"Minnesota Twins" Kent Hrbek Hand Signed BOWMAN Trading Card JG Autographs COA

Description

Up for auction the
"Minnesota Twins" Kent Hrbek Hand Signed BOWMAN Trading Card.
This item is certified authentic by
JG Autographs
and comes with their Letter of Authenticity.
ES-1118B
Kent Alan Hrbek
(
/ˈhɜːrbɛk/
; born May 21, 1960), nicknamed
"Herbie"
, is a former American
Major League Baseball
first baseman
. He played his entire 14-year baseball career with the
Minnesota Twins
(1981–1994). Hrbek batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He hit the first home run in the
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
on April 3, 1982, in an exhibition game against the Phillies. Fans knew Hrbek as an outstanding defensive player, perennial slugger, and charismatic hometown favorite. Former Twins pitcher
Jim Kaat
considered Hrbek to be the best defensive first baseman he had ever seen. Hrbek attended
Kennedy High School
in
Bloomington, Minnesota
. Kent Hrbek was drafted by his hometown
Minnesota Twins
in the 17th round of the
1978 Major League Baseball draft
and spent the next three seasons working his way up the Twins' organizational ladder where he would hit 47
home runs
and rack up 111
runs batted in
while hitting .318 in 253 minor league games. In 1979, Hrbek played 24 games for the rookie league Elizabethton Twins in the
Appalachian Rookie League
before spending the next two seasons playing A ball—first for the Wisconsin Rapids Twins in the
Midwest League
and then the
Visalia Oaks
in the
California League
. Hrbek made his major league debut on August 24, 1981, at Yankee Stadium, hitting a game-winning home run in the 12th inning off New York reliever and future Twins player
George Frazier
. After his "
cup of coffee
" at the end of the 1981 season, Hrbek would make the team out of spring training and come into his own in 1982, playing well for Twins
manager
Billy Gardner
. Finishing his rookie season hitting .301 with 23 home runs and 92 RBI, Hrbek would finish second in the
Rookie of the Year voting
(to future
Hall of Famer
Cal Ripken Jr.
) and be selected to his only All-Star game. Although the Twins would finish 60–102, Hrbek and fellow rookies
Tim Laudner
,
Gary Gaetti
,
Tom Brunansky
,
Randy Bush
, and
Frank Viola
would make up the nucleus of the
1987 World Series
team. Falling off slightly in his sophomore year (.297, 16 HR, 84 RBI), Hrbek would come up big in 1984, finishing the season hitting .311 (his second-highest career batting average) with 27 HR (his 3rd highest total), 107 RBI (his highest career total), 174 hits (his highest total), and 80 runs (his third highest total). During, arguably, his career year, Hrbek would power the Twins all season and the team would surprise the rest of the
American League West
by battling for the division crown. Although the team was as close as 0.5 games out of first place at 81–75, the Twins faded fast, lost their last 6 games, and finished in a tie with the
California Angels
, three games behind the
Kansas City Royals
. After the season, Hrbek was recognized for his performance and the team's surprise September run, by his finishing second in the
American League Most Valuable Player
balloting to
Detroit Tigers
' closer
Willie Hernández
.