Griffith Son Trying to Buy Twins

Clark Griffith says he’s putting together an $80-million offer for the Minnesota Twins to keep his father’s former team in Minnesota.

Griffith will make his offer before a special legislative session Oct. 20 to determine whether the state should build a new sports stadium.

Jerry Bell, Twin president, said $80 million would be inadequate and dismissed Griffith as “a fringe player.” Bell pointed out that Twin owner Carl Pohlad has invested more than $100 million in the team. The Twins’ appraised value is at least $150 million.

Griffith is the son of Calvin Griffith, who sold the Twins to Pohlad in 1984.

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Kansas City businessman Frank Oddo told the Kansas City Star on Friday that he has assembled eight local investors who are interested in buying the Kansas City Royals.

Union Bank chairman Jerry Green said last week he also has put together a group to buy the American League team. Like Oddo, Green said he is getting no cooperation from the Royals’ Board of Directors, which has been controlling the club since the death of founder Ewing Kauffman four years ago.

Oddo and his investors become the fourth publicly known group to be interested in the team. The other groups include one headed by David Glass, president of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., who is also head of the board that is directing the Royals in the interim.

The fourth group is headed by former Royal player George Brett and his brother and advisor, Bobby Brett.