Photo: Minnesota Twins

By Chris Chesky/Murphy News Service

It’s safe to say Tony Oliva is a people person.

“I like people,” Oliva said. “I like to make conversation. Old people, young people, little people. I talk to everybody. I like to talk and I like to have a good time. If they don’t want to talk that’s too bad because I’m going to talk anyway.”

Oliva says good morning to everybody he sees while walking down the street and, most of the time, people don’t respond.

“When I say good morning or good afternoon people look at me like I’m crazy,” Oliva said.

What most people don’t realize, however, is that the man wishing them well was once one of the best baseball players in the Major Leagues during his time with the Minnesota Twins.

Oliva, now 76 years old, no longer looks the part of a man who was one of the best hitters in baseball from 1962-76 but remains an integral part of the only organization he has ever been with.

“He represents the Twins in a positive way and we love having him around,” Twins All-Star closer Glen Perkins said. “He’s not here just to be here, but he fills a necessary spot for us.”

Oliva emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1961 and joined the Minnesota Twins almost immediately. He had only played in Cuba’s winter baseball league, but he was still able to catch the eye of scouts and earn his spot on a Major League team.

“I never played that much baseball in Cuba,” Oliva said. “I never played Cuban amateur baseball. “I never played Cuban professional baseball, but baseball is baseball.”

Oliva made an impact for the Twins right away, as he was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1964 when he batted .323 with 32 home runs and 94 runs batted in. Oliva continued to be one of the Twins’ best players for the next decade until a series of injuries slowed down his career.

Oliva ended his Major League career with a .304 batting average, 220 home runs, 947 RBI, 870 runs, 1,917 hits, 329 doubles, 48 triples, and 86 stolen bases in 1,676 games over 15 seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

“[Oliva] is probably the greatest ambassador the Twins have,” Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer said.

Oliva has always been around the Twins facility to help the team with whatever they have needed. He serves as a announcer, for instance, on the team’s Spanish language radio game broadcasts.

“When I first came in the league in ’93 he was one of the first guys to show me the ropes,” Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter said. “I think he has a lot of insight for people to go out and seek his knowledge.”

Oliva, from time-to-time, serves as a hitting instructor for the team and helps players learn different techniques to help extend their big-league careers.

“You need to know what the manager and coaches expect from you,” Oliva said. “Some people are able to do it, some aren’t able to do it and some people don’t do it and want to do it their own way.”

Baseball and the Twins organization are important to Oliva, but it is the people whom he meets and the state of Minnesota that keeps Oliva motivated to continue to give back to the team. Oliva has lived in Bloomington since 1968 and has lived at the same address since 1972.

“I love Minnesota,” Oliva said. “The people here are different. I’ve had the opportunity to travel all over the United States. Not for one day or two days. It’s hard to find a place that matches Minnesota. If you want to be different here you can do it.”

Minnesota has not only become Oliva’s permanent home since 1968, but it is also the place where he has accumulated many memories. Minnesota has become such an important part of Oliva’s life over the past 40 years that he can’t envision himself living anywhere else.

Reporter Chris Chesky is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota. You can contact him at [email protected]