Position: Outfielder
Height: 5-9
Weight: 223
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Born: March 14, 1961 in Chicago, IL
Resides: Scottsdale, AZ
How Obtained: Twins' 1st-round draft choice in 1982
Career Stats »

Considered by most to be the greatest Twin ever, "Puck" was baseball's jewel for 12 incredible seasons. His story was about being a hero from day one when he became the ninth player in history to collect four hits in his first game, May 8, 1984 at California. The dramatic entrance proved to be just the first of many heroic performances leading up to his most shining moment on October 26, 1991, during Game 6 of the World Series versus Atlanta. He went 3-for-4, made a leaping catch off the plexiglas robbing Ron Gant of a sure extra-base hit and became the ninth player to end a World Series game with a home run on the final pitch off Charlie Leibrandt in the 11th inning to force a seventh game.

The first-ballot Hall of Famer (inducted in 2001), 10-time All-Star, 6-time Gold Glove Award winner and 5-time Silver Slugger Award winner had his career cut short when he awoke with blurred vision caused by glaucoma on the morning of March 28, 1996. He was later forced to announce his retirement due to irreversible damage to the retina in his right eye on July 12, 1996. He retired as the Twins' all-time leader in hits (2,304), doubles (414), total bases (3,453), at-bats (7,244) and runs (1,071).

Besides his endless on-the-field accomplishments, Puckett is also one of the game's greatest community leaders and was given Major League Baseball's Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award in 1996 and was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 2000. He had his famous No. 34 formally retired on May 25, 1997.

PERSONAL: Kirby Puckett . . . nickname: 'Puck' . . . children Catherine and Kirby, Jr. . . . youngest in family of 9 children . . . 1979 graduate of Calumet High School in Chicago . . . earned high school All-America honors in baseball . . . attended Bradley University in Peoria and Triton Junior College in River Grove, IL . . . second in batting (.390) in Illinois Collegiate League for Quincy in 1981 . . . 1982 Region IV Junior College Player of Year, batting .472 and leading Triton to national JC finals . . . named 1992 WCCO Radio's Distinguished Good Neighbor for "his positive influence all over Minnesota" . . . inducted into Triton Hall of Fame in January, 1993 . . . won 1993 Branch Rickey Award for service to his community . . . won 1995 Carl R. Pohlad Award for community service.

2001: Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, January 16 . . . received 423 votes (82.1%) of 515 ballots, joining former Twin Dave Winfield in the Class of 2001 . . . joined Harmon Killebrew (1984) and Rod Carew (1991) as third Twin to be elected to the Hall of Fame . . . became the ninth person in franchise history to have a plaque at the Hall (Washington Senators' Clark Griffith, Goose Goslin, Bucky Harris, Walter Johnson, Heinie Manush and Sam Rice) . . . at age 40, became the third youngest living electee in history behind Sandy Koufax (36 year, 20 days) and Lou Gehrig (36 years, 172 days), the 36th player to be elected in their first year of eligibility and the 44th to have spent his entire career with one team.

2000: Inducted into Twins Hall of Fame, August 12 . . . inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, October 25.

1997: Had No. 34 formally retired, May 25.

1996: Placed on 15-day disabled list, for the first time in career, with blurred vision in right eye due to partial blockage of blood vessel, March 29 . . . transferred to 60-day disabled list, May 28 . . . forced to retire due to irreversible damage to retina in right eye, July 12 . . . saluted fans in pre-game ceremony at Metrodome, September 7 vs. California . . . recipient of Major League Baseball's Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award.

