Lombo was Mr. October for Twins

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., October 8, 2007

During the 1970s Reggie Jackson was nicknamed Mr. October for his clutch hitting in the postseason while playing for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. He was part of three consecutive World Series titles for the Athletics and two Yankee world titles.

In 1987 the Mr. October title belonged to Steve Lombardozzi, second baseman for the Minnesota Twins who won the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Lombo, as he was known, led all hitters in that World Series with a .412 batting average.

Lombardozzi also held the record for the longest last name of any player to hit a postseason home run, until it was broken by Doug Mientkiewicz of the Twins in 2002 during the American League playoffs.

Stephen Paul Lombardozzi was born April 26, 1960, in Malden, Mass.

“I never dreamed of being a big league player," Lombo said. "I was a very mediocre player in high school.”

Lombardozzi finally ex-celled in baseball at the University of Florida. He was selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 1981 amateur draft.

“Playing in a World Series and winning; I can’t think of anything else that will top that,” Lombardozzi said.

“To know that your team is the best in the world at one moment in time is incredible.”

Lombardozzi, now 47, owns an advertising specialty distributorship and lives in Fulton, Md.

His son, Steve Lombardozzi Jr., played shortstop for Atholton High School in Maryland and was named a preseason third-team Rawlings' All-American. In 2008 Lombo's son will play at St. Petersburg College in Florida. He’s a likely Major League baseball amateur draft pick — down the road.

When the Twins won the World Series 20 years ago this month, it was only the second time the franchise had won the title. In 1924 the Washington Senators won the World Series, 36 years before the Senators moved to the Twin Cities to become the Minnesota Twins.

Twenty years ago Tom Kelly experienced the rare feat of winning the World Series in his first season as a Major League manager.

In 1987 the Twins were stocked with power hitters. Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti and Tom Brunansky combined to hit 125 home runs. The team as a whole hit 196 homers.

The top three starting pitchers — Frank Viola, Bert Blyleven, and Les Straker — provided stability throughout the year. Newly acquired pitcher Jeff Reardon was a reliable closer at the end of games. Juan Berenguer was the most reliable set-up man.

Gaetti was the Most Valuable Player of the 1987 American League Champion-ship Series when the underdog Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers to advance to the World Series against the Cardinals. Viola was the World Series MVP.

Many Twins fans also remember other favorite players from 1987, among them Dan Gladden, Randy Bush, Greg Gagne, Gene Larkin, Tim Laudner, Al Newman, Joe Niekro, Don Baylor, Roy Smalley and Joe Niekro.

“Steve Lombardozzi will be remembered years from now when people talk about this championship team,” President Ronald Reagan said while waving a homer hankie during a Rose Garden ceremony honoring the World Champion Twins at the White House on Oct. 29, 1987.

Lombo helped make 1987 a memorable year for all Twins fans.

Tom Hintgen’s column runs Monday.

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