Twins to retire number for Hall of Fame-elected Kaat

January 13, 2022 Travis Kriens Local, Regional and National Sport stories
FILE – Jim Kaat, left-handed pitcher of the Minnesota Twins is shown in March 1967. The Minnesota Twins will retire the uniform number of former pitcher Jim Kaat. He was recently elected to the Hall of Fame. The Twins will add Kaat’s 36 to their wall of retired numbers during a pregame ceremony at Target Field on July 16. (AP Photo/File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins will retire the uniform number of former pitcher Jim Kaat, who was recently elected to the Hall of Fame.

The Twins announced Wednesday that they’ll add Kaat’s 36 to their wall of retired numbers during a pregame ceremony at Target Field on July 16.

Kaat will join Harmon Killebrew (3), Rod Carew (29), Tony Oliva (6), Kent Hrbek (14), Kirby Puckett (34), Bert Blyleven (28), Tom Kelly (10) and Joe Mauer (7) on the list of retired numbers. Jackie Robinson’s 42 has been set aside for all Major League Baseball teams.

The 83-year-old Kaat was elected to the Hall of Fame along with former teammate Tony Oliva by the Golden Days Era Committee last month. Killebrew, Carew, Puckett and Blyleven were previously inducted.

Kaat made his big league debut in 1959 with the Washington Senators, who moved to Minnesota to become the Twins in 1961. He won 189 games over 13 seasons in Minnesota and remains the club’s leader in that category plus games started (422) and innings pitched (2,959 1/3).