At least the Twins aren't the 1988 Orioles - yet

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan wore an orange-and-black tie on Thursday, an unintentional homage to the one team that could make the Twins' inept start look like a championship parade.

In 1988, the Baltimore Orioles lost their first 21 games, the last three losses coming against the Twins in the Metrodome. The streak starred three Ripkens, Frank Robinson, Ronald Reagan and three of baseball's best journalists.

The losing streak led to or coincided with an unexpected sellout, the creation of baseball's first great modern-era ballpark and a surprisingly good season the following year.

"It was actually great to cover, because everyone was so classy about it," MLB.com columnist Richard Justice said.

Before the Internet changed journalism, beat writers were the only daily links to team news. Justice covered the team for the Washington Post, Ken Rosenthal for the Baltimore Evening Sun and Tim Kurkjian for the Baltimore Sun.

All would become stars. Back then they fought over every scrap of news and sometimes the pay phone they needed to call in the news.

The Orioles' streak was at 18 when they came to Minneapolis on April 26. General Manager Roland Hemond had fired Cal Ripken Sr. as manager after six games and hired Robinson, who had been a Hall of Fame outfielder for the team.

"We're at Tony Roma's, and Frank had a few cocktails," Justice said. "Frank goes through the lineup and when he gets done Timmy says, 'So, Frank, what you're saying is that you hate all the players except the two Ripkens?' Frank says, 'That's about right.'

"Then Frank told us that Ronald Reagan had called him. We said, 'Don't joke about that.' He said, 'I'm not joking.'

"President Reagan told Frank that he knew what he was going through. Frank told us that he replied, 'Mr. President, with all due respect, you have no idea.'

"At that point it became a dash to see who could get to the one phone first. I had worked at the Sun, so I knew they had a 10:35 deadline. So I get on the phone with my night editor and I'm asking how his kids are, and what's going on in the world, trying to make sure Timmy couldn't get the story in, and Timmy is like a rabid chihuahua jumping around. He's about to hit me in the face with his shoe.''

During the losing streak Hemond wore the same suit every day — the suit he wore when he was the GM of the 1983 White Sox and they clinched the division title. Someone sent the Orioles players a pizza with ingredients shaped like a crucifix.

"It was a historic night for the Orioles,'' Justice said. "It was the last time their owner, Edward Bennett Williams, came to a game. He was dying of cancer. That night, he and Maryland Gov. Donald Schaefer signed a bill to clear the way for Camden Yards to be built.

"They were redesigning the uniforms for the next year and team president Larry Lucchino brought him prototypes. He said, 'Rome is burning and you're worried about a [freaking] hat?' "

The Orioles would finish 54-107. The next season, they would win 87 games and stay in the race until the final days. Camden Yards would be built and usher in an era of beautiful modern ballparks, including Target Field.

Now Target Field is home to an epic season-opening losing streak of its own. The Twins are 0-9 but unlikely to receive a call from the president.

"The Orioles' losing streak became a national story," Justice said. "I will always connect that streak to Camden Yards, which changed baseball forever. It was all part of 0-and-21.''

Twitter: @SouhanStrib. • jsouhan@startribune.com