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Birth
Kirby Puckett was born on March 14th 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest of nine children. Puckett attended Calumet High School, and won High School All American Honors in baseball. Puckett was subsequently drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. -
Early Career 1984
Kirby Puckett's first year in Major League Baseball was 1984. He went 4 for 5 in his first game against the California Angels. That year, Puckett hit .296. Puckett was fourth in singles in the American League. In 1985, Puckett hit .288. His numbers were fourth in the league for hits, first in at bats, and third for triples. -
Early Career 1986
In 1986, Puckett began to emerge as an outstanding player. With an average of .328, Puckett was elected to his first all-star game. He ended third in slugging percentage, second in runs scored, second in hits, sixth in home runs, and fourth in extra base hits. Kirby also improved his defensive skills, earning his first Gold Glove Award -
Prime Career 1987
In 1987, Puckett led the Twins to the World Series. The Twins second since relocating to Minnesota came after Puckett batted .332 with 28 home runs and 99 RBI in the regular season. His performance was even more impressive in the seven-game Series upset over the St. Louis Cardinals, batting .357. During that championship year, Puckett put on arguably his best performance on August 30 in Milwaukee against the Brewers, he went 6-for-6 with two home runs. -
Prime Career 1988
Statistically speaking, Puckett had his best year in 1988, hitting .356 with 24 home runs and 121 RBI, to finish third in the MVP balloting for the second straight season. The Twins won 91 games, six more than in their championship season the year before, but finished second to the Oakland Athletics in the American League West. -
Prime Career 1989
Kirby Puckett won the AL batting title in 1989 with a mark of .339, while also finishing fifth in at bats, second in doubles, first in hits, and second in singles. In April 1989, he earned his 1,000th hit, the fourth player in recorded baseball to do so in his first five seasons. He continued to play well in 1990, finishing with a .298 batting average, but the Twins slipped all the way down to last place in the AL West. -
Late Carrer 2..1991
The images of Puckett rounding the bases, arms raised in triumph (often punctuated by CBS television broadcaster Jack Buck saying "And we'll see you tomorrow night!"), are always included in video highlights of Puckett's career. In the years to come, and especially after Puckett's death, Game 6 came to symbolize his entire career as an excellent ballplayer who always came through for the Twins when they needed it the most. The Twins went on to win game seven, winning the World Series. -
Later Career 1991
In 1991, the Twins got back on the winning track and Puckett led the way by batting .319, eighth in the league.The subsequent 1991 World Series was ranked by ESPN to be the best ever played, with four games decided in the final at-bat and three games going into extra innings. Puckett made a leaping catch on the Plexiflass wall to rob Ron Gant of an extra-base hit in the third inning. Puckett hit a dramatic home run and these moments would be the highlight of Puckett's career. -
Late Career 1994
The Twins did not make the postseason another time during Puckett's career, but Puckett himself refused to follow suit. In 1994, Puckett was switched to right field, but still won his first league RBI title by driving in 112 runs. -
Late Carrer 1995
He was having another brilliant season in 1995 before having his jaw broken by a Dennis Martínez fastball on September 28. -
Retirement 1996
On March 28, 1996, Puckett woke up without vision in his right eye. He was diagnosed with glaucoma, and was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his professional career. Several surgeries over the next few months could not restore vision in the eye; Puckett never played professional baseball again.On July 12, Puckett announced his retirement from baseball at age 35. -
Jersey Retirement
The Twins retired Puckett's number 34 in 1997. -
Hall of Fame
In 2001, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. -
Death
Kirby Puckett suffered a massive stroke at his home. He died March 6th from complications from the stroke. Puckett died at the second youngest of any Hall of Famer inducted while living, and the youngest to die after being inducted in the modern era of the five-season waiting period. -
Today
Puckett had been admired throughout his career and for some years after. His unquestionable baseball prowess, outgoing personality, charity work, community involvement, and nice-guy attitude earned him the respect and admiration of fans across the country. Today Kirby Puckett is my favorite baseball player and by biggest hero and I will always remember him and look up to him despite what age.
