Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan Award

The Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan Award recognizes a member of the Minnesota baseball and/or softball community that is a leader in supporting the game of youth baseball and/or softball by contributing to the advocacy and promotion of the game and its participants.

Established in 2006 as the Play Ball! Minnesota Award, the award was re-named after long-time Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan following his retirement as the general manager in 2007. The award was named after Ryan in honor of his passion and dedication to the promotion of baseball and softball in Minnesota.

Each year nominations are taken from baseball and softball fans in Twins Territory and the founding members of Play Ball! Minnesota select a winner. The winner is presented with their award at the Diamond Awards along with many other prestigious Twins awards.

Nominees are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Number of years involved with Minnesota youth baseball/softball
- Contributions to the advocacy and promotion of youth baseball/softball
- Notable accomplishments in Minnesota youth baseball/softball
- Enthusiasm for Minnesota youth baseball/softball

Terry Ryan

Terry Ryan was named as the fourth General Manager in Minnesota Twins history on September 13, 1994; a job he held for 13 years, retiring on September 13, 2007. As general manager, Ryan was responsible for the team the Twins put on the field (40-man roster and 25-man major league roster), negotiating contracts and overseeing the coaching staff, and entire baseball department, including team travel and baseball communications.

Prior to becoming general manager Ryan was vice president of player personnel, a position he assumed on September 23, 1991. In that role, Ryan was responsible for scouting and evaluating all talent at the major league level and assisting in personnel decisions. He was also responsible for signing all major league players with less than three year of major league service.

Through the efforts of Ryan and his staff, the Twins organization won the American League Central Division in four out of five years (2002, ’03, ’04 and ’06). In 2002 and ‘06, he was named Sporting News Executive of the year. He was also the recipient of the Andrew “Rube” Foster Legacy Award as American League Executive of the Year by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 2004 and ‘06. In 2002 and again in ‘04, the Twins were name Organization of the Year by Baseball American, USA Today and Sportsticker.

Ryan began his professional baseball career with the Twins in 1972 after being drafted in the 35th round out of Parker High School in Janesville, WI. He pitched in the Twins’ minor league system for four seasons, posting a 14-3 record, including 10—0 in 1973, before an arm injury cut his career short. In 1975, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a degree in physical education in 1979.

Ryan returned to baseball in 1980 as Midwest scouting supervisor for the New York Mets, a position which he held for six years before being name the Twins’ scouting director in January, 1986.

Throughout his career with the Twins, Ryan was dedicated to youth and amateur baseball and softball in Minnesota and through it all he remains one of the games’ greatest supporters. Upon his retirement as general manager, it was an honor for Play Ball! Minnesota to rename the Play Ball! Minnesota Award the Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan Award after such a strong and influential figure in Minnesota baseball and softball history.

Play Ball! Minnesota Terry Ryan Award Winners

2006
John Wilkens
St. Michael, MN

Having been involved with Minnesota baseball for over 50 years, John Wilkens has a lifetime of baseball experience and service. As a player, Wilkens split his collegiate career between the University of Minnesota and Mankato State University.

Since 1970, Wilkens has been a coach at various levels. He has guided numerous teams at the high school, American Legion, town ball, and most recently collegiate levels. A highlight of his coaching career, Wilkens helped guide the North Team to the gold medal in the 1987 United States Olympic Festival in North Carolina. His mentorship has touched the lives of countless youth in Minnesota.

Wilkens’ service to baseball isn’t confined to his coaching career. Since 1978, he has been the secretary-treasurer of the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association. Wilkens also serves as the clinic director, where his duties have included organizing the annual statewide coaches’ clinic since 1978. He also worked in various administrative areas for USA Baseball from 1988-1998 and was the business manager for the 1998 World Champion 16 year-old USA team.

Wilkens has received a number of awards for his contributions to the game including the Baseball Meritorious Service Award from the American Baseball Coaches Association.

2007
Bill Peterson
Saint Paul, MN

Bill Peterson has been a major figure in Saint Paul baseball and softball ever since his early days at Central High School. After a successful high school career, Peterson played for the hometown University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. When his playing days ended, Peterson turned to coaching, beginning one of the greatest coaching careers in the state’s history.

Peterson coached numerous youth baseball teams in Saint Paul from 1961-1967 including a stint at highly regarded Cretin-Derham High School from 1973-1975. In his career, Peterson guided teams to 23 championships at the city, state and national levels. Helping to shape the lives of youth in Saint Paul through baseball and softball, Peterson’s most famous pupils include National Baseball Hall of Famers Dave Winfield and Paul Molitor.

