The trading of Rod Carew

Rod Carew during happier times with the Twins

The Minnesota Twins trade the greatest hitter in franchise history – first baseman Rod Carew – to the Angels 46 years ago today for the serviceable, if unspectacular, quartet of outfielder Ken Landreaux, catcher Dave Engle. and pitchers Paul Hartzell and Brad Havens.

Not that the Twins have much choice in making the trade when the Panamanian-born Carew says he never again will play for Minnesota after owner Calvin Griffith made some less-than-forward-thinking comments about minority fans.

Calvin Griffith

“I will not ever sign another contract with this organization,” Carew tells the Minneapolis Tribune after the 1978 season.

“I don’t care how much money or how many options Calvin Griffith offers me. I definitely will not be back next year. I will not come back and play for a bigot. … Spit on Calvin Griffith.”

Carew, who spends 12 seasons with the Twins, plays another seven seasons with the Angels before becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1991.

Carew later softens his stance toward Griffith.

So much so that Griffith is the first person that Carew calls after his runaway selection – receiving 90.5 percent of the requisite 75 percent vote – for induction into the Hall.

By then, Carew fondly remembers Griffith’s encouragement when he is a 21-year-old rookie in 1967 and then a struggling second-year player in 1968. After that, Carew’s career takes off with the first of his seven batting titles coming in 1969.

“When I first got the news that I was going into the Hall of Fame, he was the first person I called.” Carew later tells author Bob Showers.

“It was 3 o’clock in the morning for him in Helena, Montana, and I woke him up. I called him before my mom because I owed him that much respect.”