Wow indeed!

I grew up in the Twin Cities in the 60s. Oh for the days of Killebrew, Oliva, Kaat, Boswell, Tovar, and (the young) Carew. Once upon a time I watched Harmon and Reggie (then a second year player in his first "big" year) engage in a longball contest.

Alas, Metropolitan Stadium is no more. The Mall of America is a poor substitute. Did I mention that my Dad was an inaugural Vikings season ticket holder as well? (Picture Scramblin' Fran in his first Vikings incarnation, not to mention the immortal Joe Kapp, and the greatest Front Four ever to play the game.) In those days, you could meet the players right in the airport when they returned from road trips, and get their handshakes and autographs, up close and personal. Sport has changed.

In October 1991, I found myself in Minneapolis on a business trip, having a beer in the hotel bar, and had the coincidental pleasure of watching the Twins clinch the Series. May God bless the Twins and let them do the same this year.

My first MLB game was at the old Metropolitan Stadium. I was a Tony Oliva fan. And I grew up as the only Vikings fan in a small town in West-central Wisconsin. I hopped aboard just after they lost their first Super Bowl, and my earliest recollections of the Vikings feature Gary Cuozzo at quarterback, though my "hero" was Alan Page. Those were great teams.