1995: Scored 1,000th run of career, May 17 vs. California . . . 1,000th career rbi, May 26 vs. Texas . . . played first 32 games of season . . . was 6-18 (.333) with 3 homers and 9 rbi, June 13-17 . . . seventh career grand slam, off Randy Johnson, June 16 at Seattle . . . hit 3 home runs in 4 games, June 13-17 . . . second career 4-strikeout game, all by Jason Bere, June 28 vs. Chicago . . . first start in center field since October 3, 1993, July 4 at Baltimore . . . had 7 hits in 8 at-bats, July 25-27 . . . game-winning 3-run home run in 9th inning off Bobby Ayala, August 15 vs. Seattle . . . 200th career home run , off Felipe Lira, August 20 at Detroit . . . became Twins' all-time runs leader, August 30 vs. Texas . . . game-winning home run leading off 9th inning, off Joe Slusarski, September 2 vs. Milwaukee . . . had 13th career 2-homer game, connecting twice off Scott Karl, becoming Twins' all-time total bases leader, September 4 vs. Milwaukee . . . started in right field, but also played infield (second base, shortstop and third base) for fourth time in career, September 10 at California . . . tied career-high with 4 walks, September 11 at Seattle . . . first 4-hit game of season and 47th four-plus hit game of career, in second game of doubleheader, September 18 at Kansas City . . . hit on left side of face by Dennis Martinez pitch, suffering fractured upper maxillary sinus, lacerations on inside of mouth and two loosened teeth (missed last 3 games), September 28 vs. Cleveland . . . ninth in league in batting (.347) in second half of season . . . batted .316 with 10 homers and 60 rbi with runners in scoring position, .377 with runners on third and .625 with 1 homer and 9 rbi with bases loaded . . . played 106 games in right field, 5 games in center field, 26 as designated hitter and made 1 appearance as pinch-hitter (also played second base, shortstop and third base in 1 game) . . . batted .336 with 1 homer and 17 rbi in 28 games as designated hitter . . . led club in doubles and rbi, tied for team lead in games, at-bats and sacrifice flies . . . was 32-132 (.242) with 4 homers and 16 rbi in first 34 games, and 137-406 (.337) with 19 homers and 83 rbi in last 103 games . . . third in league in doubles and intentional walks (18), fourth in road batting (.326), tied for sixth in outfield assists (9) and multi-hit games (51), tied for ninth in total bases (277) and was tenth in hits . . . over last 5 years: third in batting in night games (.322), fourth vs. lefthanders (.343) and on turf (.325), fifth in batting (.315), batting at home (.332) and when game is close and late (.337), sixth in batting in April (.323), seventh in batting in August (.327), eighth in batting in June (.319) and in second half (.320), ninth with runners in scoring position (.318) and tenth in first half (.311) . . . has .337 (644-1912) vs. career average lefthanders and .311 (1660-5332) vs. righties . . . fifth in batting among active players, ninth in rbi, tenth in doubles, 12th in hits and 14th in runs.

1994: Had 2 outfield assists, April 6 vs. California . . . 2,000th career hit, off Bobby Witt, going 5-6 (sixth 5-plus hit game of career), April 8 vs. Oakland . . . team-high 15-game hit-streak to start season, going 22-66 (.333), April 5-20, and career-high 23-game hit-streak dating back to September 26, 1993 . . . 45th career 4-plus hit game, April 27 vs. Milwaukee . . . set club record with 26 rbi in April . . . moved into second on Twins' total bases list (3,003), May 6 at Texas . . . celebrated 10-year anniversary in majors, May 8 . . . batted .319 (2,040-6400) with 354 doubles, 54 triples, 167 homers, 905 rbi and 126 stolen bases in 1568 games in first 10 years . . . his 2,040 hits are second-most in major league history behind Willie Keeler (2,065) in first 10 full seasons and most in 20th century . . . established career-high with 7 rbi, May 20 vs. Boston . . . became fastest Twin to 50 rbi (51) when he got 3 rbi to give him 51 in 48 games and 199 at-bats, eclipsing Larry Hisle's mark (50 rbi, 53 games, 202 at-bats, June 8, 1977), May 31 vs. Seattle . . . had 11th career 2-homer game, June 9 vs. Chicago . . . homered off Mike Magnante to become Twins' all-time hits leader (2,086), June 26 vs. Kansas City . . . 46th career 4-plus hit game, June 29 vs. Texas . . . became Twins' all-time at-bats leader (6,549), July 7 vs. Toronto . . . sixth career grand slam, off Scott Bankhead, 12th career 2-homer game, and tied career-high with second 7-rbi game, August 10 vs. Boston . . . batted .367 with runners in scoring position, .463 with runner on third base and .556 with bases loaded . . . tied for league lead in outfield assists (13) . . . led club in home runs, rbi and tied Chuck Knoblauch for lead in hits . . . led league in rbi (first Twin since Hisle in 1977), tied for fifth in doubles and extra-base hits (55), tied for sixth in total bases (237), was seventh in hits, tied for seventh in sacrifice flies, tied for eighth in hit-by-pitch (7), was ninth in at-bats and tied for ninth in multi-hit games (40) . . . led league and was second to Houston's Jeff Bagwell in rbi and rbi per-at-bat (3.9) . . . won sixth career Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player . . . rated ninth greatest center fielder in history by Baseball Digest.

