: Ladies and gentlemen--

GARY EICHTEN: We were saying before, there were a lot of empty seats. There aren't many empty seats anymore.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

BOB CASEY: Third base coach, number 35, Ron Gardenhire! Once again, our third base coach, Ron Gardenhire.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Number 6, batting coach, a future Hall of Famer, Tony Oliva.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Is this Tony Oliva's last year with the Twins?

HOWARD SINKER: It will be his last year in uniform. Sure.

GARY EICHTEN: That's too bad Tony Oliva can't run up there, because at one time, he was a great baseball player. But his knees are no good anymore.

HOWARD SINKER: That's what he says is going to be his main job in '92, trying to get as healthy as he can.

BOB CASEY: Our bullpen coach, number 43--

GARY EICHTEN: Tony Oliva looks a little bit like Juan Berenguer did in 1987. He's got a hat, long raincoat on, and he's carrying a suitcase.

HOWARD SINKER: It's cold outside.

GARY EICHTEN: We never did figure out what was in Berenguer's suitcase. This is Stelmaszek, is it?

HOWARD SINKER: Right.

BOB CASEY: Bullpen and catching coach, Rick Stelmaszek.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

Our pitching coach, Dick Such!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: A lot of people say the big difference between this team and, say, the '87 team, the dramatic improvement in pitching staff.

BOB CASEY: And our first base coach, number 45, has got to be 100 years old, Wayne Terwilliger!

GARY EICHTEN: The twig is still running at age 65, 70?

HOWARD SINKER: Somewhere in there yeah.

BILL WAREHAM: He's got more energy than probably all three of us combined.

BOB CASEY: Now let's bring on the world champions of baseball. First off, number 38 relief pitcher Rick Aguilera!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: There are a lot of people who would say that Rick Aguilera is the Twins' most valuable player. He set a team record for saves. That means that he's the guy that comes in at the end of the game when all the pressure is on and shuts down the other team-- the anchor, if you will, of the team.

BOB CASEY: Jarvis Brown!

GARY EICHTEN: Jarvis Brown was called up from the minor leagues this year.

HOWARD SINKER: Came 90 feet away from scoring the winning run in the ninth inning.

GARY EICHTEN: Runs like the wind. Might be playing for the Twins, I suppose, next year, regular basis.

HOWARD SINKER: Could be a fourth outfielder.

BOB CASEY: Number 25, the best pinch hitter in the American League, outfielder Randy Bush!

GARY EICHTEN: Randy Bush is one of the few remaining members of the 1987 team. He got a key-- well, it could have been a key pinch hit in the seventh game. The Twins wasted the opportunity.

BOB CASEY: What a season this guy had, number 44, designated hitter Chili Davis!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

BILL WAREHAM: Another key acquisition for the Twins this year, of course.

HOWARD SINKER: I think Andy MacPhail could write a book called Free Agency Done Right.

BILL WAREHAM: You guys had a chance to cover the-- [INAUDIBLE] Chili was one of the nicest people around, really. Here's Scott Erickson, Chili Davis's roommate. They live together in Minneapolis. Erickson, a little enigmatic, but certainly, during the first half of this year, the best pitcher in baseball.

GARY EICHTEN: And needless to say, I saw a sign early this morning. A woman had staked out a position near the Metrodome for the parade--

BOB CASEY: Number 7--

GARY EICHTEN: --Scott Erickson, will you marry me?

BOB CASEY: Greg Gagne!

GARY EICHTEN: This is Greg Gagne.

BILL WAREHAM: Literally doing cartwheels onto the field here. That's great.

HOWARD SINKER: That's an Ozzie Smith impression, an impersonation. And Gagne has probably taken over from Ozzie as flat out the best shortstop in baseball.

BILL WAREHAM: He's probably been waiting to do that since he hit that 3-run homer early in the series.

HOWARD SINKER: This is true

BOB CASEY: --of our outfielders, Mr. Dan Gladden!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

BILL WAREHAM: And I believe that's the same trot he used down the third base line to score.

HOWARD SINKER: Yep. You think if they took a vote right now, he'd be back next year?

BILL WAREHAM: I think if you polled these people, you would.

GARY EICHTEN: Those of you who tuned in late, there's some speculation that Dan Gladden may not be resigned by the Twins. He's getting older.

BOB CASEY: Number 53, left-handed--

GARY EICHTEN: But what a player!

BOB CASEY: --Mark Guthrie!

GARY EICHTEN: Mark Guthrie-- I'm going to start the Mark Guthrie Fan Club. He was the Twins' best pitcher in the second half of last year. He had some trouble this year but played a key role as well--

BOB CASEY: Number 12, what a World Series this guy had! Our catcher Brian Harper!

GARY EICHTEN: Brian Harper-- there's been a lot of speculation that he may not be back next year. He only is the best hitting catcher in baseball, and proved himself to be a very good defensive catcher during the World Series.

HOWARD SINKER: Three words for the front office-- meet Harper's price.

BOB CASEY: Number 14-- they don't make him any better than this-- first baseman, Kent Hrbek!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

BILL WAREHAM: Hrbek, in an interesting twist here, has a video camera, and he's filming his entrance onto the field.

GARY EICHTEN: And he's taking pictures now of the crowd.

BILL WAREHAM: And a lot of them are taking pictures back of him right now. We just had a flash cube explosion.

GARY EICHTEN: Hometown boy who made very good.

BOB CASEY: Number 11, the American League Rookie of the year, second baseman Chuck Knoblauch!

GARY EICHTEN: Chuck Knoblauch is next. Chuck Knoblauch is a rookie. He plays like he's been in the league for a million years. If he doesn't win Rookie of the Year, honors, there ought to be an investigation. And he solved what was clearly one of the Twins' biggest problems-- who was going to play second?

BILL WAREHAM: I talked to Knoblauch after virtually every game for the past month. And I've never seen a rookie show so much poise.

GARY EICHTEN: Here is one of the heroes of game number 7, Gene Larkin, the man who got the big game-winning hit.

HOWARD SINKER: Wonderful thing, considering he only batted four times in the World Series, and he had a chance to be such a part of it.

GARY EICHTEN: And he got booed so bad in September and comes back as a hero. Terry Leach, one of the, I guess, lesser known members of the relief corps.

HOWARD SINKER: Almost as old as Terwilliger.

GARY EICHTEN: [LAUGHS]

He had that unique submarine style.

BOB CASEY: --third baseman won a World Series, Scott [INAUDIBLE]

GARY EICHTEN: Was the hero of game 2, the man who hit the home run to win game 2, made a fantastic catch in game 6 to keep the Twins in that game-- Scott [INAUDIBLE] another rookie, hope for the future.

BOB CASEY: Number 24, one of the best young players in the game, right fielder Shane Mack.

BILL WAREHAM: Mack's smiling about as much as he has all season here. Here's a guy who really holds it in. But as he came out in the field, he had a big grin on his face. It looks like it's gone now, though.

GARY EICHTEN: He got off to a horrible start in the series but came back to get two or three hits, the last couple of games.

BOB CASEY: What can I possibly say? Number 47, the best, Jack Morris!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: I think the crowd has just exploded.

HOWARD SINKER: This is going to be a retractable roof in a minute.

GARY EICHTEN: This is Jack Morris. Arms raised in triumph, as it should be. Guy, who grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood of Saint Paul, pitched for the Detroit Tigers. Terrific career in Detroit. Came home this year and put on, I don't know, one of the greatest individual performances in baseball history in the seventh game of the World Series. This guy is a real athlete.

BOB CASEY: Number 26, the best reserve infielder in baseball, Al Newman!

GARY EICHTEN: Al Newman going to be back, guys.

HOWARD SINKER: I wouldn't bet on it. I have a feeling they'll find another reserve infielder.

GARY EICHTEN: Al has a policeman's cap on. Isn't that--

BILL WAREHAM: That's what it looks like.

GARY EICHTEN: He's one of the most popular Twins. He's one of the most approachable, personable Twins. And--

BILL WAREHAM: And another returnee from 1987.

BOB CASEY: Infielder Al Newman. Our Reserve catcher, Junior Ortiz!

GARY EICHTEN: Ortiz, one of the great characters on the Twins team. In fact, there were two Ortizes for a while. There was Junior who played most of the season. For a brief while, Junior was so upset with his performance that Joe Ortiz surfaced.

HOWARD SINKER: Joe couldn't hit either, though.

BOB CASEY: After playing with the Yankees and with San Diego, he's finally found a home. Number 13, third baseman, Mike Pagliarulo!

