Palmer's Prattle....Edition #9.....May 4, 2010
Big day on Tuesday, May 4th....... my life odometer turned over to 56........looking squarely at 60 now....can't even see 50 in my rear view mirror anymore.........big fan of "even years"........something to keep in mind for your future plans - there is a belief that a person can only legitimately retire when his age is an even number.....don't ask me why....it just a fact of life.
Highlights of the celebration....
-6:00 am - Jean Reilly wins the award for being the first person to wish me a happy birthday...sings happy birthday to me over the phone...very nice surprise.....great voice!
-6:15 am - Birthday breakfast at the Copper Kettle in downtown Osseo....love the place...reminds me of the small town places I frequented in my youth......brought the newspaper just in case nobody showed up to my party (the dreaded fear of every party host)
Stork, Jay and Oly were kind enough to join me at this very early hour of the day.....Jay followed the rules and did not bring a gift or card....Stork broke he rules and brought a nice card from his family....Oly went over and above the rules.... presented me with a collector's item....(1) unused ticket to Game 1 of the 2008 World Series at the Metrodome........why unused?......the game never happened..... twilight zone?.....in a phrase used so often in the Zumbrota News "a fine time was had by all".
-Snuck out of the office to keep another tradition alive.....had a hot dog and butterscotch malt at the Dairy Queen.......an annual birthday tradition that started as a young boy in Zumbrota......a big treat in the 1960's...evolved into a "must have" on my birthday every year.........guessing 48 years in a row......oh oh.... can you say streak?.....is this some form of mental illness?.....sorry....won't go down that road again....don't want to break up any marriages.
-Called my Birthday buddy, Bob Bonsen, and wished him a happy birthday.....very good people were obviously born on this day.
-Met three of my basketball buddies (Ron, Bob & Dave) at Smalley's bar in downtown Minneapolis at 3:30.....let the party begin....beautiful day sitting at an outside table in the bar's outdoor alley....
-I've played on a basketball team with these guys for the last 25 years.........what?...... not another streak..... (a disturbing pattern, I know).....
-Human interest story # 1 on basketball buddy, Bob.....he is the only guy I know who witnessed two guys die on the court while playing pickup basketball with him....am I pressing my luck by continuing to play with him?...
-Human interest story # 2 on Bob.....he is from Hibbing and he is known for the sage advice he gave to a young Kevin McHale back in the 1970's.....after a pick-up basketball game at Hibbing High School Kevin (freshman in HS) told Bob (senior in HS) that he (Kevin) was going to play at UCLA some day. Bob's response..."You need to be more realistic, you should be thinking about trying to play at Hibbing Junior College".....oh well, how was Bob to know that Kevin would be voted one of the 50 greatest players in the NBA......Bob obvioulsy never went into coaching............oh well, at least nobody died.
-Small world story about my basketball buddy, Ron.....a girl named Margo was a classmate of mine at Concordia..... she was a member of the Cobber dance line who performed at all of the home basketball games.... I would often times run her over under the basket as I came flying in on a fast break lay up (hold that thought)......
-Now fast forward 15 years and I'm now playing on basketball team in a St. Louis Park league with Ron who was a friend of some of the other guys on my team (he was not a Cobber).......after playing with Ron for over 10 years we decide to have a team party and Ron brings his wife.... guess who he is married to?.....yes, it's Margo....quite a surprise.....hadn't seen her since her dance line days at Concordia.......can you say, "small world"?.....
-Random act of kindness / "Pay it forward" moment.....surveyed the standing room only crowd at Smalley's looking for the most deserving people to give our table to when we leave.......spotted the winners and led them to our table......very appreciative of my offer....explained that they now had to do something nice for someone else as in "pay it forward" ...they understood the concept.....oh by the way, the winners just happened to be 2 very attractive young women...amazing how that happens sometimes.......they both proceeded to give me big hugs.....their "pay it forward" responsibilities were already completed as far as I was concerned.
