MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bert Blyleven finally has been elected to the Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Twins are elated.
Blyleven’s primary team over 22 major league seasons can now boast four former players in Cooperstown, N.Y. Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Kirby Puckett are the others who made their Hall of Fame mark with the Twins.
Blyleven debuted with the Twins at age 19.
Frank Viola teamed with Blyleven at the top of the Twins’ rotation in 1987, when they won their first World Series. Viola says the Twins would not have been champions without Blyleven, whom he refers to as one of his dearest friends.
The right-hander with the wicked curveball was picked on 79.7 percent of this year’s ballots by eligible voters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
