Rookie League magazine cover (1992 Summer) - “KIRBY PUCKETT Swings a Hot Bat!”
September 4th, 2007 by Rhubarb_Runner
[contributed by: Rhubarb_Runner]
Rookie League magazine cover - Summer 1992
"BASEBALL FEVER!"
"KIRBY PUCKETT Swings a Hot Bat!"
cover photograph by Brian Smith
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Kirby stars on the cover of the premier issue of the "Official Major League Baseball's Magazine for Kids". The cover story in this issue is titled “Little Big Man” and is found on pages 12-13. "For a big leaguer, Kirby Puckett seems short and even a little "roly-poly." But the Minnesota Twins center fielder is one of the greatest players in the game today ... and a great guy."
Additional articles of note include:
- "The Practice Field" - includes Tom Kelly giving tips on fielding a ground ball
- "Out of Left Field" - among other things, we learn Mike LaCoss went to school with Kevin Costner; "The guy was kind of scrawny in high school."
- "Superstar Profiles" - Ruben Sierra, Roger Clemens, David Justice, and Ryne Sandberg
- "In Focus...with Randy Johnson"
- "Family Ties: When Dad's the Manager" - Hal and Brian McRae
Also includes lots of crosswords and games, and a quality blank scorecard of stiff paper stock, the way God intended scorecards to be.
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Personal notes:
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Kirby again is featured on a "where is it now?" kids' magazine during the early 1990's heyday, and once again is also posed in a silly cover photo.
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By all indications, this issue came out in conjunction with the All-Star Game in San Diego.
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Subscription was $9.95, and included a hat of your favorite team - not a bad value, unless your favorite team is the White Sox.
Please drop an email to SBGLibrary (at) hotmail (dot) com if you have a suggestion or a submission for the SBG Library.
This entry was posted by Rhubarb_Runner on Tuesday, September 4th, 2007 at 5:00 am and is filed under Kirby Puckett, Rhubarb_Runner, SBG Library. It is one of 84 entries by the author. We are no longer accepting Letters to the Editor on this post.
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SBG replied on September 4, 2007 at 7:25:42 am
I wonder how many issues of this magazine came out.
Rhubarb_Runner replied on September 4, 2007 at 8:01:57 am
Yeah, I wondered that too. There are at least issues with McGwire and Gwynn on the cover, but not sure what the total count is. It's not many.
mini_tb replied on September 4, 2007 at 9:01:09 am
Kirby probably got plunked in his next AB for standing in the box and admiring his shot.
Actually, from the way he is standing, he could be winding up to take a shot at that kid!
Rhubarb_Runner replied on September 4, 2007 at 12:01:27 pm
If anything, he should be plunked for digging in so well. It's obvious that he didn't use his legs at all on that swing. It's like looking at a golfer after he's swung, and his feet are both facing the flag. Just plain goofy.
mini_tb replied on September 4, 2007 at 1:16:34 pm
Actually I think I have the whole thing figured out. The kid has that goofy look on his face because he is choking. Kirby, in a demonstration of his prowess with a baseball bat, is going to hit him in the gut with his bat (left handed and without looking no less!!) to emaulate the Heimlich maneuver.
brianS replied on September 4, 2007 at 1:50:55 pm
The kid prolly should be moved to third base.
Rhubarb_Runner replied on September 4, 2007 at 1:52:01 pm
Looks to me like the kid was biting Kirby's bat, and Kirby swung away, flinging his complete dentures off into the distance.
Thanks, mini - that cover makes some sense now.
brianS replied on September 4, 2007 at 2:06:26 pm
I had a different, much ruder interpretation of mini's choking comment. But I probably should keep that to myself.
SBG replied on September 4, 2007 at 10:43:52 am
Man, was Kirby popular. I think he has to have had the most nationwide notoriety of any Twin, ever.
Rhubarb_Runner replied on September 4, 2007 at 12:03:12 pm
And he peaked at a time when baseball and the collectibles industry were also at an apex, so he got even more coverage. Perfect storm.
twayn replied on September 4, 2007 at 3:35:47 pm
A couple of months ago, I stopped at SuperAmerica for gas. At the checkout counter, I noticed a Twins magazine I'd not seen before on the rack, so I forked over the cash and took it home. Imagine my befuddlement and consternation when I started paging through it only to discover that 2/3 of the articles were written by Kelly Thesier. I still want my money back.