-Took my group on the official "Palmer Tour" of the ballpark.....it proved to be a very interesting tour for me.....as we walked around the ballpark and I ran into several people from my past....... my superintendent at Twin Valley HS and his wife, old friends Wheels, Af, Joe, Steve Hackett, Brad Glueth and his wife, two Black Box sales reps from Des Moines, two basketball buddies from Osseo, a former Norstan co-worker, a former customer contact, 2 guys I played basketball against over the years in various leagues.....I was exhausted before the game even started.....my small talk meter exploded......
-Experienced real outdoor baseball....light rain for 2 innings....never left our seats....fortunately it was a "dry rain".....magical moment - full rainbow over the ballpark and the downtown skyline....quite an impressive sight... Dorothy (Judy Garland) should have been there.....rain stopped and it turned into a beautiful spring evening...
-Exciting ending....JJ Hardy was the defensive and offensive hero in the 9th inning....Twins win in the bottom of the ninth on a "walk off' wild pitch (is there such a term?)
-Party continues back at Smalley's after the game......informed the waitress it was my birthday .....asked her if there were any birthday specials.....she said the only thing she could offer me was a hug and a kiss.....oh my!...who was I to stand in the way of company policy?.....calm down, the kiss was on the cheek.
-New feature at Smalley's after the game.....a magician works the room....goes from table to table doing card tricks.....he comes to our table and suddenly I recognize him....it's the "Amazing Hondo".....by the way, he is not blind (inside joke to a small readership)......we used him at Norstan for special events....he impressed us with his magic.....top trick sequence was when he had me pick a card out of the deck... the card I selected was the 6 of diamonds and on it was a handwritten note that said, "Paul's Card....Happy Birthday".....he proceeds to have this card showing up all over the place in several amazing tricks......very impressive.....the only thing I can figure out is the waitress told him my name and that it was my birthday....no idea how he did the tricks, however.
-The big day finally came to an end around midnight.....a great day.....the best birthday ever....(it has to be because it's the most recent one).
Monday, May 31, 2010
8. "The Silo" Reunion
Palmer's Prattle.....Edition # 8.....May 22, 2010
On Saturday, May 22nd, the four guys who once lived together at "The Silo" in Robbinsdale, MN were reunited at the Twins-Brewers game at Target Field. In order to fully appreciate this reunion, some background information on the attendees has been added to this edition of my "Prattle".
-Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Reunion Attendees - Background Information....
-Attendees: Steve Hinrichs (Stork), Steve Rasske (Rask), Jay Durbin (how come he doesn't have a nick name?) and me (Palmer)......reunited at Target Field on May 22, 2010....see picture below...
Rask, Jay, Stork, Palmer
-"The Silo": the name given to the two-story, square, block house that Stork once owned in the early 1980's
The "Silo" today.....the trees have ruined the view from the steet
-Connections / Roommates: College and high school friends who decided to live together in "The Silo." from 1981 to 1983. (Rask, Jay and Stork all went to college in Eau Claire)
-Roles when living together: Stork (Dad), Rask (Mom), Jay and me (Kids)
-Responsibilities: Stork took care of the house, Rask bought groceries and cooked, Jay and I laid on the couch in our "fart sacks" and watched TV.
-Notable quirks: Stork's eating habits, Jay's adherence to saving energy, Rask's sleep issues and my loose sphincter.
)
Highlights of the Reunion
-It was only fitting that this "Silo" reunion was held at another Twins-Brewers game.... a mere 28 years from the last time we attended a Twins-Brewers game together....however, this time 50 other wild and crazy people weren't there to join in on the fun ...... and no MTC bus was required.
-Weather forecast for the day was 82 and sunny....supposed to be a beautiful day for a ballgame.... the actual weather around noon on Saturday was 50's and thunderstorms.....nice forecast!.....fortunately the storm passed and it was a beautiful day by the time the game started 3:10 pm.......(I called the hit off on Paul Douglas).
-Stork provided the MTC bus service from the northern suburbs....a much quieter ride than the one in 1982.
-Rask wanted to beat the system (parking, traffic, ramp fees, etc) so he parked by the dome and took the train to Target Field.....he wanted to feel like a true "urban boy"....(I think the truth was that he thought the Twins still played at the dome)........fortunately a Good Samaritan helped him come up with enough quarters to fill the parking meter...... all the dimes and nickels that he thought he could use in the meter would now have to be used to buy beer at the game.
-The pre-game "Palmer Walking Tour" was required because Jay and Rask had never been to Target Field.....Rask got the weak knees when we reached one of the many tour stops.....the long climb to the seat considered to be the farthest from home plate (upper deck in center field) had Rask wobbling.....it is a tish steep up there.......watching Rask slowly walk down the stairs sideways with both hands on the rail was the highlight of the tour.
-The tour was timed perfectly as we sat down in our seats just as the Twins ran out onto the field.....gorgeous day....sun drenched stadium...full house.......it was like there was no weather.....didn't feel hot...didn't feel cold.... didn't feel any wind...... a perfect day!!
-Historic day at Target Field....biggest crowd in history....39,152....(yes, I know Target Field's history is less than 2 months but it's still a record)....first time they sold standing room only seats......a good contingent of Brewers fans are in the house.....where did they get their tickets?.....I want the name of every Twins fan who dumped their tickets to Brewers fans. (don't know what I would do if I got the names.....I just like talking tough).
-Jay's new found passion for umpiring caused him to be more interested in watching the umpires than watching the game.....the home plate umpire provided Jay with a lesson on how to call a hitter out on a called third strike.... violently twist your body away from home plate....then simultaneously mimic the motion of a very frustrated guy trying to start a chain saw that doesn't work.....I'm sure Jay has been in front of the mirror practicing ever since...(kind of like his jazzercise days).
-Jay also really enjoyed "Kiss Cam" on the huge jumbotron......
-In my effort to help Jay with his umpiring skills, I splatter beer on a couple of people in front of us....so embarrassing.....couldn't resist demonstrating how to get that damn chain saw started........
-The game evolved into what ESPN now calls an....."An Instant Classic".....(amazing how ESPN has changed my vocabulary)......big comeback by the Brewers in the 9th.....12 inning game....4 hours and 45 minutes long.....huge drama.....clutch hits........great catches.........key double plays.....big strike outs.......boisterous crowd for both teams......and a Twins win!!...
-4 hours and 45 minutes of baseball of course tested our boy Rask and his occasional need for immediate sleep......after the game Rask confessed that he did take a quick nap in a bathroom stall during the 11th inning....it was good to know that nothing had changed during the last 28 years......(Rask's two most notable sleep stories from the 80's....falling asleep while biking and when drinking a beer).
-Rask returned from his nap and enjoyed the bottom of the 11th inning.....doesn't he look refreshed?....as you can see not every fan stuck it out for the full game.....Stork and Rask took advantage of the open seats in our row....
-As tradition demands, we had to stay in our seats until an usher came and told us that "we were kicked out".......our patience was tested for the very first time.....no usher came to kick us out......after 4 hours and 45 minutes we wanted out....NOW!......eventually we begged an usher to kick us out....it was now after 8:30 and the game started at 3:10....what a day... the Twins actually provided us with a 2 for 1 happy hour special in that we got to see a day game and a night game.
-On the way to the post game party the Silo crew take time to pay homage to Harmon Killebrew....my boyhood hero....a nice lady takes our picture and emails me this photo....there are still good people out there...
