Twins announce details for 2023 Hall of Fame Ceremonies August 4-5

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins today announced details regarding the 2023 Twins Hall of Fame celebrations at Target Field, presented by Coordinated Business Systems, which will take place from August 4-5 when the team hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks. The club will induct former catcher/first baseman Joe Mauer in a special pregame ceremony on Saturday, August 5. Few players are as synonymous with Twins baseball as Mauer, the St. Paul native and former top overall selection in the 2001 draft who, over the course of an illustrious 15-year major league career spent all with his hometown team from 2004-18, left an indelible impact on the field, in the community, and throughout the state and region.

Tickets for all three games of the Twins vs. Diamondbacks weekend series (Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 6) are available for purchase via twins.com, by calling 612-33-TWINS or 1-800-33-TWINS, or in-person at the Target Field Ticket Office.

Seventeen members of the Twins Hall of Fame are scheduled to be in attendance to help celebrate Mauer, who will become the prestigious group’s 38th member. They are (subject to change): Jerry Bell, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Jim Kaat, Ron Gardenhire, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, John Gordon, Eddie Guardado, Kent Hrbek, Tom Kelly, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, Tony Oliva, Jim Perry, Jim Rantz and Johan Santana.

Additionally, Mauer’s former teammates returning for the weekend include: Brian Dozier, Brian Duensing, Jason Kubel, Carl Pavano, Trevor Plouffe, Nick Punto and Josh Willingham.

Friday, August 4 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (7:10 p.m.; gates open at 5:00 p.m.)

• Inaugural Twins Hall of Fame Golf Tournament: Fans can join their favorite Twins Hall of Famers for the inaugural Twins Hall of Fame Golf Tournament! The event will kick off with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, MN, and entry fees include green fees and carts, breakfast, refreshments on the course, a post-tournament lunch, gifts, awards and other prizes. Each foursome will be paired with a Twins legend and all proceeds from the event will benefit the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. Spots are still available; more information can be found here.
• Media Availability – Joe Mauer: Twins Hall of Fame electee Joe Mauer will be available to speak with the media on the field from 4:30-5:00 p.m. during Twins batting practice.
• Fan Photo Opportunity – Joe Mauer: Fans will have an opportunity to have their picture taken with Joe Mauer from 5:15-5:45 p.m. inside Gate 29.

Saturday, August 5 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (6:10 p.m.; gates open at 4:00 p.m.): Joe Mauer Twins Hall of Fame Induction presented by Coordinated Business Systems

• Gate Giveaway presented by Coordinated Business Systems: Courtesy of Coordinated Business Systems, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Joe Mauer Twins Hall of Fame Commemorative Pin.
• Joe Mauer Digital Ticket Giveaway with Candy Digital: All fans in attendance for the Twins vs. Diamondbacks game on Saturday, August 5 will receive a digital commemorative ticket courtesy of the Twins and Candy Digital, a next-generation brand engagement platform; the digital memorabilia features images from Mauer’s iconic final big-league game on September 30, 2018.
• Plaque Unveiling: Joe Mauer will join fans on Target Plaza at 4:15 p.m. as his Twins Hall of Fame plaque is officially unveiled outside Gate 29. The unveiling will be hosted by Twins broadcaster Cory Provus.
• Joe Mauer Twins Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Joe Mauer, one of the most legendary names in Twins history, will be formally enshrined in the Twins Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. Longtime Twins television play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer will serve as emcee, while Twins Hall of Famer and Mauer’s former teammate, close friend and the other half of the “M&M Boys,” Justin Morneau, will formally introduce Mauer as the next member of this prestigious group.
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Mauer’s children, Emily, Maren and Chip, will each throw out a ceremonial first pitch, caught by their father.
• Target Ball Kid/Play Ball Kids: Joe’s son, Chip, will deliver the ball to the mound as the Target Ball Kid before joining his sisters Emily and Maren as the Play Ball Kids.
• Media Availability: The newest member of the Twins Hall of Fame, Joe Mauer, will be available to speak with the media in the bottom of the first inning, in the baseball communications workroom at the back of the Herb Carneal Press Box.

More on the Twins Hall of Fame and the Class of 2023:

Joe Mauer was selected first overall by the Twins in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Paul’s Cretin-Derham Hall High School and made his major league debut on April 5, 2004. He played all 15 of his major league seasons with the Twins, joining National Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Oliva as the only player in club history to do so. Mauer hit .306 (2123-for-6930) for his career with 428 doubles, 30 triples, 143 home runs, 923 RBI, 1018 runs scored, 939 walks and a .388 on-base percentage. Primarily a catcher from 2004-13, he played 921 of his 1858 career games at the position, the most in Twins history among backstops.

The 2009 American League Most Valuable Player was named to the AL All-Star team six times, earned three Rawlings Gold Glove Awards at catcher, earned the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award five times and won three AL Batting Titles, the only catcher in AL history to have done so. He was also a three-time winner of the Most Valuable Twin Award and the 2008 winner of the Carl R. Pohlad Award for Outstanding Community Service, as voted on by the Twin Cities Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund Board of Directors.

The St. Paul native ranks first on the Twins all-time list in doubles (428) and times on base (3087), while he is second in games (1858), hits (2123), walks (939) and at-bats (6930); third in runs scored (1018) and total bases (3040); fifth in RBI (923); and tied for 12th in home runs (143). His jersey number seven was formally retired by the Twins on June 15, 2019; he is one of only nine players or managers in club history to have his number retired and the only catcher to be so honored.

The Twins Hall of Fame membership is permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame Gallery on the United Healthcare Suite Level at Target Field, as well as on Target Plaza and in the Minor League Clubhouse at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida.