I was told I would never make it because I'm too short. Well, I'm still too short. It doesn't matter what your height is, it's what's in your heart.

After being promoted to AAA Toledo to start the 1984 season Puckett was brought up to the majors for good 21 games into the season. The plaza runs up against the stadium's largest gate Gate 34 numbered in honor of Puckett. Soon after the Twins made him an executive vice-president of the team and he would also receive the 1996 Roberto Clemente Award for community service.

After being forced to retire at age 35 due to loss of vision in one eye from a central retinal vein occlusion Puckett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 his first year of eligibility. Anthony Kirby Puckett (March 14 1960 – March 6 2006) was a professional Major League Baseball center fielder who spent his entire 12-year baseball career playing with the Minnesota Twins (1984–1995) and is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits runs doubles and total bases. Puckett was the fourth baseball player during the 20th century to record 1000 hits in his first five full calendar years in Major League Baseball and was the second to record 2000 hits during his first ten full calendar years.