-The post game party was held at Smalley's 87 in downtown Minneapolis (only 535 steps from Target Field).....fortunately we found 4 stools at the bar, "bellied up" and let the party come to us....good people watching.....everything from watching a "get a room" couple sitting at the bar next to us to seeing a very drunk woman trying to walk through the bar....classic drunken stagger....very entertaining and sad at the same time....she eventually had to be hauled away by the bar staff.
-Eventually the boys managed to completely fill their "fun bags" and the reunion came to close......Stork's MTC bus service delivered Rask to his car (yes, the Good Samaritan had given him enough quarters for the meter) and brought Jay and me home safely.....an added bonus on the trip back to Maple Grove was when Stork turned his MTC bus into a Tour bus....brought us to the old Stand Up Frank's bar in north Minneapolis....now renamed Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den (nice name)......didn't dare go in.......fortunately no stray bullets hit us.
-After a long and very eventful day, Stork dropped me off at my house at 11:11....the perfect end to the perfect day.
-
On Saturday, May 22nd, the four guys who once lived together at "The Silo" in Robbinsdale, MN were reunited at the Twins-Brewers game at Target Field. In order to fully appreciate this reunion, some background information on the attendees has been added to this edition of my "Prattle".
-Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Reunion Attendees - Background Information....
-Attendees: Steve Hinrichs (Stork), Steve Rasske (Rask), Jay Durbin (how come he doesn't have a nick name?) and me (Palmer)......reunited at Target Field on May 22, 2010....see picture below...
-"The Silo": the name given to the two-story, square, block house that Stork once owned in the early 1980's
-Connections / Roommates: College and high school friends who decided to live together in "The Silo." from 1981 to 1983. (Rask, Jay and Stork all went to college in Eau Claire)
-Roles when living together: Stork (Dad), Rask (Mom), Jay and me (Kids)
-Responsibilities: Stork took care of the house, Rask bought groceries and cooked, Jay and I laid on the couch in our "fart sacks" and watched TV.
-Notable quirks: Stork's eating habits, Jay's adherence to saving energy, Rask's sleep issues and my loose sphincter.
-Notable Party: Hosted party and an outing to the Twins-Brewers game at the Metrodome in 1982..... approximately 85 people attended a pre-game and post-game party in the backyard of "The Silo".....95% of the people were Brewers fans....all those Eau Claire college friends.....(do you think this group liked to drink beer?)....I was one of the few Twins fans in the group....the highlight of the party was having a Minneapolis MTC bus take the entire group to and from the game.....two very wild and memorable bus rides.....(very understanding neighbors and a friendly police force were required).....see the collage of pictures from that memorable party below (click once on the picture and then a second time in order to see each photo enlarged....glad to see no one has aged.....how about my "gap"?
Highlights of the Reunion
-It was only fitting that this "Silo" reunion was held at another Twins-Brewers game.... a mere 28 years from the last time we attended a Twins-Brewers game together....however, this time 50 other wild and crazy people weren't there to join in on the fun ...... and no MTC bus was required.
-Weather forecast for the day was 82 and sunny....supposed to be a beautiful day for a ballgame.... the actual weather around noon on Saturday was 50's and thunderstorms.....nice forecast!.....fortunately the storm passed and it was a beautiful day by the time the game started 3:10 pm.......(I called the hit off on Paul Douglas).
-Stork provided the MTC bus service from the northern suburbs....a much quieter ride than the one in 1982.
-Rask wanted to beat the system (parking, traffic, ramp fees, etc) so he parked by the dome and took the train to Target Field.....he wanted to feel like a true "urban boy"....(I think the truth was that he thought the Twins still played at the dome)........fortunately a Good Samaritan helped him come up with enough quarters to fill the parking meter...... all the dimes and nickels that he thought he could use in the meter would now have to be used to buy beer at the game.
-The pre-game "Palmer Walking Tour" was required because Jay and Rask had never been to Target Field.....Rask got the weak knees when we reached one of the many tour stops.....the long climb to the seat considered to be the farthest from home plate (upper deck in center field) had Rask wobbling.....it is a tish steep up there.......watching Rask slowly walk down the stairs sideways with both hands on the rail was the highlight of the tour.
