MINNEAPOLIS -- To those who say Calvin Griffith was a tightwad, Julio Becquer said the former Twins owner may have been slow to part with his money, but his generosity knew no limits.

Griffith, 87, died Wednesday in Melbourne, Fla. He was one of the game's more frugal owners and was responsible for bringing major league baseball to Minnesota when he moved the Washington Senators after the 1960 season.

At the Metrodome on Wednesday, where flags were flying at half-staff, Becquer, a journeyman who never had more than 300 at bats in parts of seven seasons in the majors, remembered Griffith as someone who changed the young Cuban's life.

"When I came here in (1961), I was very distraught because my wife wasn't here and at that time, there was no way for me to get my wife out of Cuba," Becquer, now 68, said. "So I went to Calvin and I said I want my wife here and Calvin said, 'Don't worry about it."'

A month after his talk with Griffith, Becquer's wife, Edith, arrived in Minnesota along with Twins scout Joe Cambria.

After the 1961 season, Becquer decided he wanted to stay in the United States instead of returning to Cuba. He once again approached Griffith.

"Calvin said, 'Don't worry about a thing.' So, he sent us to Canada for the winter and he took care of all the paperwork and said, 'I'm going to make sure you guys get your green cards,"' Becquer said.

Two years later, after Becquer spent the 1963 season playing in Mexico, Becquer said Griffith brought him to the Twins just so he could earn the five years of service necessary to qualify for a pension from Major League Baseball. Becquer played in just one game that year.

"He wasn't my boss. I considered him a friend -- a very good friend. He wasn't a guy who was waving flags around for what he did," Becquer said.

Twins great Harmon Killebrew, a Hall of Famer who finished his career with 573 home runs and a .256 batting average, said Griffith gave him his first big break in 1959.

"When (Clark) Griffith passed away, 'Unc,' as he called him, Calvin took over and he was definitely responsible for inserting me into the lineup," Killebrew said Wednesday from his home in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Griffith ordered Senators manager Cookie Lavagetto to play Killebrew regularly, after the young outfielder had spent the last five seasons shuffling between Washington and the minor leagues. Griffith's decision must have been the right one: Killebrew hit 42 home runs and had 105 RBI in 153 games that season.

Killebrew said Griffith, in spite of his reputation for frugality, was generous with Twins players.

But at times, it took extra effort to get Griffith to open up his wallet. Former Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven, who won 287 games in his career, recalled the time he forced Griffith to pay him a $2,000 bonus.

After his rookie season in 1970 in which he went 10-9, Blyleven negotiated a contract for $14,000 with a $2,000 bonus if he won 15 or more games in 1971.

Blyleven went 16-15 in 1971, but Griffith initially refused to pay the bonus.

"He denied that he signed that document and it was on a small piece of paper, so I had to go home and thank goodness I kept that piece of paper," Blyleven said. "When I showed it to him, he paid it."

Blyleven said Griffith's legacy should be as a lifelong baseball fan who brought millions of fans in the Upper Midwest to the game when he moved the Twins to Minnesota.

"He was a baseball man all the way," he said. "I think Mr. Griffith should always be remembered for bringing baseball to Minnesota."