1993: Hit 150th career home run, off Dennis Cook, June 6 at Cleveland . . . fourth career grand slam, off Bobby Witt, June 12 at Oakland . . . eighth straight All-Star Game, earning Most Valuable Player honors (first Twin) with home run off Terry Mulholland and rbi-double, July 13 at Baltimore . . . first start in right field since April 26, 1991, July 15 at Baltimore . . . tied Tony Oliva for second in club history in hits (1,917) and doubles (329) in 6,000th career at-bat (later in inning tied Oliva for third in runs, 870), July 22 vs. Baltimore . . . surpassed Oliva in hits and runs later in game . . . became Twins' all-time doubles leader (330), July 28 at Seattle . . . first start in left field since September 29, 1990, and had ninth career 2-homer game, August 12 at Toronto . . . fifth career 5-hit game (5-5), and 10th career 2-homer game, August 15 at Oakland . . . had 43rd four-plus hit game of career, breaking Rod Carew's club record . . . second grand slam of season and fifth of career, off Roger Pavlik, September 11 at Texas . . . highest fielding percentage of career (.9939), along with fewest errors (2) and was third in league in outfield assists (13) . . . fifth in league in multi-hit games (56) and doubles, sixth in hits and tied for tenth in total bases (295) . . . most homers by Twins' right-handed hitter since Gary Gaetti (28) in 1988 . . . voted Baseball's Best Role Model and Friendliest Player in reader survey by Baseball America.

1992: Started in center field, but played second and third base in 10th inning, April 15 vs. Milwaukee . . . 37th career 4-hit game, May 8 vs. Cleveland . . . had 14-game hit-streak, going 25-59 (.424), May 8-26 . . . first career grand slam, off Les Lancaster, in 5,129th career at-bat (after 131 homers), May 29 vs. Detroit . . . American League Player of the Month for May, batting .374 (40-107) with 23 runs, 7 home runs, 25 rbi and .636 slugging percentage . . . had 38th career 4-hit game, June 2 vs. Toronto . . . second career grand slam (5 days and 29 at-bats after first), off Juan Guzman, June 3 vs. Toronto . . . had 39th career 4-hit game, June 4 at Texas . . . co-American League Player of the Week, batting .414 (12-29) with 9 runs, 3 home runs, 10 rbi and .793 slugging percentage, June 1-7 . . . had 15-game hit-streak, going 27-69 (.391), June 2-18 . . . had 2 hits and scored 2 runs in Twins' 10-run 4th inning, June 28 at Oakland . . . American League Player of the Month for June, going 40-119 (.336) with 24 runs, 5 homers, 24 rbi and .546 slugging percentage, becoming just second player since award's inception in 1974 to win back-to-back honors (Don Mattingly: August-September, 1985) . . . seventh consecutive All-Star appearance, starting in right field, July 14 at San Diego . . . started in center field, but played third base, shortstop and second base in 9th and 10th innings, July 17 vs. Boston . . . third grand slam of season, tying club record, and eighth career 2-homer game, connecting off Brian Fisher in first 2 at-bats, August 14 at Seattle . . . 40th career 4-hit game, September 12 vs. California . . . drove in 100th run for second time in career, September 13 vs. California . . . moved into third on Twins' all-time stolen base list (117), September 20 at California . . . became first Twin and 18th player in Major League history to collect 200 hits 5 times in career, September 26 vs. Kansas City . . . became first Twin to score 100 runs 3 times in career and gather 300 total bases 4 times, September 28 vs. Chicago . . . finished season with 93-game errorless streak . . . did not go more than 2 consecutive games without a hit . . . led Majors in hits and grand slams . . . led league in total bases (313), was second in batting and multi-hit games (61), tied for fourth in runs and games, sixth in rbi, tied for sixth in doubles and at-bats, was seventh in intentional walks (13), eighth in slugging percentage (.490) and ninth in extra-base hits (61) . . . fifth in Majors with .344 average with runners in scoring position . . . led team in batting, games, at-bats, runs, hits, bunt hits (13), doubles, home runs, rbi, intentional walks and slugging percentage . . . became first Twin to hit .300, get 200 hits, score 100 runs and drive in 100 runs twice in career (1988) and just second to lead club in batting, home runs and rbi (John Castino in 1980) . . . rated Best Hitter and Most Exciting Player by Baseball America . . . won sixth Rawlings Gold Glove Award and fifth Silver Slugger Award . . . runner-up to Dennis Eckersley in American League Most Valuable Player balloting . . . named to The Sporting News' All-Star team . . . signed 5-year, $30 million contract, December 4.

1991: Second career 6-hit game (6-7 in 12-inning game), May 23 vs. Texas . . . doubled off Greg Hibbard for 1,500th career hit, June 29 vs. Chicago . . . sixth consecutive All-Star Game, July 9 at Toronto . . . had 16-game hit-streak, going 28-64 (.438), July 6-26 . . . 100th career stolen base, September 24 vs. Chicago . . . led team in outfield assists (13) . . . hit .372 (54-145) with 8 homers and 23 rbi in first at-bat of game . . . led majors in batting vs. lefthanders (.407), and grounding into double plays (27), one shy of club record . . . tied for third in league in multi-hit games (64), was seventh in hits and eighth in batting . . . led team in batting, at-bats, runs, hits, total bases (281) and sacrifice hits (8) and flies (7) . . . began American League Championship Series 1-8, but was 8-13 with 2 home runs and 5 rbi after that to earn ALCS Most Valuable Player honors . . . batted fourth and hit solo homer off Atlanta's Steve Avery in Game 3 of World Series . . . was 3-4 with single, triple and home run, 2 runs and 3 rbi to go along with great catch, robbing Ron Gant of an extra-base hit in 3rd inning of Game Six of Series . . . became ninth player to end World Series game with home run on final pitch when he homered off Charlie Leibrandt in 11th inning of Game 6 at Metrodome to force seventh game, October 26 . . . walked 3 times, twice intentionally, in Game 7 of Series . . . rated second-best hitter in league by Baseball America . . . won fifth Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

1990: Hit 100th career home run, off Mark Knudson, May 12 vs. Milwaukee . . . was 5-5, May 14 vs. Oakland . . . sixth career 2-homer game, May 28 vs. Baltimore . . . second 5-5 game, June 6 at Toronto . . . singled as pinch-hitter in All Star Game, July 10 at Chicago's Wrigley Field . . . seventh career 2-homer game, July 15 at Baltimore . . . had 13-game hit-streak, going 20-48 (.417), August 14-September 5 . . . started in right field and also played shortstop, third base and second base in 8th inning, August 16 at Cleveland . . . led Twins in batting, runs, hits, bunt hits (6) and total bases (246), while tying Dan Gladden for lead in singles (109) . . . sixth in league in doubles and tenth in batting . . . rated league's Best Hitter and rated third Best Defensive Outfielder and Most Exciting Player by league managers . . . named to Chicago Tribune's All-Time Illinois team.

