KIRBY PUCKETT

Known for his fun-loving personality, explosive bat, and acrobatic catches in center field, Kirby Puckett was the Minnesota Twins’ first-round draft pick in 1982. He was promoted to the majors two years later. In 1986, Puckett made the first of 10 straight All-Star appearances. The following year, he led the American League in hits for the first of three straight seasons, adding a .332 batting average with 28 homers and the second of his six Gold Gloves. The uncontested team leader, Puckett led the Twins to a pair of World Series titles in 1987 and 1991. Afterwards, as other stars jumped ship, Puckett remained loyal to the Twins and their fans only to have his career end prematurely after the 1995 season due to irreversible retina damage in his right eye.

G1783 AB7244 R1071 H2304 2B414 3B57 HR207 RBI1085 AVE.318

Text and images courtesy of Dick Perez’s The Immortals - An Art Collection of Baseball’s Best