#24 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Times Visited: 2
Date: 6/29/01 vs. Detroit (W 3-2); 6/30/10 vs. Detroit (W 3-2)
The trip to Minnesota set a personal record for the longest drive to a baseball stadium. At the time I was living in Indianapolis and thought that a 10 hour drive from Indy to Minnesota was a great idea. I will say this parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota are beautiful in the summer time, a lot of great scenery. I decided I would stay in Minnesota for two games since I had such a long drive plus my Tiger’s just happened to be planning the Twins. The Tiger’s were in the middle of their long drought and usually don’t do good against the Twins. In the first game I thought the Tigers had a chance to win but a late rally by the Twins ruined that chance.
Before the second game I had more time to check out Minneapolis and St. Paul (the Twin Cities). Minneapolis is a very well kept city and at the time Jesse Ventura was the governor, I was hoping to catch a glipse of him but he wasn’t in the Capital building when I made it there.
I finally made my way to the Metordome where the Twins played. This stadium was more constructed for football and baseball seemed like an afterthought here. The rightfield wall looked like it was covered what looked like black trash bags. Many people referred to it as baggies. Before the second game I was highly impressed with what the team did outside. There was a lot of activities for the kids and adults to do and the staff was very nice. Inside the ballpark there wasn’t as much personality. Walking into a domed stadium all the doors were revolving doors that feel like you were getting sucked into park when you would go through them.
A nice treat for me was seeing the 1991 Twins team come on the field before the game, a ten year celebration of their World Series Championship. It was great to see former Tiger Jack Morris and Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett on the field. The Tiger’s also lost the second game, although it was by one run they didn’t seem like they had a chance to win. Just a couple of years ago the Twins moved into a new stadium, one I have yet to visit, this time I think I’ll fly.
After the second game I drove quite a ways to make good time for my next trip, Milwaukee. I don’t know what city I was in but when I got off the interstate around midnight I swear I heard gunshots. So I turned around and got back on the interstate and drove for another hour before getting a room.
Sadly, I realized after I left the state I missed out on seeing the biggest ball of twine.