1989: Had 1,064 hits in first 5 seasons, 2 shy of Joe Medwick's Major League record . . . tied Major League record of 4 doubles and tied team mark of 4 extra-base hits, May 13 vs. Toronto . . . tied Major League record for most doubles in 2 consecutive games (6), May 13-14 . . . starting center fielder in All-Star Game, July 11 at California . . . had team-high 13-game hit-streak, August 24-September 6 . . . batted .390 at Metrodome . . . became first right-handed hitter to win full-season American League batting title since California's Alex Johnson (1970) . . . led Majors in batting, hits and multi-hit games (74, club record) and led Majors' outfielders in total chances (455) and putouts (438, tying Chet Lemon's American League record of 5 seasons with 400-or-more putouts) . . . tied club record for doubles . . . led team in runs, singles (157), total bases (295), rbi, game-winning rbi (13), slugging percentage (.465), games, at-bats, plate appearances (684), on-base percentage (.379) and outfield assists (13) . . . posted baseball's third-highest batting average of 1980's with .323 mark (Wade Boggs, .352; Tony Gwynn, .332; Don Mattingly, .3232) . . . first right-handed batter to lead Majors in hits in 2 consecutive seasons . . . second right-handed batter to get 200-plus hits in 4 straight seasons (Al Simmons, 5 times, 1929-33) . . . fourth player in century to have 4 straight 200-hit seasons . . . joined Ty Cobb and Tony Oliva as only American Leaguers to lead league in hits 3 straight years . . . won Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player . . . named Baseball's Best Player (USA Today), league's Best Hitter (Baseball America) and Most Dangerous Hitter (Toronto Star) . . . won fourth straight Silver Slugger and Rawlings Gold Glove Awards . . . became first player to gain election to AP's Major League All-Star team 4 straight seasons . . . named to fourth straight The Sporting News and third straight UPI American League All-Star teams, and to Baseball America's A.L. West Division squad.

1988: Had 14-game hit-streak, getting 4 hits in each of last 2 games, July 9-26 . . . third consecutive All-Star Game, July 12 at Cincinnati . . . doubled off Shawn Hillegas for 1,000th big-league hit, September 15 vs. Chicago . . . fourth player ever to get 1,000 hits in first 5 seasons (Joe Medwick, 1,064; Paul Waner, 1,057; Earle Combs, 1,011) . . . had 17-game hit-streak, September 15-October 2 . . . tied Carew's club record of eight 4-hit games . . . led Majors in at-bats, hits, singles (163), total bases (358), multi-hit games (73), runs produced (206), outfield putouts (450) and total chances (465), while tying for lead in outfield games played (158) . . . had highest batting average by Twin since Carew (.388) in 1977 . . . second in Majors in batting with league's highest average for right-handed batter since Joe DiMaggio (.357) in 1941 . . . second in Majors in rbi, tied for third in doubles, was fourth in extra-base hits (71), fifth in slugging percentage (.545), tied for fifth in runs and for sixth in sacrifice flies (9) . . . tied for second in league in outfield assists (12) . . . won Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player and was third in American League MVP balloting . . . named league's Best Defensive Outfielder (Toronto Star) and Baseball's Best Center Fielder (Baseball Digest) . . . named center fielder on Baseball America, The Sporting News and UPI American League All-Star squads . . . center fielder on Associated Press' Major League All-Star team . . . won third straight Silver Slugger and Rawlings Gold Glove Awards . . . toured Japan with Major League All-Star team in November.

