The Fargo–Moorhead Twins were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1933 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1960, representing the neighboring cities of Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. The Twins won six league championships during their seasons of play. Earlier minor league teams had also represented the cities. Baseball Hall of Fame members Dizzy Dean (1941) and Lloyd Waner (1947) are Fargo–Moorhead Twins alumni, as is 2x AL Most Valuable Player Roger Maris.

History The Fargo–Moorhead Twins played in the Northern League from 1933 to 1942 and 1946–1960. The Twins were an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians (1934–1940, 1953–1957), Pittsburgh Pirates (1947–1948) and New York Yankees (1958–1960).

The preceding Fargo–Moorhead area teams were the 1897 Red River Valley League members Fargo Red Stockings and Moorhead Barmaids, who were the first area minor league franchises. Fargo (1902–1905), the Fargo Browns (1908) and Fargo-Moorehead Graingrowers (1914–1917) all played as members of the Northern League and the 1922 Fargo Athletics played in the 1922 Dakota League.

On May 6, 1953, the Fargo–Moorhead Twins defeated Sioux Falls in their Opening Day game by a score of 12–3. A record crowd of 10,123 fans came to Barnett Field. In the game, Roger Maris got his first professional baseball hit. That season, Twins player Frank Gravino would hit 52 home runs. The Twins would host the Northern League All-Star game and defeat the Northern League All-Stars by a score of 8–4. The Twins finished with a record of 86-39 (improving from their record of 44–80 in 1952) and bested Duluth to win the Northern League championship. Roger Maris would be selected as the 1953 Northern League Rookie of the Year.Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero, pp.54-58, Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, Touchstone Books, Published by Simon & Schuster, New York, 2010,

Fargo–Moorhead teams won Northern League Championships in 1915, 1917, 1934, 1953, 1954, 1958, claiming six overall titles.

Baseball would return to Fargo Moorhead in 1996 when the Fargo Moorhead Redhawks joined the new Northern League.

The ballparks

From 1936 to 1960, the Fargo–Moorhead Twins played their home games at Barnett Field in Fargo, North Dakota. It was located at 19th Avenue and Broadway and was torn down in 1963 to build North High School.

In addition to Barnett Field, in 1933–1935, Fargo–Moorhead teams played select home games at Moorhead Ballpark in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Notable alumni Dizzy Dean (1941) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1953 Lloyd Waner (1947, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1967

Horace Clarke (1960) Mudcat Grant (1954) 2x MLB All-Star Steve Gromek (1940) MLB All-Star Danny Litwhiler (1952) MLB All-Star Ray Mack (1938) MLB All-Star Roger Maris (1953) 7x MLB All-Star; 2x AL Most Valuable Player (1960–1961) Pete Mikkelsen (1960) Joe Pepitone (1959) 3x MLB All-Star Jim Perry (1957) 3x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL Cy Young Award Dick Stigman (1954) 2x MLB All-Star Ron Taylor (1957) Ben Tincup (1942) Bob Unglaub (1914–1916) Bill Zuber (1934)

Year-by-year records Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs 1933 30-75 8th Alvin Theis / Ralph Williams Did not qualify 1934 64-53 1st Jack Knight League champions 1935 72-39 2nd Hal Irelan Lost League Finals 1936 59-61 5th Hal Irelan Did not qualify 1937 70-41 2nd Jack Knight Lost League Finals 1938 60-56 5th Jack Knight Did not qualify 1939 66-48 3rd Jack Knight / Chester Bujaci Lost in 1st round 1940 50-67 6th Chester Bujaci / Wes Griffin Did not qualify 1941 48-69 6th Wes Griffin / Mike Blazo Did not qualify 1942 54-68 7th Mike Blazo / Ben Tincup Did not qualify 1946 63-41 2nd Bruno Haas Lost League Finals 1947 70-49 3rd Bruno Haas Lost in 1st round 1948 41-85 8th Bruno Haas / Ralph DiLullo Did not qualify 1949 56-70 7th Art Doll Did not qualify 1950 49-77 8th Art Doll Did not qualify 1951 59-65 6th Emil Gall Did not qualify 1952 44-80 7th Nick Cullop / Bob Harmon Danny Litwhiler Did not qualify 1953 86-39 1st Zeke Bonura / Santo Luberto League champions 1954 85-55 1st Phil Seghi League champions 1955 61-64 5th Phil Seghi / Paul O'Dea Did not qualify 1956 49-74 8th Tom Oliver Did not qualify 1957 65-57 4th Frank Tornay / Ken Blackman Did not qualify 1958 72-51 2nd Ken Silvestri League champions 1959 64-59 3rd Dee Phillips Lost in 1st round 1960 58-66 6th John Fitzpatrick Did not qualify

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