Editing Kirby Puckett (section)

==Personal life==
Puckett married his wife, Tonya, in 1986. The Pucketts had two children<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/minnesota/mendotaheights/tonya-puckett-miller-kirby-pucketts-ex-wife-dies-58|title=Tonya Puckett-Miller, Kirby Puckett's Ex-Wife, Dies At 58|date=September 19, 2023|last=Bornhoft |first=William |work=[[Patch Media]]}}</ref> and divorced in 2002.<ref name="NYT2003">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2003-01-01 |title=Plus: Baseball; Puckett's Divorce Is Made Final |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/01/sports/plus-baseball-puckett-s-divorce-is-made-final.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |page=D7 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2022-04-27 }}</ref>

Following his retirement, Puckett's weight increased to nearly 300 lbs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-03-06-0603060001-story.html|title=Puckett, 44, in fight for his life|date=March 6, 2006|last=Sullivan|first=Paul|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> In March 2002, a woman filed for an [[order of protection]] against Puckett's wife, Tonya Puckett, claiming that Tonya had threatened to kill her over an alleged affair with Puckett. Later that same month, another woman asked for protection from Puckett himself, claiming in court documents that he had shoved her in his Bloomington condominium during the course of an 18-year relationship.<ref name=Tarnished>{{cite news|last=Tevlin|first=Jon|title=April 7, 2002: Kirby Puckett's tarnished image|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/11708911.html|access-date=April 16, 2012|newspaper=Minnesota Star Tribune|date=March 6, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228092213/http://www.startribune.com/sports/11708911.html|archive-date=February 28, 2014}}</ref>

In September 2002, Puckett was accused of groping a woman in a restaurant bathroom and was charged with false imprisonment, fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and fifth-degree assault.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://assets.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0328/1530708.html |title=Witness testifies Puckett dragged woman into restroom |date=March 28, 2003 |access-date=September 17, 2009 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press }}</ref> He was found not guilty on all counts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2003/04/03_stawickie_puckett/ |title=Puckett acquitted of assault charges |access-date = September 17, 2009 |last=Stawicki |first=Elizabeth |website= [[Minnesota Public Radio]] |date=April 3, 2003 |agency=Associated Press }}</ref>

The March 17, 2003, edition of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' included an article by columnist [[Frank Deford]] entitled "The Rise and Fall of Kirby Puckett". The article contrasted Puckett's private life with his public image. Deford reported that Tonya Puckett alleged that Puckett had physically abused her and threatened to kill her on multiple occasions. He also reported that Puckett had engaged in multiple adulterous relationships.<ref name="risefall">{{Cite magazine |last=Deford |first=Frank |date=2003-03-17 |title=The Rise and Fall of Kirby Puckett |language=en-us |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2003/03/17/the-rise-and-fall-of-kirby-puckett-the-media-and-the-fans-in-minnesota-turned-the-twins-hall-of-famer-into-a-paragon-of-every-virtueand-that-made-his-human-flaws-when-they-came-to-light-all-the-more-shocking |access-date=September 20, 2024 |location=New York City |publisher=Time }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-03-11 |title=The other Kirby |work=CNN |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2003/03/11/si_puckett/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503004121/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2003/03/11/si_puckett/ |archive-date=2010-05-03 |publisher=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>