GARY EICHTEN: This was a man who, in many people's estimation, turned around the playoff series against Toronto. He hit that extra-inning home run in the third game of the playoffs against Toronto in Toronto. And that definitely seemed to turn the series to the Twins' favor, and played great down the stretch.

BILL WAREHAM: And this from a guy who many thought was washed up.

HOWARD SINKER: You know who's coming next, don't you?

BOB CASEY: Number 34. Kirby Puckett!

GARY EICHTEN: Kirby Puckett--

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

--one of the best players and probably the most popular players in the game-- certainly, the most popular player here in Minnesota.

BOB CASEY: Number 18, [INAUDIBLE] first baseman, Paul Sorrento! Paul Sorrento!

GARY EICHTEN: Poor Paul Sorrento, who was called up from the minor leagues and now has to-- he was called up as a power hitter, and now has to follow Kirby Puckett in the introduction lineup.

HOWARD SINKER: Well, he can edit the tape and people think the cheers were for him.

GARY EICHTEN: Here's Bob Casey, again.

BOB CASEY: Number 36, a fine young right-handed pitcher, Kevin Tapani!

GARY EICHTEN: Kevin Tapani was clearly the Twins' best pitcher, second half of the season. He was consistent all year long. He picked up a couple of post-season wins, kept the Twins in every game he pitched, that I can think of.

BILL WAREHAM: And with that, Rick Aguilera, the best part of the Frank Viola trade?

BOB CASEY: Lenny Webster!

GARY EICHTEN: Lenny Webster who a lot of people think will be one of the Twins' catchers next year. He may replace Junior Ortiz. He may replace Brian Harper.

HOWARD SINKER: He was not on the post-season roster, but he sat in the bullpen throughout the series.

GARY EICHTEN: Well, David West is getting a good welcome. He pitched very, very well in the playoffs. In fact, he kept the Twins in those games against Toronto but had a disastrous World Series.

HOWARD SINKER: Went 0 for 6. Phase 6 didn't retire anyone.

BOB CASEY: Carl Willis!

GARY EICHTEN: Here's Big Train Willis. Hear the train sound? Carl Willis, a journeyman-- if ever there was a journeyman-- he ended up in the Major Leagues this year. I think he got the nickname from Guthrie. They were teasing him because he was tooting his own horn.

BOB CASEY: Your World Champions.

GARY EICHTEN: All the players are on the stage now, and they're doffing their cap to the fans.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

And the fans are trying their best to let this team know what it means to them.

BOB CASEY: Ladies and gentlemen, every great baseball team has to have two great announcers. And because we have WCCO review, in this town, we have two of the very best announcers that there ever was or ever will be. If you haven't met them before, here they are-- Herb Carneal and John Gordon!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

BILL WAREHAM: I think we're going to hear from John Gordon now.

HERB CARNEAL: Thank you, Bob Casey.

GARY EICHTEN: No. This is Herb Carneal.

HERB CARNEAL: All I have to say at this time is that to me, it looks like Ted and Gene have chopped in vain.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

John, I'm sure you'd agree with that.

JOHN GORDON: It's a great day for Minnesota Twins, players, and all our fans, coaches, and manager. We're just having a great time, everybody. Thanks for coming out.

GARY EICHTEN: Herb Corneal, of course, has been with the voice of the Twins, if you will, since they came to town, basically.

HOWARD SINKER: He was Ernie Harwell, the great Detroit announcer. They were partners when they first broke in Baltimore.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Chance for the fans to pat themselves on the back. And I'm convinced it did make a difference, those last two games back here. Here's Herb Carneal.

HERB CARNEAL: That's good enough for me. First of all, I'd like to call on our skipper, who is now undefeated in two World Series-- Tom Kelly.

GARY EICHTEN: Hard to imagine, but Tom Kelly's job was on the line early this year. A lot of people thought he was going to get fired. The Twins got off to a terrible start. Now he's being proclaimed as a baseball genius. Such are the vagaries of life in the big leagues. Here's Tom Kelly. Well, that isn't Tom Kelly. We have a picture up on the jumbotron board-- Kelly hugging Jack Morris. Here's Tom Kelly.

TOM KELLY: Thank you, all!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Tom Kelly looks a little broken up, actually, a little emotional.

