Editing Kirby Puckett (section)

==Career==
===Draft and minor leagues===
As teams tried to save money during the [[1981 MLB strike]], only one scout watched Puckett at Bradley: [[Jim Rantz]] of the [[Minnesota Twins]], who recommended that the team take him third overall in the January 1982 MLB draft. Puckett turned down the Twins' initial $6,000 contract, signing with them for $20,000 after the [[JUCO World Series]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twins Scout Stumbled Upon Unknown Kirby Puckett |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/twins-scout-stumbled-upon-unknown-kirby-puckett/ |work=[[Baseball America]] |date=September 4, 2016 |access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref> After signing with Minnesota, Puckett was assigned to the [[Rookie-level]] [[Elizabethton Twins]], where he batted .382 with three home runs and 35 RBI in 65 games,<ref name="minors">{{cite web |title=Kirby Puckett Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pucket001kir |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref> winning the [[Appalachian League]] [[batting title]] in the process.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kirby Puckett Had Top Mark In Appy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier/131230348/ |work=[[Bristol Herald Courier]] |page=7C |date=September 19, 1982 |access-date=September 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In 1983, Puckett was promoted to the [[Class A (baseball)|Single-A]] [[Visalia Oaks]] in the [[California League]], where he hit .318 with nine home runs, 97 RBI, and 48 stolen bases over 138 games. After being promoted to the [[Triple-A (baseball)|AAA]] [[Toledo Mud Hens]] to start the 1984 season, Puckett was brought up to the majors for good 21 games into the season.

===Minnesota Twins===
Puckett's major league debut came on May 8, 1984, against the [[California Angels]], a game in which he went 4-for-5 with one run.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.nutcan.com/article/The_Five_Most_Important_Figures_in_Minnesota_Sports_History.php |title = The Five Most Important Figures in Minnesota Sports History |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref> That year, Puckett hit .296 and was fourth in the [[American League]] in singles.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1984-batting-leaders.shtml |title = 1984 American League Batting Leaders |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref> In 1985, Puckett hit .288 and finished fourth in the league in hits, third in triples, second in plate appearances, and first in at bats.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1985-batting-leaders.shtml |title = 1985 American League Batting Leaders |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref> Throughout his career, Puckett would routinely appear in the top 10 in the American League in such offensive statistical categories as games played, [[at bat]]s, singles, doubles, and [[total bases]] and such defensive stats as [[putouts]], [[Assist (baseball)|assists]], and [[fielding percentage]] for league center fielders.<ref name="BR">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puckeki01.shtml|title=Kirby Puckett|work=Baseball Reference|access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref>

In 1986, Puckett began to emerge as more than just a singles hitter. With an average of .328, Puckett was elected to his first [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] and he finished the season seventh in doubles, sixth in home runs, fourth in extra-base hits, third in slugging percentage, and second in runs scored, hits, total bases, and at-bats.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1986-batting-leaders.shtml |title = 1986 American League Batting Leaders |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref> Kirby was also recognized for his defensive skills, earning his first [[Gold Glove Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_al_alt.shtml |title = American League Gold Glove Award Winners |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

====1987–1990 (First World Series title)====
[[File:Kirby Puckett 1993.jpg|thumb|left|Puckett bats against the Baltimore Orioles, 1993]]
In 1987, the Twins reached the postseason for the first time since 1970 despite finishing with a mark of 85–77. Once there, Puckett helped lead the Twins to the [[1987 World Series]],<ref>{{cite web|url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1987 |title = 1987 World Series |access-date = September 10, 2009 |work=MLB.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324120713/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1987|archive-date=March 24, 2023 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the Twins' second series appearance since relocating to Minnesota and fifth in franchise history. For the season, Puckett batted .332 with 28 home runs and 99 [[Run batted in|RBIs]].<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/history/MIN |title = Minnesota Twins |access-date = September 10, 2009 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165851/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/history/MIN |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="BR" /> Although he hit only .208 in the Twins' five game [[1987 American League Championship Series|AL Championship Series]] win over the [[Detroit Tigers]], Puckett would produce in the seven-game World Series upset over the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], where he batted .357.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1987_WS.shtml |title = 1987 World Series |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

