Iconic Minnesota Twins broadcaster John Gordon was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame on Sunday – a day of nostalgia for yours truly, who nearly drove off the road with glee when Dan Gladden forced Gordon to announce the bottom of the fourth inning during a guest appearance on Sunday’s radio broadcast. It was brilliant.
Gordon was a staple of my upbringing as he narrated Twins baseball through the summers alongside the late Herb Carneal and Dan Gladden. He was also the primary voice during the team’s winning stretch throughout the 2000s.
Though Gordon never got to call another World Series after the thrilling 1991 tilt with the Braves, he was given plenty of opportunities for memorable calls, many of which are sadly unavailable to the public.
But arguably the last great game he ever did was the 2009 play-in game, otherwise known as Game 163 against Detroit.
Because Gordon was alternating play-by-play duties with Gladden, he didn’t get to call the dramatic 10th or 12th innings of that game, which included the game-winning hit from Alexi Casilla. But he was behind the mic for Orlando Cabrera’s incredible go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, as well as Cabrera’s insane double play in the ninth inning to keep hope alive.
I captured these calls back in 2009 from the Twins’ post-game show and figured that today was the perfect time to share them.
For reference, here is the video of Cabrera’s home run, and here is the double play. Below is the audio of Gordon’s golden voice.