HERB CARNEAL: Well, TK, nothing special that I have to ask you that probably hasn't already been asked you. So in your own words, just what are some of your thoughts about certainly one of the great World Series of all time?

TOM KELLY: Oh, first of all, I'd like to Thank everybody for coming out here today and supporting us all year. That's a very, very special. And secondly, we have to give a lot of Thanks to the policemen, the state troopers, in both Saint Paul and Minneapolis, who did such a great job. They were great. They made the-- thanks to them, they made the parade just a fantastic event. And it was a real pleasure to be part of that. So I've got to thank those guys. They did a great job.

The World Series was a fantastic event. Enough's been said about the World Series. I just want to thank everybody that's involved, the ball players they played with such enthusiasm to play as well as they did in the tension that was involved in the games and the pressure that was involved, they really responded well to the situation. And I couldn't be more happier with my players. They did just a great job and they make me a smart manager. Thank you.

GARY EICHTEN: Twins manager Tom Kelly.

BOB CASEY: Tom Kelly, everybody. Thank you, TK.

GARY EICHTEN: Quick thought, Howard. How great or good manager is he?

HOWARD SINKER: Close to the best. The players help him what he is.

GARY EICHTEN: We've reached a brief low here. Oh, they're going to put up the highlights up. Kirby Puckett's six-game home run. 11th inning. Fans, players, everybody wiped out emotionally. Puckett stepped up, and bingo! That game was over with. And the Twins were halfway home.

HOWARD SINKER: Interesting to see the players watching the replays just as intently as anyone else here right now.

GARY EICHTEN: What a magical moment! What a magical moment when Puckett hit that ball! Here's Kirby Puckett.

HERB CARNEAL: Kirby, speaking to the Minnesota Twins' fans.

KIRBY PUCKETT: Thank you.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Kirby just radiates charm. His eyes are alive. He's got a big smile. I think it would be difficult not to like the man.

HERB CARNEAL: I'm supposed to ask you a question. Take us around the bases one more time.

KIRBY PUCKETT: Well, when we came back here, everybody was saying that we were going to lose and do this. And of course, we were down three games to two. And I told people-- in Atlanta, I said, we're down three games to two. And we came out of St. Louis in '87 also. So I said, it's not over till it's over. And we came back here and we won.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

HERB CARNEAL: Just let everybody know your thoughts as you were circling the bases and touching them all after game 6 ended?

KIRBY PUCKETT: Well, when I was touching the bases, you saw for yourself, I was hauling, yeah, every five seconds, yeah, because everybody thought that we weren't coming back. It was such a close game and another extra-inning ballgame.

And when I hit it, I didn't know it was going out, but I thought it was going to hit off the glass. And I had Chili and Shane and Harp coming up behind me, and I just wanted to get on base and hopefully we win. But I think the fans kind of blew it out for me.

HERB CARNEAL: Kirby Puckett, everybody. Thanks, Kirby.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Hall of Fame? Certain Hall of Famer?

HOWARD SINKER: Oh, yeah. Right now. Plays another five or six years, definitely.

HERB CARNEAL: --your attention to the video screen and some shots of Gene Larkin.

GARY EICHTEN: This is the game-winning hit in the seventh game of the World Series. Ball off Larkin's bat. Bases loaded. Outfield drawn in. Ball hits up by the number 29 honoring Rod Carew. Twins win. Twins win. Best team in baseball. Gene Larkin at the microphone now. Gene Larkin holds the distinction of having broken Lou Gehrig's batting records at Columbia University.

HOWARD SINKER: And definite athletic powerhouse in college circles.

GARY EICHTEN: Another holdover from 1987, he played on the '87 team.

HOWARD SINKER: Nice to see someone who was the 21st or 22nd guy on the team get this kind of recognition.

HERB CARNEAL: Everybody went home happy. Didn't go home right away, but when we did go home, we were happy. And Gene, I'm sure the folks here would probably like to hear you in your own words, recount what happened in that dramatic last of the 10th inning in game 7.

GENE LARKIN: Well, before the inning started, I had an idea that I might be pinch-hitting. So when Danny led off with a double and then walked Puck, and then walked Kent. I didn't know what helmet to use, if they were going to bring a left-hander in or a right-hander. Keep hanging in there.