During the year, Puckett put on his best performance on August 30 in [[Milwaukee]] against the [[1987 Milwaukee Brewers season|Brewers]], when he went 6-for-6 with two home runs, one off [[Juan Nieves]] in the third and the other off closer [[Dan Plesac]] in the ninth.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL198708300.shtml |title = Aug 30, 1987, Twins at Brewers Play by Play and Box Score |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Statistically speaking, Puckett had his best all-around season in 1988, hitting 24 home runs with a career-high .356 average and 121 RBIs, finishing third in the AL [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP balloting]] for the second straight season. Although the Twins won 91 games, six more than in their championship season, the team finished a distant second in the [[American League West]], 13 games behind the [[1988 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1988.shtml |title = 1988 Minnesota Twins season |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Puckett won the AL batting title in 1989 with a mark of .339, while also finishing fifth in at-bats, second in doubles, first in hits, and second in singles. The Twins, two years removed from the championship season, slumped, going 80–82 and finishing in fifth place, 19 games behind the Athletics. In April 1989, he recorded his 1,000th hit, becoming the fourth player in Major League Baseball history to do so in his first five seasons.<ref name="sabr" /> After the 1989 season, Puckett signed a 3-year, $9 million contract with the Twins, making him the first baseball player to earn at least $3 million per year of salary.<ref name="LAT-89">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-22-sp-401-story.html |title=Puckett Is First to Score $3-Million Salary |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 22, 1989 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=September 28, 2024 }} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="LAT-91" /> He continued to play well in 1990, but had a down season, finishing with a .298 batting average, and the Twins mirrored his performance as the team slipped all the way to last place in the AL West with a record of 74–88.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1990.shtml |title = 1990 Minnesota Twins season |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

====1991–1995 (Second World Series title)====
In 1991, the Twins got back on the winning track and Puckett led the way by batting .319, eighth in the league and Minnesota surged past [[1991 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland]] midseason to capture the division title. The Twins then beat the [[1991 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]] in five games in the [[1991 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] as Puckett batted .429 with two home runs and five RBI to win the ALCS MVP.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1991_ALCS.shtml |title = 1991 American League Championship Series|access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

The subsequent [[1991 World Series]] was ranked by [[ESPN]] to be the best ever played, with four games decided on the final pitch and three games going into extra innings. The Twins and their opponent, the [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]], had each finished last in their respective divisions in the year before winning their league pennant, something that had never happened before.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/swf/mlb/anniversary/worldseries100.html |title = World Series 100th Anniversary|access-date = September 10, 2009 |publisher = ESPN }}</ref>

Going into Game 6, the Twins trailed three games to two with each team winning their respective home games. Puckett gave the Twins an early lead by driving in [[Chuck Knoblauch]] with a triple in the first inning. Puckett then made a leaping catch in front of the Plexiglass wall in left field to rob [[Ron Gant]] of an extra-base hit in the third. The game went into [[extra innings]], and in the first at-bat of the bottom of the 11th, Puckett hit a dramatic game-winning home run on a 2–1 count off of [[Charlie Leibrandt]] to send the Series to Game 7.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=2357368 |title=For 11 innings, Puckett's greatness took center stage |access-date=September 10, 2009 |last=Kurkjian |first=Tim |date=March 6, 2006 |work=ESPN }}</ref> This dramatic game has been widely remembered as the high point in Puckett's career. The images of Puckett rounding the bases, arms raised in triumph (often punctuated by [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]] television broadcaster [[Jack Buck]] saying "And we'll see you tomorrow night!") are frequently included in video highlights of his career. The Twins then went on to win Game 7 1–0, with [[Jack Morris]] throwing a 10-inning complete game, and claimed their second World Series crown in five years.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1991_WS.shtml |title = 1991 World Series|access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Though the Twins didn't make it to the postseason for the rest of Puckett's career, he remained an elite player. In 1994, Puckett was switched to right field and won his first league RBI title by driving in 112 runs in only 108 games, a pace that projects to 168 RBIs over a full season. He also broke the record for Twins career hits on June 26 with three hits in the game against the Kansas City Royals that the Twins won 11–4, giving him 2,088 hits.<ref name="LAT-94">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-27-sp-9068-story.html |date=June 27, 1994 |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press |title=American League Roundup : Puckett Passes Carew on the Twins' Hit List |access-date=September 28, 2024 }} {{subscription required}}</ref> Previously [[Rod Carew]] held that record with 2,085 hits.<ref name="LAT-94" /> But the 1994 season was cut short by a [[1994-95 Major League Baseball strike|players' strike]], ending his chances for two consecutive RBI titles.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1994-batting-leaders.shtml |title = 1994 American League Batting Leaders|access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Puckett was still performing well in the 1995 season before having his jaw broken in his final career plate appearance by a [[Dennis Martínez]] fastball on September 28.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/puckeki01.php |title=Kirby Puckett |access-date=September 10, 2009 |website=TheBaseballPage.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208023558/http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/puckeki01.php |archive-date=February 8, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Retirement===
{{MLBBioRet
| Image  = KirbyPuckett_Twins.png
| Name   = Kirby Puckett
| Number = 34
| Team   = Minnesota Twins
| Year   = 1997
}}

After spending the spring of 1996 continuing to blister [[Spring training#Grapefruit League (Florida)|Grapefruit League]] batting with a .344 average,<ref name="startribune.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/11709746.html|last=Christensen |first=Joe|title=Goodbye, Kirby|date=March 6, 2006|work=Minnesota Star Tribune|access-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105640/http://www.startribune.com/sports/11709746.html|archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> Puckett woke up on March 28 without vision in his right eye. He was diagnosed with [[glaucoma]], and was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his professional career. Three surgeries over the next few months could not restore vision in the eye.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n25_v89/ai_18260230/?tag=content;col1 |title=Kirby Puckett battles glaucoma; star outfielder undergoes laser eye surgery |access-date=September 10, 2009 |magazine=Jet |year=1996 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708060406/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n25_v89/ai_18260230/?tag=content;col1 |archive-date=July 8, 2012 }}</ref> When it was apparent that he would never be able to play again, Puckett announced his retirement on July 12, 1996, at the age of 36.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-puckett030606&prov=yhoo&type=lgns |title = Puckett's Abrupt Ending |date=March 7, 2006 |access-date=September 18, 2024 |work=Yahoo Sports }}</ref> Following his retirement, the Twins made him an executive vice president of the team.<ref name="auto"/> 