-The tour was timed perfectly as we sat down in our seats just as the Twins ran out onto the field.....gorgeous day....sun drenched stadium...full house.......it was like there was no weather.....didn't feel hot...didn't feel cold.... didn't feel any wind...... a perfect day!!
-Historic day at Target Field....biggest crowd in history....39,152....(yes, I know Target Field's history is less than 2 months but it's still a record)....first time they sold standing room only seats......a good contingent of Brewers fans are in the house.....where did they get their tickets?.....I want the name of every Twins fan who dumped their tickets to Brewers fans. (don't know what I would do if I got the names.....I just like talking tough).
-Jay's new found passion for umpiring caused him to be more interested in watching the umpires than watching the game.....the home plate umpire provided Jay with a lesson on how to call a hitter out on a called third strike.... violently twist your body away from home plate....then simultaneously mimic the motion of a very frustrated guy trying to start a chain saw that doesn't work.....I'm sure Jay has been in front of the mirror practicing ever since...(kind of like his jazzercise days).
-Jay also really enjoyed "Kiss Cam" on the huge jumbotron......
-In my effort to help Jay with his umpiring skills, I splatter beer on a couple of people in front of us....so embarrassing.....couldn't resist demonstrating how to get that damn chain saw started........
-The game evolved into what ESPN now calls an....."An Instant Classic".....(amazing how ESPN has changed my vocabulary)......big comeback by the Brewers in the 9th.....12 inning game....4 hours and 45 minutes long.....huge drama.....clutch hits........great catches.........key double plays.....big strike outs.......boisterous crowd for both teams......and a Twins win!!...
-4 hours and 45 minutes of baseball of course tested our boy Rask and his occasional need for immediate sleep......after the game Rask confessed that he did take a quick nap in a bathroom stall during the 11th inning....it was good to know that nothing had changed during the last 28 years......(Rask's two most notable sleep stories from the 80's....falling asleep while biking and when drinking a beer).
-Rask returned from his nap and enjoyed the bottom of the 11th inning.....doesn't he look refreshed?....as you can see not every fan stuck it out for the full game.....Stork and Rask took advantage of the open seats in our row....
-As tradition demands, we had to stay in our seats until an usher came and told us that "we were kicked out".......our patience was tested for the very first time.....no usher came to kick us out......after 4 hours and 45 minutes we wanted out....NOW!......eventually we begged an usher to kick us out....it was now after 8:30 and the game started at 3:10....what a day... the Twins actually provided us with a 2 for 1 happy hour special in that we got to see a day game and a night game.
-On the way to the post game party the Silo crew take time to pay homage to Harmon Killebrew....my boyhood hero....a nice lady takes our picture and emails me this photo....there are still good people out there...
-The post game party was held at Smalley's 87 in downtown Minneapolis (only 535 steps from Target Field).....fortunately we found 4 stools at the bar, "bellied up" and let the party come to us....good people watching.....everything from watching a "get a room" couple sitting at the bar next to us to seeing a very drunk woman trying to walk through the bar....classic drunken stagger....very entertaining and sad at the same time....she eventually had to be hauled away by the bar staff.
-Eventually the boys managed to completely fill their "fun bags" and the reunion came to close......Stork's MTC bus service delivered Rask to his car (yes, the Good Samaritan had given him enough quarters for the meter) and brought Jay and me home safely.....an added bonus on the trip back to Maple Grove was when Stork turned his MTC bus into a Tour bus....brought us to the old Stand Up Frank's bar in north Minneapolis....now renamed Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den (nice name)......didn't dare go in.......fortunately no stray bullets hit us.
-After a long and very eventful day, Stork dropped me off at my house at 11:11....the perfect end to the perfect day.