And when they kept hanging in there, I decided swing at the first pitch. If it's a strike, and don't let them get ahead of me. And they throw me a pitch where I could hit it. And I took a cut and everything worked out. And it ended a great World Series.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Gene Larkin, who was a reserve on the team, backup first baseman, backup outfielder-- always been thought of as a good hitter, though, a good solid hitter, line drive type hitter.

BILL WAREHAM: I will never forget finding Larkin on the field as the mayhem ensued afterwards. The man was in a daze.

GARY EICHTEN: Chuck Knoblauch with one of his many key hits-- kind of a montage of Knoblauch-isms, including his wild celebration at what presumably is the seventh game. But who knows?

HOWARD SINKER: I wonder if we'll get to see the fake on Lonnie Smith again.

BILL WAREHAM: What often gets lost in the final pitch highlights are the runs scored earlier. And Knoblauch had his share of those throughout both post-season series.

HOWARD SINKER: Kind of makes you forget Nelson Liriano, doesn't it?

BILL WAREHAM: Certainly does.

GARY EICHTEN: Let's go up to the podium-- Chuck Knoblauch, Texas A&M grad, 23 years old with a great future ahead of him.

CHUCK KNOBLAUCH: It's really great to see all of you guys out here supporting us. And you've been behind us all year. And what a great parade it was! And for everybody to enjoy themselves like you have, this whole week, it was a great World Series. And it's great to be champions.

BOB CASEY: You played so well all season long, Chuck. And I know, of course, everybody was giving you this talk about being a rookie, but you really fit in very nicely with this ball club and everything worked very well for you right from the get go.

CHUCK KNOBLAUCH: Well, that's I got to give credit to all the guys on the team. They made me feel very comfortable, coming in and playing as a rookie. But it doesn't feel like a rookie anymore, being a world champion and having great fans like you guys. Appreciate it.

BOB CASEY: Chuck Knoblauch!

BILL WAREHAM: One of these days, soon this season is going to hit him. I think it will be after he sits down to a nice big Thanksgiving dinner, he is suddenly going to go, oh, no!

HOWARD SINKER: Right now--

GARY EICHTEN: Now, I'm going to get to Jack Morris. We've got on the jumbotron now, as Jack Morris throwing strike 3 to Ron Gant. I think any moment now, we'll see Jack Morris probably throwing that key double play ball. Maybe not. He's bedecked today in a bright green orange sweater. We see him on the board, leaping around like a young guy. He's 36 years old 10 innings, seventh game shutout.

BILL WAREHAM: I believe that's the same sweater he was wearing the day they signed him in last winter.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

That was a teary-eyed day for him. It looks a little emotional here today.

HOWARD SINKER: Him and 60,000 other people right now, I think.

GARY EICHTEN: Fans are on their feet. Jack Morris just shaking his head, just shaking his head, doffs his cap to the crowd. It's corny, of course, but Jack Morris found out you can come home-- again.

HOWARD SINKER: I think he'll stay.

GARY EICHTEN: It's Jack Morris.

HERB CARNEAL: Jack, I believe that you have probably started over 450 games in your big league career. Did anything come close to comparing with game 7 of the 1991 World Series?

JACK MORRIS: Well, first of all, I think it's important for everybody here to understand that I might have stole the spotlight in the last game, but without these men behind me, there wouldn't have been a last game. There's no "I" in team.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

It's wonderful to feel so warm and welcomed back in an area where I grew up. And I want you all to know how much I appreciate the way you treated me throughout the season, especially in the playoffs. It gave me inspiration to bring this day for all of us to enjoy. Thanks.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Jack Morris, who put on one of the great individual performances in World Series history. A 10-inning shutout in game 7 would not allow the Twins to lose.

HERB CARNEAL: Jaguar's the MVP of the 1991 World Series.

GARY EICHTEN: MVP.

HERB CARNEAL: And now, once again, ladies and gentlemen, if you take a look at the video screen, we have some shots of Kent Hrbek

GARY EICHTEN: Big Herbie, who had a tough, tough series at the plate, although he did hit a home run. And that's what we're watching right now-- first game, home run. And he was always a threat to do this. And I think that became-- even though he couldn't hit during the series, I think that played an important role.

HOWARD SINKER: Sure, he did get the intentional walk in the bottom of the 10th in game 7 that brought up Larkin. They weren't going to take their chances that he was going to snap out of it at the end.

BILL WAREHAM: And here are an example of his fine defense, the 323 double play that kept the game close.

