Ray Barton, the St. Paul, Minn., cartoonist who created the famous Twins image of two players shaking hands across a river, died of cancer over the weekend, according to multiple reports. He was 80.
Barton, the reports stated, was paid $15 in 1961 to create the image. At the time, he assumed it would grace the sides of Dixie Cups at Metropolitan Stadium for Minnesota's new Major League team, the Twins. But then-owner Calvin Griffith decided to turn the drawing into the team's official logo.
I'm floored by this one, since the trade deadline passed quite a while ago. Los Angeles Angels acquire left-hander Scott Kazmir I'm shocked that the Rays would ship off one of their front line starters, with them being so close to the Wild Card lead....