[3] In 1911, then minor league Baltimore Orioles manager Jack Dunn signed the 18-year-old Twombly out of a Boston high school and sent him to the B-League Scranton Miners.

Later, the Cincinnati Reds were given the opportunity to purchase Babe Ruth from Baltimore, but instead took Twombly and shortstop Claud Derrick.

[5] Twombly made his first appearance in a major league game on July 9, 1914, going 1–for–1 with a triple and a run scored against the Brooklyn Robins.

[7] Twombly had an exceptional season from a power standpoint in the twilight years of the dead-ball era, leading the International League in home runs with 12.

[11] On August 13, 1919, Twombly was signed by George Weiss, then owner of the New Haven Weissmen of the Class A Eastern League.