2010 King of Baseball

Minor League baseball at the annual winter meetings honors a baseball lifer with the title “King of Baseball.”  The award is given in honor of a baseball veteran who has provided long service and dedication to the game.

At the recent winter meetings in Orlando Don Mincher was selected as this year’s “King.”  Mincher was born June 24, 1938 in Huntsville, Alabama.  He grew up there, attending Butler high school.  A sports star from an early age Mincher began his professional baseball career in 1956 when James “Zack” Taylor, a White Sox scout signed him away from a major college football scholarship opportunity.  He began his minor league career with the Duluth club of the Northern League.  He spent parts of six seasons in the minors, compiling a .290 batting average with 96 home runs in 687 games

He was traded from the White Sox to the Washington Senators where he made his major league debut in 1960.  He later played for the Minnesota Twins, California Angels (where the author was fortunate to see him play in person), Seattle Pilots, Texas Rangers, and Oakland Athletics in a 13 season major league career.  He was a career .249 hitter who hit 20+ home runs in a season four times.  He hit exactly 200 home runs in his regular season career and accumulated over 1,000 base hits.   In 1966 he was one of 5 Twins to homer in a single inning.

He also homered in the World Series off Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale.  Mincher appeared in two World Series, with the Twins in 1965 against Los Angeles and in 1972 he won a World Championship ring with Oakland when they defeated the Cincinnati Reds.  Mincher was twice selected to play in the major league All Star game.

An answer to a trivia question Mincher was the only player to play for both versions of the Washington Senators and their successors, the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.  He was also a member of the Seattle Pilots when they moved to Milwaukee but was traded to Oakland before appearing in a game for the Brewers.

After his playing career ended Don returned to Huntsville and ran a successful trophy store.  Married to Pat he raised three children and is now blessed with six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  When Huntsville acquired a franchise in the Southern League Mincher volunteered his services but soon joined the new club in the front office. He served in the roles of General Manager and President of the club and eventually invested in the club as a part-owner.  He was named Interim President of the Southern League in 2000 and the interim title was removed in 2001.  He remains in that position today.

He was inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Huntsville Stars retired a number, 5, in his honor that season.

The author is privileged to know Mr. Mincher and I can tell you Don Mincher is a class act, highly deserving of the title “King of Baseball.”  Around Huntsville and Madison County he was already thought of in that way, it is nice to see it made official.

Jim Sandoval is a history teacher and freelance baseball writer who collects ballparks and baseball scout sightings. He has contributed to SABR’s NL and AL Deadball Stars books, the Fenway Project and SABR’s Bio Project. A former small college baseball player he realized he was more of a prospect writing baseball than playing it. He currently is an Associate scout for the Minnesota Twins and is Co-Chairman of SABR’s Scouts committee. On an average summer evening he can be seen behind the plate at Huntsville Stars games.