Puckett received the 1996 [[Roberto Clemente Award]] for community service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/06/obit.puckett/index.html|title=Baseball great Kirby Puckett dies – Mar 7, 2006|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref>

===Legacy===
Puckett won the 1989 American League batting title with a .339 batting average. He also led the league in runs batted in with 112 in 1994. Puckett won six Silver Slugger Awards and six Gold Gloves during his playing career. He was named to the AL All-Star Team 10 times. He finished his career with a .318 batting average, 207 home runs, and 1085 runs batted in.<ref name="auto1"/> At the time of Puckett's retirement, his .318 career [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] was the highest of any right-handed batter since [[Joe DiMaggio]]. Also, he amassed 2,040 hits in the first 10 seasons of his career; this total exceeded that of any other 20th-century player.<ref name="bye" />
[[File:Kirby_Puckett_retired.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Puckett in 1997]]
The Twins [[Retired number|retired]] Puckett's number 34 in 1997.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/twins-retire-pucketts-jersey|title=Twins retire Puckett's jersey|date=May 26, 1997|last=Lesko|first=Ron|work=[[Post-Bulletin]] |access-date=September 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104183130/https://www.postbulletin.com/twins-retire-pucketts-jersey |archive-date=January 4, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[2001 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2001 balloting]], he was elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility. In 1999, he ranked Number 86 on ''[[Sporting News|The Sporting News]]'' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/lisn100.shtml |date=1998 |title=Baseball's 100 Greatest Players|access-date=September 10, 2009 |publisher=[[The Sporting News]] |work=[[Baseball Almanac]] }}</ref>

In 1993, Puckett received the [[Branch Rickey Award]] for his lifetime of community service work.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_br.shtml |title = Branch Rickey Award|access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Almanac }}</ref>

On April 12, 2010, a statue of Puckett was unveiled at the plaza of [[Target Field]] in Minneapolis. The plaza runs up against the stadium's largest gate, Gate 34, numbered in honor of Puckett. The statue, by sculptor [[Bill Mack (sculptor)|Bill Mack]], represents Puckett pumping his fist while running the bases after his winning home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Does bronze become him? |last=J. |first=C. |date=April 24, 2010 |url=https://www.startribune.com/does-bronze-become-him/92019819/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Minnesota Star Tribune}}</ref>

At the time of his own retirement in 2016, longtime [[Boston Red Sox]] first baseman/designated hitter [[David Ortiz]] stated that he had used uniform number 34 with the Red Sox to honor Puckett's friendship with him. Ortiz began his MLB career with the Twins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19721607/david-ortiz-no-34-joins-pantheon-boston-red-sox-great |title=David Ortiz's No. 34 becomes 10th retired Red Sox jersey number |last=Lauber |first=Scott |date=June 24, 2017 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=April 30, 2018 |quote=Ortiz asked for No. 34 when he arrived in Boston before the 2003 season because he wanted to honor Minnesota Twins great Kirby Puckett. In a poignant moment, the Red Sox invited the late Puckett's family to Fenway Park and introduced them on the field... 'When I chose to wear that number, I was proud of wearing it because of the person that I was wearing it for,' Ortiz said. 'It was somebody that was very special to my career even if it was early in my career. He did special things, and somebody that special needs special things. When I saw [Puckett's children] coming toward me, I thought about Kirby—a lot.'}}</ref>

In 1997, Jim Souhan of the ''Star Tribune'' wrote: "What Puckett meant to the Twins transcended statistics, just as his fire-hydrant-shaped body often crested the Metrodome's centerfield fence. He overcame the limits of his short, squat body, and of his upbringing in the projects on Chicago's South Side, to demonstrate the joys that baseball can bring a player and a community".<ref name="bye" />

According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', Puckett was known "for his sunny personality and his passion for baseball".<ref name="times" /> The ''[[Star Tribune]]'' has stated that Puckett possessed a "blend of Hall of Fame skill and persistent joyfulness" that made him "perhaps the most popular athlete in Minnesota history".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.startribune.com/the-morning-kirby-puckett-woke-up-with-blindness-25-years-ago-changed-everything/600039470/ |last=Souhan |first=Jim |title=The morning Kirby Puckett woke up with blindness, 25 years ago, changed everything |date=March 29, 2021 |website=Minnesota Star Tribune |access-date=September 20, 2024 }}</ref> However, Puckett's reputation was affected by various incidents in his personal life following his retirement.<ref name="risefall" />