SAINT PAUL, Minnesota — Baseball in Saint Paul has a storied background and the rise of the Saint Paul Saints played a large role in that background.
The motley crew that helped grow the team to what it is today will be honored on Saturday, along with one of the most recognizable names from their rosters, Darryl Strawberry.
"We started an industry that has survived, and not only survived but flourished. We view ourselves as pioneers," Marv Goldklang said.
Goldklang, a minority owner of the New York Yankees, has a plethora of experience in baseball front offices. He has endearing memories of his time with the Saints and is humbled to be honored on Saturday alongside Mike Veeck, Van Schley, and Bill Murray.
"I think we have been an important part of the resurrection of a very important part of the city of St. Paul," Goldklang said.
The team was sold in March to Diamond Baseball Holdings. Saturday's hat tip to Goldklang, Murray, Schley and Veeck is bringing the group together for the first time in a while.
"I hope Murray has a funny gag," Veeck joked.
Veeck comes from a famous baseball family and the game runs through his blood. He said it's the people that made the Saints special. The players. The employees. The fans.
The team was formed officially in 1993 as an independent baseball team with no major league affiliation. They played in the Northern League from '93 to 2005, then the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball from 2006 - 2020. The famous relationship with the Minnesota Twins was started in 2021 when the team became the official affiliated minor league team.
One of the team's most famous players was 3x World Series champ, Darryl Strawberry.
"It wasn't me performing. I knew I could perform. It was about me being happy," Strawberry said while reflecting on his time in St. Paul.
He came to the team in 1996 following a substance abuse suspension from the MLB. He played only 29 games but managed to record 18 home runs before being picked back up by the Yankees. He went on to help them win a world series that year.
He said his time in St. Paul helped shape his life.
"The way people treated me, my wife, and my two kids when I was here," Strawberry paused, "I never experienced that in my life before."
When asked if Veeck has any regrets about the sale, he said, "Of course I have regrets. This is half my life." Adding that it was time for the next generation to step up and show what they can do with the organization.
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