In 1977, Peterson left coaching and became involved in baseball and softball umpiring. He spent 20 plus years on the American Softball Association national umpire staff and is still a member of NAFA Men’s Softball National Staff. Recently, Peterson has returned to coaching in the Saint Paul Midway baseball program and Minnesota Twins RBI All-Star program; guiding the RBI All-Star to a regional championship and berth in the RBI World Series in 2008.

Peterson’s legacy in Saint Paul is not only defined by his coaching accomplishments and membership in national umpiring circles; he was also the supervisor of Saint Paul Municipal Athletics from 1977-1984 and from 1991-1999. During his time with Saint Paul Municipal Athletics, he administered the baseball program for the Saint Paul Division of Parks and Recreation. Continuing his commitment to Saint Paul baseball and softball, Peterson is still an active volunteer for Saint Paul Municipal Athletics maintaining the Midway baseball field and Dunning Toni Stone Stadium.

For his dedication to baseball and softball, Peterson has been recognized by membership in the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame, the Mancini Baseball Hall of Fame, the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and the St. Paul Central High School Sports Hall of Fame.

2008
Tink Larson
Waseca, MN

The legacy of Tink Larson began when he was a young dominant shortstop from Kasson, Minnesota. Forty seven years later, that legacy is still being written. Larson is nationally recognized as a passionate proponent of youth and amateur baseball. In Minnesota, Larson is involved in every level of baseball from T-ball to Town ball.

Larson’s coaching pedigree is staggering. Beginning nearly half a century ago, he has coached more than 4,000 games at numerous levels and has won more than 2,500 of those. Larson has captured multiple championships, highlighted by a Minnesota State High School Class A State Championship in 1990. 75 of his players have gone on to play collegiately and seven have advanced to the professional level. His coaching awards include 15 Coach of the Year trophies won through many different associations. Tink is also in 10 different baseball halls of fame.

In addition to his success as a coach, Larson serves the game in unparalleled ways. Larson has served on advisory committees both statewide and nationally. He has been an integral part of baseball’s development in Minnesota as a member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, serving as president in multiple years. “Tink’s pride for Minnesota baseball has allowed this state to have one of the most stable and functional amateur coaches associations in the country,” said Minnesota Twins Senior Advisor to the General Manager, Terry Ryan.

Larson also finds time to address another true love of his. In Waseca, the baseball diamond and playing surface – that he maintains - , is immaculate and would rival any surface in the country. For this reason, Waseca Community Field was renamed Tink Larson Field.

“Tink is a walking ambassador for the game of baseball at the youth, high school, American Legion, collegiate and professional levels in the state of Minnesota. He is everything good about the game of baseball,” said Ryan.

2009
Jim Peck
Minnetonka, MN

Long before his fabled youth baseball career in Minnetonka, Jim Peck’s sports career began in Deer River, Minnesota. Peck graduated from Deer River High School as a fifteen-time letter winner; an impressive record that still stands today. After Deer River, Peck attended the University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelors of Science degree in Pharmacy in 1963 and has been a practicing pharmacist ever since. Among all his accomplishments, perhaps the most notable is that while serving his community as “the local pharmacist” – a demanding and time consuming profession – Peck still managed to devote endless hours to youth baseball.

Peck’s coaching career has spanned 46 years including 10 in Babe Ruth Baseball and 36 in American Legion Baseball. During those 46 years, Peck has amassed over 1,500 wins including four state championships, five state runners-up, one American Legion national runner-up, two American Legion regional championships and two American Legion regional runners-up. Peck holds the distinction of coaching the only American Legion team in the nation to win two different American Legion titles in two different regions.

Peck has taken his players on learning experiences around the world by participating in national and international competitions. Some of those far flung destinations include trips to Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, New Zealand and Sweden.

More than 300 players Peck has coached over the years have moved on to play college baseball, 17 have signed professional contracts and four made it to the Major Leagues. Peck has not only dedicated himself to coaching, he has also served as an American Legion World Series staff member for many years and is the current program director and coach for the national 18 and under American Legion team that participates in the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars program.

For all his accomplishments, Peck has been recognized by three halls of fame. He is a charter member of the Minnetonka Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame as well as a member of the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame and the only youth coach to ever be selected to the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.