If they did name it after him, it would last one year. Then a business would buy the name and his would disappear. Sad but true. Even Jack Murphy's name didn't last until the end of that park.

I'll take what's behind door #2 (ploy to get a stadium).

I'd have to think they'd get some protests about naming the stadium (or a portion thereof) after Puckett, given his history of domestic violence and criminal sexual conduct. A memorial is appropriate, but let's get a little time and distance from his death before elevating the guy to sainthood.

A memorial in the stadium (monument, "gathering place") would be fine, because he did great work inside the stadium. But I think a lot of people wouldn't be comfortable with naming the stadium after a wife-beater, or having a statue of a wife-beater outside the stadium. In Pittsburgh, I don't think the Clemente, Stargell or Honus Wagner statues would be up there if they didn't have great reputations as people as well as players.

If they did name it after him, it would last one year. Then a business would buy the name and his would disappear. Sad but true. Even Jack Murphy's name didn't last until the end of that park.

Hubert H. Humphrey says 'Hi'. Names don't always stick, but Puckett is more loved than Humphrey was, and his name has stuck around for 25 years. Names can stick.

That said, it won't be named "Puckett Park". There's to much money at stake now and too much bad publicity possible regarding Puckett's bad reputation. But there will be a Puckett Plaza, or a Puckett's HR Porch, or Kirby's Food Court, or something like that.

I don't think the Clemente, Stargell or Honus Wagner statues would be up there if they didn't have great reputations as people as well as players.

Wasn't Stargell busted for coke, either during or shortly after his career ended?

Anyway, memorializing Puckett in some way makes snese--but I think naming the new stadium after him is too much. Besides, I can't help but wonder how many residents of Portland know who Puckett was...

Puckett is more loved than Humphrey was

Uh, I'd vote no on that one. This is not a dig on Puckett but he was just a baseball player, folks. Humphrey defined the state of Minnesota for 30 years.

Puckett is more loved than Humphrey was

Uh, I'd vote no on that one. This is not a dig on Puckett but he was just a baseball player, folks. Humphrey defined the state of Minnesota for 30 years.

More admired, more respected, and vastly more important to the state, certainly. But more loved? I don't know that I would agree. Plus, Puckett-love is bipartisan.

Besides, I can't help but wonder how many residents of Portland know who Puckett was...

RDF.


Humphrey defined the state of Minnesota for 30 years.

True, but that was 30 years ago. He died in the 70's. You've got to be in your 40s to even have much of a real memory of him. That means there's a huge chunk of the stat that says "who?' when they hear his name. Add to that that Minnesota is getting closer to being a red state, and I don't think Humphrey's following is quite so powerful anymore. He was a major force in history, but I think if you took a poll of the most influential/respected/loved historical politicians in Minnesota, you'd get Paul Wellstone first, and Humphrey wouldn't necessarily come in second or even third.

Maybe I'm out of touch, though. I'm 31 and I don't exactly talk historical politics with a lot of people. But that is kind of the point....Humphrey just doesn't seem to come up anymore.

It was kind of silly comparison on my part in the first place. No one has seriously proposed selling naming rights to the Metrodome, so obviously many people still respect Humphrey. He has a stadium, an airport, a college, and some gov't buildings named after him, while Kirby has 2 blocks of street named after him. But the Kirby-love is really crazy around here....there are a lot of people of all ages and all political slants building a shrine outside the Metrodome as we speak, and very few of those people ever think about the place's namesake.

I think a statue of Puckett, perhaps arm raised in anger or in some other pose indicating that he's taking his "bad day" out on a terrified woman, would make a wonderful memorial that everyone would love.

"Among the possibilities... building a monument to him in center field."

They could build a statue of Kirby climbing up the Glad-bag wall in center, reaching out with his gloved left hand, robbing a home run, with his bare right hand, beside his mouth, feeding himself a hamburger made with a donut for a bun!

It would be called Kirby Kove by Krispy Kreme®.

I'm sure you're right about how people feel currently, Craig. But you used the past tense. Puckett is more beloved now than Humphrey was then. I find that a difficult proposition to swallow, having spent a long time studyng liberal politics between 1920-2000. That said, it's a difficult thing to measure.

A nice tribute, or a way to try and get more people to push for a new stadium?

Kevin Reichard (the BallparkDigest.com guy) voted for the latter. In linking to this story on his own site, he editorialized, calling it crass and pathetic for the Twins to link their stadium proposal to Kirby so soon after his death.

Wouldn't it be a better memorial to, like, keep the stadium he played in?

I'm 31 and I don't exactly talk historical politics with a lot of people. But that is kind of the point....Humphrey just doesn't seem to come up anymore.

I would guess that most younger people's impression of Humphrey is informed by Hunter Thompson's description of him as a "withered booby prize."

I don't think too many people under 40 have read much by Hunter S. Thompson. At most, they know him by way of the Johnny Depp movie.

But you used the past tense. Puckett is more beloved now than Humphrey was then. I find that a difficult proposition to swallow, having spent a long time studyng liberal politics between 1920-2000. That said, it's a difficult thing to measure.

Yeah, that was bad grammar (or perhaps "bad tense"?) on my part. Humphrey was certainly wildly popular in his time.

A "Puckett Plaza" near center field, with statue, would be the Twin Cities equivalent of "Ashburn Alley" at the Phillies' ballpark.

Was Kirby on the juice?

1984

1st two years in the league, 4 homeruns in over 1200 AB's.


1986

31 homers in '86. Notice the major increase in muscularity in just two years. If you look close, you can see the cable veins thru his bicep.

1991

The famous homerun trot. Notice the large rounded deltoids,full arms,large thighs, and managable midsection which can be noticed even through a baggy uniform.

Throw in the stereotypical side effects of roid rage (beating his wife) + early death, and this line of thinking becomes very interesting. I'll also add pre 1990/1991, AAS were not schedule III narcotics and were far more readily available than they are today. In fact, there were physicans in virtually every town that would prescribe them if an athlete merely asked.

Even back in those days I always suspected Fisk, Parrish, and Downing but never gave Puckett much thought as he always gave the impression as just a "fat guy". Sad to say, this trained eye has to call this a "positive".

There's a Ty Cobb statue at Comerica Park, and I think we all know what a great human being Cobb was. Makes Puckett probably look like a saint. As for naming the park after him, that would be overkill. I mean, how much more did he do for the Twins than even someone like Kent Hrbek did?

I mean, how much more did he do for the Twins than even someone like Kent Hrbek did?

The offensive impact seems about equal. But, he provided a much higher impact on defense than Hrbek did. If you're just looking at stats, it's hard to tell the real difference....he was the straw that stirred the drink as well as being a major ingredient in that drink. Its the intangibles that give him the leg up....he gets more "intangible"-love than Jeter ever will.


The Puckett Memorial service starts in a couple minutes...I think it's being broadcast free on MLB.tv and kare11.com .

Was Kirby on the juice?

I remember that Kirby was famous for training with pro wrestling's Road Warriors, Animal and Hawk, who I'm just about 100% positive were juicing. Hawk also died young farily recently, at age 45.

Memorializing him in anyway is vastly inappropriate, and would send the message that it is ok to be a despicable human being if your good at sports. Unfortunately that is the message that we currently send, so it won't be anything new.

Hell, I would rather see Cobb memorialized. Beating on your wife is in my eyes the third worst offense than can be made.