GARY EICHTEN: And that's a first to home to first double play that just stopped the Braves in their tracks in the eighth inning of the seventh game. Ken Hrbek, local boy, made good from Bloomington, Minnesota, grew up in the shadow of Mets Stadium, hit the big grand slam in the '87 series, took a lot of abuse from a lot of people during this World Series.

HERB CARNEAL: This Cub played so well in the World Series, and they played so well in the field, and we just saw an example of that 3-2-3 double play. But I think sometimes it goes a little bit unnoticed that this was as good a fielding team as it was in 1991.

KENT HRBECK: I think first of all, thanks, fans again for putting something on like this. This is tremendous. We're all having a blast-- still not over yet. We can still party about another two or three months and live on this. We've got a great ball club, a lot of fun, a lot of fun to play with these guys. It's a lot of fun to play in front of fans like you.

HERB CARNEAL: You can relate, Kent, to these great fans. You've seen them all along. And they're really showing today that they love their Minnesota Twins.

KENT HRBECK: Well, I think the Minnesota Twins love you guys just as much as you guys love us. Thanks a bunch.

HERB CARNEAL: Kent Hrbek. Now Bob Casey!

GARY EICHTEN: Here once again is Bob Casey, the Metrodome PA announcer.

BOB CASEY: We forgot to introduce the wives and the families of the ballplayers. The wives and the family, stand up for a minute for the introduction. Come on, gang.

GARY EICHTEN: And as you hear the families being honored--

BOB CASEY: The wives! Stand up, wives, come on!

GARY EICHTEN: Everybody's a little reticent. Finally, they're up on their feet, and the fans are, too. Why do these women have to put up with years of drudgery in the minor league?

BOB CASEY: Ladie and gentlemen, this might be the last time you'll ever see this great American League World champion.

HOWARD SINKER: That's a good point when you think about what the salaries are by the time they arrive.

BOB CASEY: --worked champions of baseball, your Minnesota Twins.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Unfortunately, Bob Casey hit on what was kind of a sad truth. This may be the last time we see all these guys together. That's the way baseball goes. Players come, and players go. And for one last moment, the fans here have an opportunity to. say thank-you to the best team in baseball.

They have Danny Gladden scoring from third base, the winning run in the seventh game. Gladden may not be back.

[QUEEN, "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS"]

(SINGING) We are the champions

GARY EICHTEN: But for one last time, we get to look back on what has been a really great season.

- (SINGING) We are the champions

We are the champions

No time for losers

'Cause we--

GARY EICHTEN: We were talking to one of the ushers before all of this started. And she was almost weepy, almost crying, about four hours ago, thinking about the fact that some of these guys are never going to be back.

HOWARD SINKER: Yeah, that's the way. Like you said, that's the way baseball is. That's what's really nice about this. I think Dan Gladden, no matter where he's playing next year, is going to remember something like this. And this is nice for a guy like David West who didn't have a great World Series. He means just as much to these fans, I think, as anyone else, just because he wears the pinstripes.

GARY EICHTEN: Send her back. Dan Gladden, Scotty Erickson raising a raising a fist. Players kind of looking at themselves and waving to the crowd there Rick Aguilera, Greg Gagne, who, I think, rightfully noted that he isn't really appreciated very much, except by people who follow the game very, very closely. Scott [INAUDIBLE], great career ahead of him. Tonio, with his Juan Berenguer outfit on.

HOWARD SINKER: Remember, there are 18 players out there who didn't go through this in '87. And I'm sure they could have been told about this, but I'm sure they didn't really know what to expect.

GARY EICHTEN: [? Shelley ?] Davis, one of those. Chuck Knoblauch. Knoblauch looked like-- looks like he's about eight years old.

HOWARD SINKER: This is what would happen if they let Beaver Cleaver become an adult.

GARY EICHTEN: He sure can play ball. He sure can play ball.

BOB CASEY: Ladies and gentlemen--

GARY EICHTEN: Here's Bob Casey again.

BOB CASEY: --Steve Bedrosian and his family's not with us, and neither is Gary Wayne. So let's give them a big hand.

GARY EICHTEN: Steve Bedrosian and Gary Wayne were not able to be here.

BOB CASEY: One last lap around the field by our world champions. One last lap!

GARY EICHTEN: The team is going to take what amounts to a victory lap, I guess, one more time around the field.

