Twins legend Tony Oliva is ready for Hall of Fame weekend

To unwind before his Hall of Fame induction on Sunday in Cooperstown, Tony Oliva took some time to golf with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS sports director Joe Schmit.

The swing that Oliva uses to loosen up on the golf course isn’t much different than the one he used in his days with the Twins. At 83 years old, Oliva can still play.

“I was 21 when I left Cuba,” Oliva told Schmit.

He thought he would be in the United States for six months. He would stay over six years.

“They gave a contract where I made 250 bucks a month. 250 dollars a month was a lot of money!”

But leaving Cuba and his family was tough for the man who would win three American League batting titles.

“Everybody cried,” Oliva told Schmit. “I was hard. They don’t know if they’ll ever see you again.”

It wasn’t an easy transition – especially in the minor leagues.

“People don’t understand how lonely you get.”

But Oliva quickly became one of the best hitters in baseball and on Sunday he’ll officially be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame with his own plaque in Cooperstown.

“I hope it looks better than me,” Oliva joked.

Oliva is joined in the 2022 Hall of Fame class by former teammate Jim Kaat among others.