The Wisconsin Rapids Twins were a Class A Minor League Baseball team that existed from 1963 to 1983, playing in the Midwest League . Affiliated with the Washington Senators (1963) and the Minnesota Twins (1964-1983), they were located in Wisconsin Rapids , Wisconsin , United States. They played their home games at Witter Field . The franchise evolved from the Wisconsin Rapids White Sox of the Wisconsin State League (1940–42, 1946–53). For the 1984 season, the franchise became the Kenosha Twins , moving to Kenosha, Wisconsin .
29-651: Despite the fact that they existed for 21 seasons, the Twins were Midwest League Champions only once, defeating the Danville Warriors 2 games to 1 and winning the 1973 Championship , after having lost to the Appleton Foxes in the 1967 Championship Series. They played their home games at Witter Field , located at 521 Lincoln Street in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin . Built in 1928, it served as
58-526: A co-op club in 1970, before becoming a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate in 1971 and remained a Brewers farm club through 1974. The Warriors experienced their share of success in their five years. They were Southern Division first half champions in 1971 (losing to Quad Cities in the playoffs); won the Southern Division in both halves in 1972, going on to win the Midwest league championship ; again won
87-501: A fundraising event for Senator Barbara Boxer , President Barack Obama referred to Newcombe (who was attending the event) as "someone who helped... America become what it is. I would not be here if it were not for Jackie and it were not for Don Newcombe. Newcombe died on the morning of February 19, 2019, at the age of 92, following a long illness. His death was announced by the Los Angeles Dodgers . He's interred at
116-446: A record of 149–90, with 1,129 strikeouts and a 3.56 ERA, 136 complete games and 24 shutouts in 2,154 2 ⁄ 3 innings pitched . In addition to his pitching abilities, Newcombe was a dangerous hitter, hitting seven home runs in the 1955 season. He batted .271 (ninth-best average in history among pitchers), with 15 home runs , 108 RBIs, 238 hits , 33 doubles , three triples , 94 runs scored and 87 walks . A historic marker
145-536: A significant role in the decline of his career. On May 28, 1962, Newcombe signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball 's Central League . Newcombe played one season in Japan, splitting time as an outfielder and a first baseman, only pitching in one game. In 81 games, he hit .262 with 12 home runs and 43 runs batted in (RBIs). In his ten-year major league career, Newcombe registered
174-650: A sister. His father worked as a chauffeur . Newcombe attended Jefferson High School in Elizabeth. The school did not have a baseball team, so Newcombe played semi-professional baseball while attending high school. After playing briefly with the Newark Eagles in the Negro National League in 1944 and 1945, Newcombe signed with the Dodgers. With catcher Roy Campanella , Newcombe played for
203-658: Is still in use by today's Danville Dans and is located at 610 Highland Boulevard in Danville, Illinois. Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed " Newk ", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played ten non-consecutive seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his career in the Negro National League and ended it in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Newcombe
232-654: The 1951 Championship and later capturing the Midwest League Championship in 1954, reflecting the new league name of the old Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. The Dans were affiliated with the Boston Braves (1952), Chicago White Sox (1953) and New York Giants (1954). After a period of fifteen seasons without a minor league team, the 1970 Danville Warriors rejoined the Midwest League , playing at Danville Stadium . The Warriors were
261-835: The Central League in 1900 and the Danville Old Soldiers in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League in 1906. The Danville Speakers played in the Eastern Illinois League in 1908 and in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (Three-I League) from 1910 to 1914. Major leaguers Medric Boucher , Cecil Coombs , Bob Fisher , Buck Hopkins , Pete Hildebrand , Hosea Siner , Bert Graham , Rube Sellers , Connie Walsh , Otto Vogel , Walt Devoy and Hod Eller played for
290-472: The 1950s and 1960s, describing himself as "a stupefied, wife-abusing, child-frightening, falling-down drunk". His alcoholism became so severe that, in 1965, he pawned his World Series ring in order to afford alcohol. He quit drinking in 1966, when his wife threatened to leave him. In his personal and professional life, he helped numerous other people including military personnel and Dodgers teammate Maury Wills in their own battles against substance abuse . At
319-607: The 1976 season. The 1982 Danville Suns rejoined the league for one season as an affiliate of the California Angels . The franchise relocated to Peoria, Illinois to become the Peoria Chiefs in 1983. The Danville Dans of the summer collegiate Prospect League have played since 1989, utilizing Danville Stadium. Danville minor league teams played at Soldiers Home Park from 1922 to 1932. Teams between 1946 and 1982 played at Danville Stadium . Danville Stadium
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#1732787636220348-679: The 1983 season, the franchise moved to Simmons Field in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Today, the park is home to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the summer collegiate Northwoods League , who began play in 2010 . The player to win the first Triple Crown in Midwest League history played for the Twins – Elmore "Moe" Hill. In 1974, he led the league with a .339 average, 32 home runs and 113 RBI. Danville Warriors Several different minor league ballclubs have been based in
377-574: The Dodgers' move to Los Angeles, Newcombe got off to an 0–6 start in 1958 before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Steve Bilko , Johnny Klippstein , and two players to be named later during the season. He posted a record of 24–21 with Cincinnati until his contract was sold to Cleveland in mid-1960. He finished with a 2–3 mark in Cleveland before being released to end his major league career. Newcombe acknowledged that alcoholism played
406-509: The Eagles, agreed to let the Dodgers' Branch Rickey sign Newcombe to a contract. Manley was not compensated for the release of Newcombe. He immediately helped the Dodgers to the league pennant as he earned seventeen victories , led the league in shutouts , and pitched 32 consecutive scoreless innings. He was also among the first four black players to be named to an All-Star team, along with teammates Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella and
