Step back in time with this authentic Wisconsin Rapids Twins Baseball team t-shirt, celebrating one of the most enduring franchises in Midwest League history. The Twins took Wisconsin by storm from 1964-1983, bringing professional minor league baseball excitement to the heart of Wisconsin Rapids for two decades.
The Wisconsin Rapids Twins burst onto the baseball scene in 1964 when the franchise began a long-term affiliation with the Minnesota Twins organization. After one season as the Wisconsin Rapids Senators (affiliated with the Washington Senators), the team was renamed the Wisconsin Rapids Twins and played their inaugural game at Witter Field on April 26, 1964, under manager Joe Christian. In their first season, the team finished with a 50-71 record, placing ninth in the Midwest League, though they did feature future major leaguer Pat Kelly, who led the team with 16 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a .357 batting average.
Throughout their 20-year run, the Wisconsin Rapids Twins served as an important development ground for the Minnesota Twins organization, with several notable players passing through Witter Field on their way to the major leagues. Future stars who played for Wisconsin Rapids included third baseman Graig Nettles, who led the Midwest League with 28 home runs in 1966, and Charlie Manuel, who not only played for the team as a 23-year-old outfielder in 1967 but later returned to manage the club during its final season in 1983. The franchise also featured Elmore "Moe" Hill, who achieved the distinction of winning the first Triple Crown in Midwest League history while playing for the Twins.
Despite being located in a relatively small community with a population of fewer than 20,000 people, the Wisconsin Rapids Twins maintained operations for two decades thanks in large part to community support. Much of the team's local backing came from the efforts of the non-profit Paper Cities Baseball Association, formed to help bring professional baseball to town in 1963, with approximately 300 members paying annual dues of just $5 each throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. In their final season in 1983, under manager Charlie Manuel, the team finished with a respectable 71-67 record, placing third in the league's North Division, with Michael Moreno and Paul Felix leading the offensive charge with 21 home runs apiece. Following the 1983 season, the franchise relocated to Kenosha, Wisconsin, bringing an end to this chapter of professional baseball in Wisconsin Rapids until the arrival of the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the summer collegiate Northwoods League in 2010.
This premium quality throwback tee features the iconic Wisconsin Rapids Twins logo on the front, reproduced with a deliberately distressed, cracked, vintage feel that captures the nostalgic essence of this beloved team. The back remains blank, keeping the focus on the legendary emblem that represents a golden era of Wisconsin baseball history.
Product Specifications:
- Printed on premium Gildan 5000
- 5.3 oz, 100% preshrunk cotton for comfort and durability
- Tear-away label for maximum comfort
- Classic unisex fit looks great on everyone
- Available in sizes S-5XL
- Variety of popular colors available
- Created using cutting-edge direct-to-garment printing technology for exceptional detail and wash-resistance
Whether you were there cheering from the stands at Witter Field during their Midwest League days, or you're just discovering the legend of the Wisconsin Rapids Twins, this shirt lets you carry a piece of Wisconsin baseball history wherever you go.
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