-
7. Cobber Reunion
Palmer Prattle.....Cobber Reunion.....May 8, 2010
On Saturday, May 8th, I hosted an outing at Target Field that reunited three of my college buddies from Concordia.....or "Cord" as us Cobbers like to call it. These three guys had not seen each other for over 25 years. As you can imagine we had great day at the ball park reminiscing about old times and watching the Twins beat the hated Orioles. In order to appreciate the highlights of this fun filled day, I will first need to provide some background information.
Event - Background Information
-The reunion of these 3 college buddies at Target Field for the Twins game was officially called "FACDATF" (First Annual Cord Day At Target Field)....(this acronym is pronounced as a word).
-The "FACDATF" name was used to honor the annual outings to Twins games that these Concordia buddies attended each year at Met Stadium the 70's...these Concordia gatherings were always scheduled on days when the Twins played an old fashion double-header (two games for the price of one) at Metropolitan Stadium (referred to simply at "The Met") on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
-The original name that our "Cord" group gave to the first outing at Met Stadium was "FACDAM" (First Annual Cord Day at the Met)....... followed by SACDAM, TACDAM, FACDAM II, etc (figure it out)....20 to 30 guys attended each year...we sat in the front row of the left field bleachers and heckled the players from both teams...we had official T-Shirts printed up for all attendees, welcome packs, swag bags and raffle tickets for prizes.
-My guest list at this year's "FACATF" included some of the founding fathers of the those original gatherings at Met Stadium.....Greg Owens (BIG O), Jeff Wolfe (Wolf Dog) and Doug Boese (Count)....see enclosed picture.
Attendees - Background Information
-BIG O: one of my roommates at Concordia during my junior year...starting offensive tackle on the football team...from Duluth...went into banking...lives in Coon Rapids...noted for his ability to eat large quantities of food and for his love of bread...other nicknames were Fat Man and Pillsbury Dough boy....turned down a free agent contract with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks due to the following reason "if I sign the contract then I will have to work out all summer".....nice reason, huh?....well now you at least understand him.
-Count: basketball teammate at Concordia....last name is pronounced "bazy" and therefore he became know as "Count", as in "Count Basie"....from Anoka....attorney in Rochester....paired with the BIG O as the starting offensive tackles on the football team.....member of the Concordia athletic Hall of Fame.....a very intense competitor known for his meltdowns.....after a basketball game at St. Olaf he told an opposing player to go "F" himself as we are shaking hands after the game.... needless to say, big trouble ensued....the following year after fouling out of the game at St. Olaf he gave the hostile crowd the "double bird" has he headed to the bench (not very Cobber-like).....obviously more trouble for Count and the Cobbers....
-Wolf Dog: one of my roommates at Cord during my senior year....starting defensive end on the football team......from Coon Rapids....lives in Ramsey....teacher at Blaine High School.....part of FACDAM lore because he dropped his check book onto the field from front row of the left field bleachers at Met Stadium....game was stopped so that Lyman Bostock, the Twins left fielder, could retrieve the check book and throw it back to Wolfe Dog.....known for participating with me in a hazing incident our sophomere year......let's just say we were both very lucky.....we both could still be serving time in prison had things gone differently.
Big O, Count, Palmer, Wolf Dog
(click on picture to enlarge)
FACATF Highlights
-The ultimate highlight of the day came early when I spotted the BIG O strolling across the Plaza at Target Field all by himself with a bottle of beer in his hand at 9:30 am in the morning....it warmed my heart to see that nothing had changed with the BIG O in 35 years....the only thing missing was a loaf of bread at his side.
-The Big O was a true urban boy that day...took the North Star train to the game...boarded the train in Coon Rapids....de-trained at Target Field's Gate #3.....too bad there wasn't a stop at a bread store along the way.....
-The quote of the day came early....upon seeing Count for the first time in 27 years, the first words out of Wolf Dog's mouth are..."Count, you've aged."....so much politeness and being politically correct....talk about breaking the ice.....right then I knew we were in for a great day.