HOWARD SINKER: They did the same thing Sunday night after game 7.

GARY EICHTEN: Live coverage from the Metrodome on Minnesota Public Radio. This is a special celebration, a chance for the fans to say thanks to the 1991 Minnesota Twins, World Series winners.

[THE ISLEY BROTHERS, "SHOUT"]

(SINGING) You know you make me wanna

Shout

Kick my heels up and

shout

Throw my hands up and

shout

Throw my head back and

shout

Come on now

Shout

Don't forget to say you will

Don't forget to say yeah, yeah

GARY EICHTEN: Players are kind of making their way to the edge of the infield, if this were an infield. It's not. It's set up in football configuration-- so to the edge of the football field.

BILL WAREHAM: This victory lap, a little more casual than the one we saw on Sunday night.

GARY EICHTEN: Starting out into left field bleachers, what would have been the left field bleachers. And fans often gravitate to the places where they usually sit. I'm guessing Gladden is going to get a real nice hand out there. He has been Mr. Left Field for the last four years for the Twins.

HOWARD SINKER: Modern-day Mickey Hatcher, took over that role beautifully.

GARY EICHTEN: Now they're working their way up toward the center field area, the home of Kirby Puckett.

BILL WAREHAM: I imagine it's hard to bring something like this to an end. I imagine they want to savor every moment because--

GARY EICHTEN: I would hope--

BILL WAREHAM: --after this, it's the off season. The rest of us go back to work.

GARY EICHTEN: Yeah. Well it's interesting about this team as opposed to the '87 team. I don't really think that the population as a whole got nearly as excited about this team. But this is a much better baseball team. I think baseball fans probably got more interested in what these people accomplished. And of course, they set the world on fire with the World Series.

HOWARD SINKER: This is a team that has a better chance to be back here in '92 doing this than the '87 team had in '88.

GARY EICHTEN: A lot of free agents to sign, though, a lot of free agents-- Jack Morris, Brian Harper, and Gladden, Al Newman, Bedrosian.

BILL WAREHAM: But having brought up their chances again, you have to look at how many teams actually do make it back here. And that puts this year's event in perspective. It's a hard feat.

GARY EICHTEN: Oh, yes.

HOWARD SINKER: Think of all the fans who've been waiting for this in Cleveland and in Boston and in Atlanta, and our poor friends in Toronto who've come so close and never really experienced this.

GARY EICHTEN: That's the thing. You only get an occasional opportunity. And the Twins have been fortunate enough both times to go all the way. Well, now as we have the song "Shout" being played, we have the players jumping into the air at the appropriate point.

They're working their way down what would be the first baseline. This is Kent Hrbek territory. And sure enough, the big guy is leading the parade down the first base line.

BILL WAREHAM: Along with Kirby Puckett. I think every spot in this stadium is Kirby territory.

HOWARD SINKER: It was interesting. During the American League playoffs, Kirby got a bigger ovation in Toronto than a lot of the Blue Jays.

GARY EICHTEN: Players are working their way over to the-- well, right behind what would amount to home plate if there were still a home plate. And they're making their way off the field now.

HOWARD SINKER: You wonder if they'll get an encore.

BILL WAREHAM: Jack Morris making up the tail of this procession.

GARY EICHTEN: High fives with the fans.

BOB CASEY: The totals on the board are correct! The Twins are World Champions. Thank you, and good afternoon!

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

GARY EICHTEN: Well, the team has left the field. I don't know if they're going to be back or not. It doesn't look like it. But it looks like people are starting to file out now. And thus ends, I guess, gentlemen, the 1991 baseball season.

HOWARD SINKER: Better than ending it on the closing day of the regular season, that's for sure.

GARY EICHTEN: We're showing one of those videos where the players dance around to, I guess, rap music, which were a big hit during the course of the season since they look kind of goofy, frankly.

BILL WAREHAM: They're much better at playing baseball, I would say.

HOWARD SINKER: I think at the beginning of the season, they thought this might be more entertaining than the team on the field, but the fellas proved them wrong.

BILL WAREHAM: Dead wrong.

