The Minnesota Twins mascot, TC Bear, has only been with the team since 2000 but is a solid (left handed) player who is always busy off the field visiting local hospitals, schools, and clinics to promote healthy lifestyles. “TC” is short for the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul that face each other across the Mississippi River.
Although TC only came up to play with the Twins in 2000, he was preceded by another bear in the hearts of Twins fans. That was the “Hamm’s Beer Bear.” Theo. Hamm Brewing Co. was a Twin Cities-based brewer and an early sponsor the Minnesota Twins after they moved from Washington D.C. in 1960 and changed their name from the Washington Senators to the Minnesota Twins. The cartoon bear was featured in commercials during TV broadcasts of the Twins games.
TC Bear was briefly preceded in 1980 to 1981 by “Twinkie the Loon.” “Twinkie” was a bad choice for the name of the loon (the Minnesota state bird) as the Twins spent those years at the bottom of the American League Western Division. They were referred to locally, in a derogatory tone of voice, as the “twinkies.” Needless-to-say, Twinkie the Loon was sent back down to AAA and never heard from again.
Luckily for the Twins, they did not get rid of young players Kent Hrbek, Garry Gaetti, Greg Gagne, or (Hall of Famer) Herbie Puckett. With this core of players the Twins went on to win the World Series in both 1987 and 1991, the only franchise World Series victories since 1924 and the heyday of Walter “Big Train” Johnson.
TC Bear Bio
Born: 1991, Bear River, MN
Signed with the Twins: April 3, 2000
Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN (a real place)
Bats and throws left-handed
Uniform number: 00