-No small talk with this group (that's what I like about these guys)....we get right into it......the razzing....the teasing.....the old stories.....memory lane was packed.....it's all good.
-My cronies from Concordia had never been to Target Field so the "Palmer Walking Tour" was of course a "must do" on the schedule.....the typical good natured complaining during the tour from the Big O was music to my ears...."too much walking"...."too many stairs"...."didn't know we had to work out before the game"...where are the golf carts"...."how much farther to the next beer stand?".....nobody can complain like the Big O.
-Count's son also happened to be attending the game that day so he and his buddy joined the walking tour.....as Count's son listened to our mindless banter I could only guess he was thinking, "these clowns are my Dad's friends?
-Wolf Dog gets a call on his cell phone and learns that his son is also at the game.....it's truly a family affair.....for some reason we never meet Wolf Dog's son at the game....hmmmm......probably didn't want him to see his Dad's goof ball friends....by the way, where did all these kids come from?.....my life is still the same as it was when hung with these guys in college.....what happened???....did I miss the class on growing up and becoming a responsible adult?
-Speaking of sons....Big O tells us that his son is now a pilot for Delta...WHAT?....we are old enough to have kids that can fly commercial airplanes?....and I might be on his plane someday?.....we learned that Big O's baby faced son doesn't greet the passengers as they board the plane because they tend to get spooked when they see that "this kid" is their pilot......one passenger did see him and said, "this guy's our pilot?, he's only 12 years old."
-They claim the seats are wider at the Target Field than they were at the Metrodome....didn't feel that way with these guys....two big offensive tackles sitting in our group made it a tad tight.....Wolf Dog had to get up from his seat every so often just to ease the pain in his shoulders....
-The beer flowed...stories were told....the laughter rolled....concessions were sold....the Twins bats were cold.....our friendships are gold....
-The only downside to the day was that all three of my guests had to leave right after the game....something about being mature adults with actual responsibilities..... a world that I know nothing about....when did we get old???
-Oh by the way, the Twins lost.....but it didn't matter....being together with old friends was much more important.
Footnote
-The decision to go into with group of 8 guys and share Twins season tickets has proven to be a very wise decision for me. Having three seats to fill for 10 games has given me a reason and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends. I feel the money spent for these 10 games (4 seats per game) has been well worth it. it was a great investment in friendship.
On Saturday, May 8th, I hosted an outing at Target Field that reunited three of my college buddies from Concordia.....or "Cord" as us Cobbers like to call it. These three guys had not seen each other for over 25 years. As you can imagine we had great day at the ball park reminiscing about old times and watching the Twins beat the hated Orioles. In order to appreciate the highlights of this fun filled day, I will first need to provide some background information.
Event - Background Information
-The reunion of these 3 college buddies at Target Field for the Twins game was officially called "FACDATF" (First Annual Cord Day At Target Field)....(this acronym is pronounced as a word).
-The "FACDATF" name was used to honor the annual outings to Twins games that these Concordia buddies attended each year at Met Stadium the 70's...these Concordia gatherings were always scheduled on days when the Twins played an old fashion double-header (two games for the price of one) at Metropolitan Stadium (referred to simply at "The Met") on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
-The original name that our "Cord" group gave to the first outing at Met Stadium was "FACDAM" (First Annual Cord Day at the Met)....... followed by SACDAM, TACDAM, FACDAM II, etc (figure it out)....20 to 30 guys attended each year...we sat in the front row of the left field bleachers and heckled the players from both teams...we had official T-Shirts printed up for all attendees, welcome packs, swag bags and raffle tickets for prizes.
-My guest list at this year's "FACATF" included some of the founding fathers of the those original gatherings at Met Stadium.....Greg Owens (BIG O), Jeff Wolfe (Wolf Dog) and Doug Boese (Count)....see enclosed picture.
