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Don Mincher
Donald Ray Mincher (June 24, 1938 – March 4, 2012) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and longtime minor league executive. He played in the majors from 1960 to 1972 for the "original" Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics, and the expansion Washington Senators and Texas Rangers, all of the American League. The native of Huntsville, Alabama, batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 205 pounds (93 kg). He was a member of the last editions of each of Washington's two 20th Century American League teams and their first-year squads in their new locales, Minneapolis–Saint Paul (1961) and Dallas–Fort Worth (1972). Based on his popularity in his hometown, Huntsville, he would gain the nickname of Mr. Baseball of Huntsville.
Mincher was born on June 24, 1938, in Huntsville, Alabama to George Walter and Lillian Gladys (Cothren) Mincher. He graduated from S. R. Butler High School in 1956. In high school, he played baseball, basketball, and football; captaining the baseball and football teams as a senior. He was All-state and a high school All-American in football. He won the Sandlot Player of the Year award in baseball.
Mincher's professional baseball career began when he signed as an amateur free agent with the Chicago White Sox after graduating from Huntsville's S. R. Butler High School in 1956. He turned down a football scholarship to the University of Alabama to sign with the White Sox.
Mincher played in the White Sox minor league system from 1956-1959. He spent 1956-57 in Class-C baseball with the Duluth-Superior White Sox of the Northern League. He moved up to the Class-B Davenport DavSox in 1958, where he played 128 games at first base, with a .330 batting average, 23 home runs, 97 runs batted in (RBI), 101 runs scored, 29 doubles, and an OPS of .971. He was fifth in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (Three-I League) in hitting, sixth in home runs and OPS, second in RBIs, and third in runs. He played for the Single-A Charleston ChaSox in 1959.
He steadily rose through the Chicago system over four years, but was traded to Washington on the eve of the 1960 season (April 4, 1960), along with young catcher Earl Battey, and $150,000 for veteran Senators' slugger Roy Sievers. He spent most of 1960 playing Double-A baseball for the Charleston Senators of the American Association, hitting .306 with 12 home runs in 112 games.
He made his major league debut on April 18, 1960, as cleanup hitter and first baseman for the Senators; batting between Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison. He played in 27 games for the Senators that year, with a .241 batting average in 79 at-bats. The Senators moved to Minnesota the following year, becoming the Minnesota Twins. From 1961-63, Mincher's playing time increased each year, starting 57 games at first base in 1963 playing behind Vic Power. The following year, he shared time at first base with Bob Allison; Mincher starting 65 games, and Allison starting 90 games. On the year, Mincher hit .237, with 23 home runs and 56 RBIs in only 287 at-bats. Allison hit .287, with 32 home runs and 86 RBIs in 492 at bats. From 1961-64, Mincher's home runs increased each year (5, 9, 17 to 23).
In 1965, he appeared in 128 regular-season games for the pennant-winning 1965 club, batting .251 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He now split time at first base with future hall of famer Harmon Killebrew (who also played at third base), but Mincher started the majority of the Twins' games at first base (85). Mincher also appeared in all seven games of the 1965 World Series. Although he collected only three hits in 23 at bats (.130), his first hit was a home run off Don Drysdale in the second inning of Game 1. The home run off of Drysdale in World Series was something Mincher reflected on with deepening appreciation over the years; as well as his having batted against Sandy Koufax in that World Series. That home run scored Minnesota's first run of the Fall Classic. The Twins won that contest, 8–2, but Drysdale's Los Angeles Dodgers would ultimately prevail in seven games.
In 1966, Mincher would have his most starts at first base for the Twins (118). Killebrew played 40 games at first base, but the majority of his games were at third base. Mincher had his franchise high in plate appearances (497) and games (139), repeating his .251 batting average from 1965; but his home runs fell to 14, and RBI total to 62. Killebrew hit .281, with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs. After the season was over, the Twins traded Mincher, Jimmie Hall and Pete Cimino to California Angels in exchange for Dean Chance and a player to be named later (Jackie Hernandez). Killebrew was the full time Twins first baseman in 1967.
