Before becoming manager of the Twins, Tom Kelly was trying to make it as a first baseman or corner outfielder. In the collection are two checks from Kelly’s playing days.

Notice the checks are made out to “Jay” Kelly, a nod to his legal first name instead of his more familiar middle name “Thomas”. The top check is to out the then 21-year old as he played for the Tacoma Twins in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. The bottom check is from two years later with Tacoma.

Kelly played just one year in the bigs with the Twins in 1975. He stayed in the minor leagues from 1968-1980 before being named the Minnesota skipper in 1986.

Kelly guided Minnesota to two World Series championships. The ’87 and ’91 teams were led by first baseman Kent Hrbek and Hall of Fame centerfielder Kirby Puckett.

Outside of his 23-game stint in 1986 and the two championship years of ’87 and ’91, Kelly’s Twins posted winning records in only three other seasons from 1986-2001.

Beloved by Twins fans, Kelly’s #10 was retired by the Minnesota franchise on January 26, 2012.

On the reserve of each check is the unusual Kelly signature bearing his legal first name, “Jay”. Kelly managed the Minnesota team for sixteen seasons, winning the World Series in both 1987 and 1991.

There have only been 24 men have managed more than one World Series title and most are in the Hall of Fame. Kelly presents an interesting case though as his overall winning percentage is .478 (1140 wins, 1244 losses).

Tom Kelly enjoyed his greatest success as Twins manager during his first six full seasons with the club. After piloting the team to a 12-11 record over the final 23 games of 1986, Kelly got the full-time job in ’87. The team found immediate success, winning its first title in Minnesota, and the franchise’s first since 1924.

Over the next five years Kelly guided the club to three 90-win seasons and the 1991 Fall Classic triumph. He stayed on in Minnesota for another nine years surpassing the break-even mark only in his final season in 2001. Despite his overall losing record as Twins manager Kelly remains a beloved figure in Twins lore.

Shown here is a pair of Topps baseball cards autographed by Kelly. The one on the left is from 1988; the one on the right is from 1990.

Tom Kelly’s 16-year run as the manager of the Minnesota Twins resulted in two World Series titles and 1,140 regular-season victories. Kelly stands atop the Twins list for managerial wins and second in franchise history.

Before the team moved to Minnesota, the Washington Senators were an original team in the American League’s inaugural season of 1901. The franchise won its first World Series championship in 1924 under the guidance of 27-year-old player/manager Bucky Harris. Though the team repeated as AL pennant-winners in 1925, they never again won a title in Washington.

Harris piloted the team from 1924-1942 and again from 1950-1954. His 1,336 wins as Senators skipper remain the most in franchise history. Like Kelly, Harris finished his managerial career with a losing record overall. Kelly’s mark stands at 1,140-1,244 while Harris who managed four other teams remains at 2,158-2,219.

Shown above is a letter written and signed by manager Harris. Dated 17 days before the opening of the 1925 World Series, the letter reads, “As the World Series approaches we need your help to have a winning team. Hope you have made arrangements to come at once. You will be a great help to the team. The players seem to have more courage and pep when you’re around. Please do not fail us. Sincerely, Stanley “Bucky” Harris”

Letters from this era handwritten by members of the Hall of Fame are rarely seen.