No Twins fan will ever forget the graceful power of Rod Carew's hitting stroke.  Nor will any baseball enthusiast be able to forget the summer of 1977, when he made his determined run at the untouchable .400 mark, because, just as Killebrew embodied the power of the game, Carew represented the finesse.  He was a career .328 hitter in hi 19 major league seasons and was the winner of seven American League batting titles, all during his twelve years with Minnesota.  Carew hit .300 or better 15 consecutive seasons and finished his career with 3,053 hits, which places him 20th among the all-time hit leaders and makes him one of only 25 players to collect 3000-or-more career hits.

Carew, who won his only American League Most Valuable Player award in 1977 when he finished with a .388 average, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1991.  He had his number 29 retired July 19, 1987 and was inducted in the Twins Hall of Fame on August 12, 2000.