The Minnesota Twins were on the cusp of being contracted back in 2001. Major league owners had voted 28-2 to eliminate the Twins and Montreal Expos, looking to find leverage against the Player’s Union. It was just a matter of time before the league dropped those two franchises.
Then Judge Harry Crump stepped in. He issued an injunction, stating that the Twins were required to play in the Metrodome in 2002 due to their lease agreement. Crump also referenced how important the Twins were to bringing the community together. Ultimately, they won the AL Central from 2002 through 2004, moved into a new ballpark, ending those talks.
Judge Harry Crump had lasting impact on Minnesota Twins
It is fair to say that Crump saved the Twins and Major League Baseball in Minnesota. He is a hidden hero when it comes to the franchise, someone who may have made the greatest impact in Twins’ history. The Twins lost that important figure late in the summer as he passed away at 85 years old.
According to his daughter, Diane Crump-Fogle, Crump was always amused at how his ruling in the Twins case took off. He was “tickled” that his ruling ended up in the Washington Post and how much traction it received. That ruling also made an impact in other major sports as well, creating a precedent that would keep teams from disappearing in the middle of the night. The days of the Baltimore Colts abandoning a city under the cover of darkness were over.
He was also more than that one case. Crump had pharmacy and an engineering degrees in addition to his law degree, having passed the bar in two states. In addition to his judicial and teaching careers, he also was the chairman of his local Red Cross and received a medal from President Bush for saving someone’s life using CPR. Crump was a licensed ski instructor, a long range rifle target shooing champion, fixed race cars, and was a small engine stunt pilot. His was a life well lived.
Judge Harry Crump quietly passed away over the summer. He was one of the hidden heroes in Minnesota Twins history.
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