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Ryan to be guest speaker at Janesville Hall ceremony

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Photo by Gazette File Photo

Former Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan will speak at this year's Janesville Sports Hall of Fame banquet.

Terry Ryan, regarded by many as the real “Mr. Baseball,” will be the guest speaker for the 22nd annual Janesville Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 14, at the Janesville Performing Arts Center. John Brikowski, Alicia Pelton, Tom Scalissi, Gary Schieve and Joel Schmitz will be inducted.

Ryan, a 1971 Parker High School graduate and 1997 inductee into the Janesville Sports Hall of Fame, was a longtime front-office executive in the Minnesota Twins organization. He was the American League franchise’s general manager for 13 years before stepping down in 2007 to become a senior advisor to the general manager.

After an outstanding career as a left-handed pitcher, both at Parker and for the Twins in the minor leagues, Ryan began his “second” baseball career as a scout for the New York Mets in 1980. The University of Wisconsin graduate returned to the Twins as scouting director after six years with the Mets.

Ryan, widely recognized for his great evaluation of baseball talent, teamed with Andy MacPhail, to help make the Twins world champions in 1987 and 1991. After six years as scouting director, Ryan was promoted to vice president and player development director before succeeding MacPhail as general manager of a small-market franchise that consistently makes the most of its resources and contends for the American League pennant.

Ryan played with Schieve on Janesville’s 1971 state championship American Legion baseball team. He also joined Brikowski as key members of Parker’s 1971 WIAA open-class state championship basketball team.