MINNEAPOLIS — As surreal as Opening Week has been, one in which he threw out a first pitch to Joe Mauer and had the television booth dedicated to him Thursday, Dick Bremer felt somewhat prepared to handle an emotional moment.
Without a microphone in front of him for the first time since the 1986 season, the former longtime Minnesota Twins broadcaster returned to Target Field to be honored before Thursday’s home opener.
Surrounded by his family and former colleagues, Bremer, who worked as a Twins play-by-play broadcaster for 40 of the previous 41 seasons, briefly choked up as he spoke ahead of the club unveiling a plaque outside the booth he called home since 2010.
As quickly as his booming voice broke, Bremer relied on his trademark sense of humor to bounce back, creating a no-dropped-foul balls rule for anyone who enters the booth. A little later in the afternoon, Bremer fired another strike to the Hall-of-Fame-elected Mauer for the game’s first pitch.
“I’ve been watching and it’s different,” said Bremer. “I had some time to prepare for what this was all going to be like. I knew in January when I wasn’t going to be sent out on (the Twins Winter) Caravan. I missed going on Caravan because that was the start of the ramp-up. Anybody who does their job for a long time, you get into a pattern, a routine, a rhythm. For me, it all started with Caravan all the years, whether we went to Fargo or wherever and you build up to Opening Day. It’s been different, but it’s predictably different. But I’ll still be around, just not as often as I used to be.”
Named a club ambassador on Oct. 31, 2023, despite expressing desire to remain in his role, Bremer was all class as he discussed retirement plans and the day’s events. Bremer called Twins games from 1983-85 and returned during the 1987 season, remaining in the lead chair until the end of last season.
The newly unveiled plaque outside the Dick Bremer TV Booth at Target Field. pic.twitter.com/UaEZ6ksuG8
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He identified being rehired during the 1987 season for a front-row seat to seeing the Twins ascend from laughingstock to World Series winners as a highlight. Bremer also noted his pride in broadcasting alongside five Hall of Fame players during his career and credited them for improving his game.
Among others, Bremer worked with Harmon Killebrew, Bert Blyleven, Jim Kart, Paul Molitor and Jack Morris.
For now, Bremer’s plans include golf, year-round fishing, attending Twins games and playing in a senior baseball league.
“All these great guys that I worked with — Harmon, Bert, Jim Kaat, Justin (Morneau) — they had great playing careers and then great broadcasting careers,” Bremer said. “I’m going to try to do it in reverse.”
The Twins did their best to honor Bremer’s legendary career before the game. Team president Dave St. Peter spoke in the back of the press box to a group that included Morneau, Bremer’s family and four people from his small hometown of Dumont, Minnesota.
Morneau followed by crediting Bremer for helping him develop as an analyst. Bremer’s voice cracked as he described the team’s decision to name the TV booth after him and what it meant because of the effort it took to open Target Field in 2010.
The Twins presented Bremer with a plaque of a microphone in recognition of his nearly 5,000 games called and made a $5,000 donation to Dumont’s youth baseball program. Asked about the emotion he was experiencing, Bremer referred to his loved ones, including his former elementary school teacher, Darlys Forcier. Upon retrieving the first-pitch ball from Mauer, Bremer autographed it and presented it to Forcier.
“I’ve got my family here,” Bremer said. “(Forcier) was at the very top of my list outside of my immediate family because she’s a devout Twins fan, and I am as tickled for her today as I am for me.”
(Photo: Jordan Johnson / USA Today)
