SABR 52: Listen to highlights from Minnesota Twins Hitters Panel with Rod Carew and Tony Oliva
On Thursday, August 8, 2024, Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Tony Oliva participated in the SABR 52 Minnesota Twins Hitters Panel at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. The panel was moderated by Tom Shieber, Senior Curator at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Carew was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. He recorded 3,053 hits in his 19-year major-league career, and he was a seven-time batting champion with one of the sweetest left-handed swings in baseball. In 1977, he flirted with a .400 average all season, finishing at .388, and earned American League MVP honors. He was also recognized as the AL Rookie of the Year in 1967.
Oliva was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. The Cuban star excelled in all aspects of the game, winning three batting titles and 1964 American League Rookie of the Year honors. He helped lead the team to the 1965 World Series and batted .304 over his 15-year career, all spent with the Twins. Since 1976, he has served as a coach, scout, and Spanish-language radio analyst in the Twins organization. In 2010, he was named one of the “50 Greatest Twins.”
- Audio: Listen to highlights from the SABR 52 Minnesota Twins Hitters Panel (52:30; MP3)
Here are some highlights:
ON THEIR RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER
- Carew: “Tony and I were roommates together for 11 years. He taught me how to tie my first tie. We used to wear ties in those days, even to go down to the lobby to sit. There were no jeans or regular shirts, you had to wear a tie. And I kept that knot in that tie for about three years.”
- Oliva: “We’ve known each other for 50 years. … We were very good roommates. To room with somebody for that many years, you’re like brothers. It’s something special.”
ON GETTING THE CALL TO THE HALL OF FAME
- Oliva: “When you’re 84 years old and they call you with the news that you’ve been waiting for for a long time … nothing guarantees how long you’re going to be here. It was so nice. I was worried more about my family, my friends, my kids and my wife, than I was for me. … I had the opportunity to play this beautiful game. Nobody told me that I would have a statue in front of this stadium here in Minneapolis. … I’ve met a lot of wonderful people, I have a beautiful family. To me, I’ve been in the Hall of Fame all my life.”
ON THE 1965 WORLD SERIES
- Oliva: “It was a special World Series. We had a good team. But the Dodgers had Sandy Koufax and Maury Wills. Wills didn’t walk, he flew. And the reason we lost the World Series is because we had to play at Dodger Stadium. That’s not an excuse, but it was really hard to win there. The last game was a super game, we lost 2-0. (In the fifth inning) Zoilo Versalles hit a bullet to third base and I don’t know how Junior Gilliam got down the line, but he made the play and that was the ballgame. We had a chance to win, but the best team won.”
ON THE ART OF HITTING
- Carew: “I thought I was a pretty good hitter myself. But I worked at it. God gave me the ability to be able to go up there and swing the bat the way I did. I used to track the ball. Once the ball left the pitcher’s hand, it’s you and the baseball. You can see the movement, whether it’s going inside or outside. If it’s moving, that’s where it clicks in, I’ve got to go to the opposite field. If I could stay inside the ball, knew I had a good chance of getting a base hit.”
For more coverage of SABR 52, visit SABR.org/convention.
Originally published: August 14, 2024. Last Updated: August 14, 2024.