Don Mincher
Donald Ray Mincher (June 24, 1938 – March 4, 2012) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and longtime minor league executive. He played in the majors from 1960 to 1972 for the "original" Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics, and the expansion Washington Senators and Texas Rangers, all of the American League. The native of Huntsville, Alabama, batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 205 pounds (93 kg). He was a member of the last editions of each of Washington's two 20th Century American League teams and their first-year squads in their new locales, Minneapolis–Saint Paul (1961) and Dallas–Fort Worth (1972). Based on his popularity in his hometown, Huntsville, he would gain the nickname of Mr. Baseball of Huntsville.
Mincher was born on June 24, 1938, in Huntsville, Alabama to George Walter and Lillian Gladys (Cothren) Mincher. He graduated from S. R. Butler High School in 1956. In high school, he played baseball, basketball, and football; captaining the baseball and football teams as a senior. He was All-state and a high school All-American in football. He won the Sandlot Player of the Year award in baseball.
Mincher's professional baseball career began when he signed as an amateur free agent with the Chicago White Sox after graduating from Huntsville's S. R. Butler High School in 1956. He turned down a football scholarship to the University of Alabama to sign with the White Sox.
Mincher played in the White Sox minor league system from 1956-1959. He spent 1956-57 in Class-C baseball with the Duluth-Superior White Sox of the Northern League. He moved up to the Class-B Davenport DavSox in 1958, where he played 128 games at first base, with a .330 batting average, 23 home runs, 97 runs batted in (RBI), 101 runs scored, 29 doubles, and an OPS of .971. He was fifth in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (Three-I League) in hitting, sixth in home runs and OPS, second in RBIs, and third in runs. He played for the Single-A Charleston ChaSox in 1959.
He steadily rose through the Chicago system over four years, but was traded to Washington on the eve of the 1960 season (April 4, 1960), along with young catcher Earl Battey, and $150,000 for veteran Senators' slugger Roy Sievers. He spent most of 1960 playing Double-A baseball for the Charleston Senators of the American Association, hitting .306 with 12 home runs in 112 games.
He made his major league debut on April 18, 1960, as cleanup hitter and first baseman for the Senators; batting between Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison. He played in 27 games for the Senators that year, with a .241 batting average in 79 at-bats. The Senators moved to Minnesota the following year, becoming the Minnesota Twins. From 1961-63, Mincher's playing time increased each year, starting 57 games at first base in 1963 playing behind Vic Power. The following year, he shared time at first base with Bob Allison; Mincher starting 65 games, and Allison starting 90 games. On the year, Mincher hit .237, with 23 home runs and 56 RBIs in only 287 at-bats. Allison hit .287, with 32 home runs and 86 RBIs in 492 at bats. From 1961-64, Mincher's home runs increased each year (5, 9, 17 to 23).
In 1965, he appeared in 128 regular-season games for the pennant-winning 1965 club, batting .251 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He now split time at first base with future hall of famer Harmon Killebrew (who also played at third base), but Mincher started the majority of the Twins' games at first base (85). Mincher also appeared in all seven games of the 1965 World Series. Although he collected only three hits in 23 at bats (.130), his first hit was a home run off Don Drysdale in the second inning of Game 1. The home run off of Drysdale in World Series was something Mincher reflected on with deepening appreciation over the years; as well as his having batted against Sandy Koufax in that World Series. That home run scored Minnesota's first run of the Fall Classic. The Twins won that contest, 8–2, but Drysdale's Los Angeles Dodgers would ultimately prevail in seven games.
In 1966, Mincher would have his most starts at first base for the Twins (118). Killebrew played 40 games at first base, but the majority of his games were at third base. Mincher had his franchise high in plate appearances (497) and games (139), repeating his .251 batting average from 1965; but his home runs fell to 14, and RBI total to 62. Killebrew hit .281, with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs. After the season was over, the Twins traded Mincher, Jimmie Hall and Pete Cimino to California Angels in exchange for Dean Chance and a player to be named later (Jackie Hernandez). Killebrew was the full time Twins first baseman in 1967.
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