GARY EICHTEN: Live coverage from the Metrodome as the day of celebration is coming to an end. The parades were held earlier today-- the parade in St. Paul this morning, parade through downtown Minneapolis early this afternoon. And surprisingly, this event here got started pretty much on time. Not quite, but they didn't miss the start time of 2 o'clock by much at all. And we had the usual array of dignitaries, some of whom were received--

HOWARD SINKER: Mixed. Let's be charitable. We'll call it--

GARY EICHTEN: --mixed reaction to some of the dignitaries. And the ceremonies went on. And that was fine. But of course, the people were here to see the team. And I think 60,000 people, or whatever it was, 63,000, got their money's worth today. Cost $1 to get in. And it was really the only chance to parade in this event for the fans to get involved this time.

'87, I think there was a lot more of a chance for fans to get close to the team to say thanks. This time, it was almost like they were fans were kept away from it until right at the end here. This was nice.

HOWARD SINKER: This was a very, very nice event for everything that was over-orchestrated over the last month or last six weeks. I think that people just kind of let things happened today. And it turned out as well as you'd want. This is really nice. A lot of people, a lot of kids here who didn't get into the games, I'm sure, but this is something that they're going to remember just as much, seeing Kirby Puckett on Tuesday as seeing him over the weekend.

GARY EICHTEN: I remember in 1987, standing up at the State Capitol. Was supposed to be the culmination of the thing and we were out there for hour after hour, and it was very, very cold. But by the time the players finally got there, they were so tired that virtually nothing happened at the State Capitol. And there were at least 100,000 people up there who-- excuse me. We have things being thrown at us here.

HOWARD SINKER: We're big and easy targets here on the field.

GARY EICHTEN: A lot of people didn't get to see what they had really come to see, and hear from the team, and to see the team. Today was different. This event was set up, I thought, very nicely. Everybody got a chance to see and hear the players. And that's what they're here for.

HOWARD SINKER: They'll be doing this in the little Twin Cities of St. Cloud and Collegeville tonight, right? No, we're just joking.

GARY EICHTEN: Well, Bill and Howard, before we go, a quick word from each of you. Both of you had the opportunity to cover all seven games of the World Series, of course, in the five games of the playoffs. One lasting memory from each of you. Bill?

BILL WAREHAM: It was just incredible. I can't say enough about it. It went beyond fun. It was nerve-wracking, gut-wrenching, all of that, and ultimately as satisfying as any World Series I can imagine.

GARY EICHTEN: Howard?

HOWARD SINKER: Just too good to believe, just too good to believe-- by the book when it comes up, by the tapes. Watch the games over and over and believe it. It really happened. And guys who type for a living just can't describe it as well as you can be described by watching it.

GARY EICHTEN: It was a great World Series, no doubt about it. We'd like to remind you that this live broadcast from the Metrodome has been made possible, in part, by the advocates of Minnesota Public Radio. Contributors include Neiman Marcus, celebrating its new store on the Nicollet Mall, and Lee and Riley micro-marketing for today's business environment.

This is Gary Eichten. Thanks for joining us. Bill Wareham has been here. Howard Sinker, who writes for the Star Tribune, teaches journalism at Macalester College, has been here. Brian [? Tonison ?] has been here working the controls. It's been a lot of fun this afternoon. And we sure are glad that you could join us.

We're going to return now to fresh air, a reminder, we missed the first part of that program. You can hear it in its entirety at 9 o'clock tonight. But for right now, from the Metrodome, this is Gary Eichten. Thanks for joining us. Let's go back to fresh air.

PERRY FINELLI: Well, thank you, Gary. This is Perry Finelli in the studios of St. Paul here at Minnesota Public Radio. Now, 18 minutes after 3 o'clock on the news and information service. We're going to be going to Fresh Air in just a moment. Terry Gross talking today with Pakistani writer Bapsi Sidhwa about human rights in that country.

Also later today on Fresh Air, we'll hear from Dutch musician Willem Breuker talking with Terry about his music. And we get a review of brokers music from jazz critic Kevin Whitehead. That's all coming up on Fresh Air in just a couple of minutes.

Going to let you know about the weather quickly. There is a winter weather advisory for extreme northwestern Minnesota this afternoon. Patchy freezing drizzle in the West, becoming light snow or flurries. Drizzle in the East possibly becoming brief.

Freezing drizzle or flurries later today. Temperatures falling in the East near steady in the west. Right now, in Duluth, it's cloudy and 36; in Rochester, cloudy, 32. In the Twin Cities, skies are cloudy and the temperature 32 degrees. Now back to Fresh Air.

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