César Tovar Made Twins History With a Walk-Off Cycle 54 Years Ago Today

Tovar thought his days in Minnesota were numbered, that did not stop him from

A general view of the stadium before a spring training exhibition game between Puerto Rico and the Minnesota Twins. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before a game against the Texas Rangers in 1972, César Tovar was talking like a man destined for the gallows.

According to SABR’s account of the game, Tovar had already become convinced his time in Minnesota was nearing an end: “He’s gonna trade me, I know it.” The concern was understandable, baseball can be ruthlessly businesslike, and Tovar was in the middle of a down season after collecting 200 hits in 1971.

With the season winding down, Tovar appeared convinced that his time in Minnesota was nearing its end. What followed was one of the best individual performances in Twins franchise history.

Going Out With A Bang

A full moon rises over the Minnesota Twins logo in a game between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Tovar batted leadoff and started his day with a triple to right field, followed by a groundout, a fifth-inning single to center and a double in the seventh. All that remained was a round-tripper to complete the cycle. There was one slight problem: Tovar had hit exactly one home run all season.

He was also playing in an era when power from a shortstop was more novelty than expectation. Today, a shortstop hitting 30 home runs might barely raise an eyebrow. In 1972, players like Ernie Banks were remembered as anamolies and trailblazers because power production from that position was extremely rare.

The game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth and sat one out away from extra innings. Considering Tovar had homered only once all season, the odds of him completing the cycle with a walk-off shot seemed almost absurd. But baseball cannot always be confined to what the numbers say should happen. Tovar launched a two-run homer into the left-field seats, completing the cycle in the most dramatic fashion possible and giving Minnesota a 5-3 victory. He became just the second player in Twins history to hit for the cycle, following Rod Carew in 1970.

It was a great moment for Tovar and likely one he remembered for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, he would have to reminisce in a different jersey. Minnesota traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies just over two months later, confirming the fears he had expressed before his historic night.

Tovar remained productive enough to keep moving around the league. After one season in Philadelphia, he landed with the Texas Rangers — ironically, the same franchise against which he had completed the cycle — and produced another solid season. His prediction about leaving Minnesota had been correct, but he at least gave the fans something to remember him by.