1987: Played in second consecutive All-Star Game, July 14 at Oakland . . . co-American League Player of the Week, August 24-30 . . . tied American League record for hits (6) in 9-inning game, set club record of 14 total bases and tied team mark of 4 extra-base hits, August 30 at Milwaukee . . . set American League record and tied modern Major League record for hits (10) in 2 consecutive games, August 29-30 at Milwaukee . . . had 6 games of 4-or-more hits . . . led majors in multi-hit games (65), tied for league-lead in hits, was third in total bases (333) and fourth in batting . . . homered off Frank Tanana in Game 4 of American League Championship Series . . . tied World Series record for most times reaching base in game (5) and most runs scored (4) in Game 6 . . . tied Willie McGee for most hits in Series . . . third in American League Most Valuable Player balloting . . . won second straight Rawlings Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award . . . named to Baseball America, The Sporting News and UPI American League All-Star teams and Associated Press' Major League All-Star team.

1986: Had 16-game hit-streak, April 16-May 3 . . . American League Player of the Week, April 21-27 . . . American League Player of the Month for April . . . hit first-pitch-of-game home runs, May 2-3 at Detroit . . . voted starting center fielder for American League and played entire game in first All-Star Game, July 15 at Houston . . . first career 2-homer game, July 18 at Baltimore . . . was 13-18 (.722) in 4-game stretch, July 28-August 1 . . . American League Player of the Week, July 28-August 3 . . . hit for cycle, August 1 vs. Oakland . . . only player with no home runs in 500-at-bat season ever to come back with 30-or-more homers in a subsequent season . . . led Majors with 77 rbi in leadoff role . . . tied Tony Gwynn for Major League lead in outfield games played (160) . . . third in league in batting, singles (149) and slugging percentage (.537) . . . led club in doubles, 4-hit games (7), on-base percentage (.366), games, stolen bases and hit-by-pitch (7) . . . won Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player and was sixth in American League MVP balloting . . . cited by Chicago Pitch & Hit Club as Chicago Area Major League Player of the Year . . . won first Rawlings Gold Glove Award and voted to first Silver Slugger team . . . named center fielder on Baseball America and The Sporting News' American League All-Star teams and Associated Press' Major League All-Star team, all for first time.

1985: First Major League home run, off Matt Young, April 22 vs. Seattle . . . only career ejection, by umpire Drew Coble, July 31 at Seattle . . . led team in batting, runs, singles (153), bunt hits (11), triples, total bases (266), games, stolen bases, 4-hit games (4), multi-hit games (60) and fewest grounded-into-double plays (9) . . . led Majors (and set club record) in at-bats, was third in league in triples, fourth in hits and fifth in games . . . led Major League outfielders in putouts (465) and total chances (492), and tied for lead in outfield games played (161) . . . tied Dwight Evans in vote by league managers as Outfielder with Best Arm . . . won Calvin R. Griffith Award as Twins' Most Valuable Player.

1984: Singled off Jim Slaton in Major League debut and went on to become ninth player in history to get 4 hits in first big-league 9-inning game (4-5), May 8 at California . . . led league and was second in Majors in outfield assists (16) . . . led club in multi-hit games (49) . . . won Bill Boni Award as Twins' Outstanding Rookie and named to Topps' Major League All-Rookie team . . . third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

1983: Had 16-game hit-streak to start season . . . stole 4 bases in game twice in league playoffs . . . led league in at-bats, outfield games played (137) and assists (22), was second in doubles, fourth in triples and sixth in batting . . . member of All-Star team . . . California League Player of the Year . . . voted by league managers as Best Batting Prospect and Rookie of the Year . . . voted Outfielder with Best Arm in league.

1982: Topps' August Player of the Month in Appalachian League . . . led league in batting, at-bats, runs, hits, total bases (135) and stolen bases, while leading outfielders in games (65), assists (11), putouts (133) and total chances (149) . . . named to All-Star team . . . named league's Player of the Year by Baseball America.

PROFESSIONAL: Signed by scout Ellsworth Brown as third player selected in January, 1982 free agent draft.