Jul 25, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (48) celebrates his 3 run homerun against the New York Yankees in the 3rd inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
MINNEAPOLIS — When Torii Hunter first came up in the Minnesota Twins’ system as a teenager from Pine Bluff, Ark., Kirby Puckett was there to mentor him.
Puckett’s last season with the Twins was in 1995, and Hunter didn’t debut until 1997, so their big league careers never overlapped. But Puckett took the young Hunter under his wing in spring training for several years, and Hunter continued to look up to Puckett.
That friendship — and the untimely death of Puckett in 2006 at the age of 45 — made for a bittersweet moment for Hunter on Saturday. His three-run home run in the third inning of Saturday’s 8-5 loss moved Hunter past Puckett on the Twins’ all-time home run list. Hunter’s 208 home runs are good for sixth most in team history, one spot ahead of Puckett.
“It’s an honor. This is somebody I really looked up to,” Hunter said of Puckett. “I really appreciated the help that he’s given me. I really miss him. God rest his soul. I know he’s up in heaven just looking down and saying, hey, if there’s anybody, hopefully it was me.”
Making the moment even more special for Hunter was the fact that Puckett’s son, Kirby Jr., was at Target Field to witness it. The younger Puckett, who is a college student in Minneapolis, has gotten to know Hunter well over the years and was glad it was Hunter to surpass his late father.
“I wouldn’t rather have anybody else do it besides Torii,” Puckett Jr. said. “Since he’s been to the Twins, (Saturday) was the first time I’ve actually seen him. It’s always nice to see him. The last time I saw him was when he played for the Angels and he came back here.”
Puckett’s 207 career home runs came in 12 seasons with the Twins. Hunter began his career in Minnesota and has since returned after five years with the Angels and two with the Tigers. The 2015 season marks Hunter’s 12th year with the Twins.
Puckett Jr. caught up with Hunter after Saturday’s game and the two posed for a picture. The younger Puckett wore his dad’s No. 34 jersey as he hung out with the player his father once mentored. Despite recently turning 40 years old, Hunter’s 16 home runs rank second on the Twins this year.
That doesn’t come at a surprise at all to Puckett Jr.
“I know Torii. He has the ability to do anything he wants to do,” Puckett Jr. said.
