Harmon Killebrew

The Twins, meanwhile, built a formidable lineup around Killebrew. The middle of the batting order featured Killebrew with the likes of batting champion Tony Oliva and power hitters Bob Allison and Don Mincher. Shortstop and leadoff hitter Zoilo Versalles often gave Minnesota a needed jump-start. In 1965, with the New York Yankees declining after having won fourteen of the previous sixteen American League pennants, the Twins stepped into the breach and won the AL championship by seven games with a 102-60 record. In the World Series, Minnesota won the first two games against the favored National League champion Dodgers, but Los Angeles won the Series in a full seven games. Killebrew batted .286 and homered in Game 4 in Los Angeles, off Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale. In the 1965 All-Star game, also in Minnesota, Killebrew hit a two-run homer.

"The team without Killebrew is like dressing up for a formal affair with a white tie and tails and then wearing muddy shoes," catcher Earl Battey once said.