435-619: The Eternals in 2016 and into the initial class of "Legends of Dodger Baseball" in 2019. Newcombe was married three times. His first wife was Freddie Green, whom he married in 1945 and divorced in 1960. They had 3 children Evit, Gregory (died 1998), and Robin (died 2015). Evit resides in Florida. A week after his divorce from Green, he married Billie Roberts, a marriage which lasted until they divorced in 1994. Newcombe's third wife, Karen Kroner, survived him. Newcombe dealt with alcoholism in
464-630: The Indians' Larry Doby . Newcombe was named Rookie of the Year by both The Sporting News and the Baseball Writers' Association of America . In 1950, he won 19 games, and 20 the following season, also leading the league in strikeouts in 1951. In the memorable playoff game between the Dodgers and the Giants at the end of the 1951 season, Newcombe was relieved by Ralph Branca in the bottom of
493-512: The NL in both wins and earned run average , with marks of 20–5 and 3.20, as the Dodgers won their first World Series in franchise history. He had an even greater 1956 season, with marks of 27–7, 139 strikeouts, and a 3.06 ERA, five shutouts and 18 complete games , leading the league in winning percentage for the second year in a row. He was named the National League 's MVP , and was awarded
522-738: The Speakers in its short time in existence under that moniker. They moved to Moline, Illinois and became the Moline Plowboys during the 1914 season. The Danville Veterans rejoined the Three-I League in 1922–1932, winning league championships in 1927 and 1930. Danville was an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1927–1932. After World War II, the Brooklyn Dodgers came to town with their Danville Dodgers affiliate in
551-695: The Three-I League. In 1946 the Dodgers looked to have Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe play for the Danville Dodgers . Campanella and Newcombe signed contracts with Danville, but never played there after the idea of integrating received push back. Instead, the players went to the Nashua Dodgers . After the Dodgers left, the team remained as the Danville Dans , joining the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League and winning
580-498: The division first half championship in 1973, beating Decatur in the first round of the playoffs but losing in the championship round to Wisconsin Rapids; and winning the second half division championship in 1974, going on to win the league title by defeating Quad Cities and Appleton in succession. The Danville Dodgers name was reborn in 1975, when it became a Los Angeles Dodgers farm club for two seasons. The franchise folded after
609-759: The first racially integrated baseball team based in the United States in the 20th century, the 1946 Nashua Dodgers of the New England League . He continued to play for Nashua in 1947 before being promoted to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League in 1948. Newcombe debuted for Brooklyn on May 20, 1949, becoming the third African American pitcher in the major leagues, after Dan Bankhead and Satchel Paige . Effa Manley , business manager for
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#1732787636220638-613: The first-ever Cy Young Award, then given to the best pitcher in the combined major leagues. He was the only player to win MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards until Justin Verlander accomplished the feat in 2011. Newcombe had a difficult time in the 1956 World Series . He was the losing pitcher in Game 7. Berra, who hit three home runs off of him in the series, hit two of them in Game 7. The Yankees and Johnny Kucks won 9–0. Following
667-782: The home park for multiple minor league teams: the Wisconsin Rapids White Sox (1941–42; 1946–53) of the Class-D Wisconsin State League . The League folded after the 1953 season, leaving Witter without professional baseball until a new team in the Class-A Midwest League started play. The Wisconsin Rapids Senators (1963) and Wisconsin Rapids Twins (1964–1983) would play for the next two decades. Following
696-731: The inaugural year of the Cy Young Award, he became the first pitcher to win the National League MVP and the Cy Young in the same season. Newcombe was an excellent hitting pitcher who compiled a career batting average of .271 with 15 home runs and was used as a pinch hitter , a rarity for pitchers. Newcombe was born in Madison, New Jersey , on June 14, 1926, and was raised in Elizabeth . He had three brothers and
725-620: The minor league teams. Danville teams played at Soldiers Home Park (1922–1932) and Danville Stadium (1946–1982). In 1989, the Danville Dans of the collegiate summer league began play in the Prospect League . The 1888 Danville Browns were the first professional team in Danville, playing in the Central Interstate League and the Illinois–Indiana League in 1889. The Danville Champions played in
754-525: The ninth inning when Clyde Sukeforth instructed manager Chuck Dressen to bring in Branca. Branca then surrendered the walk-off home run to Bobby Thomson to give the Giants the pennant. After two years of mandatory military duty during the Korean War , Newcombe suffered a disappointing season in 1954, going 9–8 with a 4.55 earned run average , but returned to form the next year by finishing second in
783-416: The town of Danville, Illinois , fielding teams in 38 seasons between 1888 and 1982 under various monikers. The Danville Suns (1982), Danville Dodgers (1975–1976), Danville Warriors (1970–1974), Danville Dans (1951–1954), Danville Dodgers (1946–1950), Danville Veterans (1922–1932), Danville Speakers (1908, 1910–1914), Danville Old Soldiers (1906), Danville Champions (1900) and Danville Browns (1888, 1889) were
812-649: Was installed in Nashua, NH by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire to celebrate the achievements of Newcombe and Roy Campanella in 2023. Newcombe rejoined the Dodger organization in the late 1970s and served as the team's Director of Community Affairs. In March 2009, he was named special adviser to the chairman of the team. Newcombe was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary 's Shrine of
841-511: Was the first pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year , Most Valuable Player , and Cy Young Awards during his career. This distinction would not be achieved again until 2011, when Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander , who was Rookie of the Year in 2006, won the Cy Young and MVP awards. In 1949, he became the first black pitcher to start a World Series game. In 1951, Newcombe was the first black pitcher to win 20 games in one season. In 1956,
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