The Kenosha Twins were a
Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
team that played in
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha () is a city in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Wisconsin, fourth-most populous city in Wisconsin, with a population of 99,986 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. S ...
, from 1984 to 1992. They began play in the
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
in 1984 when the
Wisconsin Rapids Twins relocated. The team played their home games at
Simmons Field in Kenosha. The Twins won two
Midwest League championships, in 1985 and 1987, and were Northern Division champions for the first half of the 1988 season. The team was sold in 1992 and relocated to
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 census ...
, as the
Fort Wayne Wizards
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...
after the season.
The ballpark
The Kenosha minor league baseball teams hosted their home games at
Simmons Field. In the era, Simmons Field was located on Sheridan Road near the shore of
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
in Kenosha.
The ballpark opened in 1920, when the local Simmons Bedding Company’s baseball team needed a ballpark to host their team. Still in use today, Simmons Field is located at 7817 Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Notable alumni
*
Eddie Guardado (1991–92) 2x MLB All-Star; 2002 AL Saves Leader
*
Damian Miller (1992) MLB All-Star
*
Dan Naulty (1992)
*
Brad Radke (1992) MLB All-Star
*
Rich Becker (1991)
*
Midre Cummings (1991)
*
Denny Hocking (1991)
*
Todd Ritchie (1991)
*
Marty Cordova (1990) 1995 AL Rookie of the Year
*
Pat Meares (1990)
*
Jayhawk Owens (1990)
*
Rich Garces (1989)
*
Chuck Knoblauch (1989) 4x MLB All-Star; 1991 AL Rookie of the Year
*
Pat Mahomes (1989)
*
Denny Neagle (1989) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1997 NL Wins Leader
*
Alan Newman (1989)
*
Mike Trombley (1989)
*
Willie Banks
William Augustus Banks III (born March 11, 1956) is an American athlete. Born at Travis Air Force Base, California, he grew up in San Diego County and went to Oceanside High School. Banks is an Eagle Scout.
Track and Field
Banks was a track ...
(1988)
*
Ron Gardenhire (1988, MGR) 2010 AL Manager of the Year
*
Lenny Webster (1986–88)
*
Chip Hale (1987)
*
Scott Leius (1987)
*
Paul Abbott (1986–87)
*
Yorkis Perez (1986)
*
Duffy Dyer (1984–85, MGR)
Year-by-year records
References
Defunct Midwest League teams
Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates
Professional baseball teams in Wisconsin
Defunct minor league baseball teams
Sports in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Defunct baseball teams in Wisconsin
1984 establishments in Wisconsin
Baseball teams established in 1984
Baseball teams disestablished in 1992
1992 disestablishments in Wisconsin
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