The Duke Abides
Rounds 1-6 Results:
Longtime Minnesota Twins radio mainstay Herb Carneal kicked off the top five slots on this list. As we move into the top ten, similarly longtime TV play-by-play man Dick Bremer nabs the beginning spot of the “next five”. From 1983-2023, Bremer was the voice of Twins television. His booming baritone professed Puckett & Hrbek—Hunter & Mientkiewicz—Mauer & Morneau—Buxton & Lewis. His hometown roots—MN born and raised—endeared him to local denizens in ways even Carneal couldn’t quite reach. The Duke abides.
Next: One unique voice exits the poll—and another enters.
photo by: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Paul Molitor
- Despite a long, Hall of Fame career elsewhere, the St. Paul-born, Gopher-playing Molitor didn’t play for his hometown major league squad until 39 years of age (1996-1998). Even then, his .341 BA campaign in ‘96 was remarkable! After assuming various coaching roles in the Twins organization from 2005-2014, Molly assumed the top dugout perch from 2015-2018. Even after being let go, Molitor remained—and remains—active as a roving instructor.
Target Field
- Debuting in 2010, Target Field was—and remains to this day—a gem of a ballpark. Nestled into a Minneapolis plot that no one thought possible to accommodate a baseball yard, it has a uniquely cozy feel. It always resides in the top third of MLB ballpark lists—often in the top five! Maintained impeccably for the past 14 years—some might argue better than the on-field product—Target Field is the mirror image of its Metrodome predecessor: a glorious shrine to Minnesota baseball, only missing a championship trophy in its bowels.
The Star Tribune Sports Section
- Gather ‘round, children, and let me tell you of a time before the internet. In the hardscrabble analog age of human existence, following your local sporting nine was not a moment-by-moment affair. Instead, a rolled-up newsprint assemblage that magically appeared on your doorstep to meet the rising sun was often your best bet for baseball news. No shade to east Twin Cities suburbanites who received the Pioneer Press, but the west-side’s Star Tribune had unassailable sports coverage that provided beat opinions and box scores to pore over for hours.
Dan Gladden
- In five seasons with the Twins, Dan Gladden accumulated 5.8 WAR—not exactly the stuff of legends. Yet, legend he is in these parts. His hustle and speed were key components of two championships and he was clutch in both—a grand slam in ’87 & a 10th inning double in G7 ‘91 that sparked the winning rally. Dazzle’s “colorful” commentary aside John Gordon, Corey Provus and others in the radio booth is unique, to say the least.
Bob Casey
- It is exceedingly rare for a public address announcer to capture a fanbase’s imagination. But sitting in his hidey-hole behind the Metrodome’s home plate, that is exactly what Bob Casey did. Whether informing Dome fans of the smoking policy or hyping every #34 plate appearance, Casey was masterful at the mic. Even in his later years, Casey’s “Guuuuzman” or “Lewwwwww” vocalizations became iconic, to say nothing of pleading with fans to stop throwing hot dogs at Chuck Knoblauch in 2001. Remarkable that a ballpark voice could create such an outsized impact.