Original Twins center fielder Lenny Green dies at 86

He played alongside Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison.

The first center fielder in Minnesota Twins history, Lenny Green, died on his 86th birthday Sunday morning, according to the Detroit News. 

Green began his career in 1957 as a 24-year-old outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles. He was traded to the Washington Senators in 1959 and arrived in the Twin Cities with the Senators in 1961. 

Green spent just over three years with the Twins and was the starting center fielder in their inaugural game against the New York Yankees on April 11, 1961. 

• 1961: .285 batting average, 9 homers, 50 RBI, 17 stolen bases
• 1962: .271 batting average, 14 homers, 63 RBI, 8 stolen bases
• 1963: .239 batting average, 4 homers, 27 RBI, 11 stolen bases

The Twins traded Green to the Los Angeles Angels midway through the 1964 season, just one year before the Twins reached the World Series for the first time. 

Michael Busch's Classic Minnesota Twins blog has a lot more amazing information about Green's career. Check it out right here.