Attendees - Background Information
-BIG O: one of my roommates at Concordia during my junior year...starting offensive tackle on the football team...from Duluth...went into banking...lives in Coon Rapids...noted for his ability to eat large quantities of food and for his love of bread...other nicknames were Fat Man and Pillsbury Dough boy....turned down a free agent contract with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks due to the following reason "if I sign the contract then I will have to work out all summer".....nice reason, huh?....well now you at least understand him.
-Count: basketball teammate at Concordia....last name is pronounced "bazy" and therefore he became know as "Count", as in "Count Basie"....from Anoka....attorney in Rochester....paired with the BIG O as the starting offensive tackles on the football team.....member of the Concordia athletic Hall of Fame.....a very intense competitor known for his meltdowns.....after a basketball game at St. Olaf he told an opposing player to go "F" himself as we are shaking hands after the game.... needless to say, big trouble ensued....the following year after fouling out of the game at St. Olaf he gave the hostile crowd the "double bird" has he headed to the bench (not very Cobber-like).....obviously more trouble for Count and the Cobbers....
-Wolf Dog: one of my roommates at Cord during my senior year....starting defensive end on the football team......from Coon Rapids....lives in Ramsey....teacher at Blaine High School.....part of FACDAM lore because he dropped his check book onto the field from front row of the left field bleachers at Met Stadium....game was stopped so that Lyman Bostock, the Twins left fielder, could retrieve the check book and throw it back to Wolfe Dog.....known for participating with me in a hazing incident our sophomere year......let's just say we were both very lucky.....we both could still be serving time in prison had things gone differently.
(click on picture to enlarge)
FACATF Highlights
-The ultimate highlight of the day came early when I spotted the BIG O strolling across the Plaza at Target Field all by himself with a bottle of beer in his hand at 9:30 am in the morning....it warmed my heart to see that nothing had changed with the BIG O in 35 years....the only thing missing was a loaf of bread at his side.
-The Big O was a true urban boy that day...took the North Star train to the game...boarded the train in Coon Rapids....de-trained at Target Field's Gate #3.....too bad there wasn't a stop at a bread store along the way.....
-The quote of the day came early....upon seeing Count for the first time in 27 years, the first words out of Wolf Dog's mouth are..."Count, you've aged."....so much politeness and being politically correct....talk about breaking the ice.....right then I knew we were in for a great day.
-No small talk with this group (that's what I like about these guys)....we get right into it......the razzing....the teasing.....the old stories.....memory lane was packed.....it's all good.
-My cronies from Concordia had never been to Target Field so the "Palmer Walking Tour" was of course a "must do" on the schedule.....the typical good natured complaining during the tour from the Big O was music to my ears...."too much walking"...."too many stairs"...."didn't know we had to work out before the game"...where are the golf carts"...."how much farther to the next beer stand?".....nobody can complain like the Big O.
-Count's son also happened to be attending the game that day so he and his buddy joined the walking tour.....as Count's son listened to our mindless banter I could only guess he was thinking, "these clowns are my Dad's friends?
-Wolf Dog gets a call on his cell phone and learns that his son is also at the game.....it's truly a family affair.....for some reason we never meet Wolf Dog's son at the game....hmmmm......probably didn't want him to see his Dad's goof ball friends....by the way, where did all these kids come from?.....my life is still the same as it was when hung with these guys in college.....what happened???....did I miss the class on growing up and becoming a responsible adult?
-Speaking of sons....Big O tells us that his son is now a pilot for Delta...WHAT?....we are old enough to have kids that can fly commercial airplanes?....and I might be on his plane someday?.....we learned that Big O's baby faced son doesn't greet the passengers as they board the plane because they tend to get spooked when they see that "this kid" is their pilot......one passenger did see him and said, "this guy's our pilot?, he's only 12 years old."
-They claim the seats are wider at the Target Field than they were at the Metrodome....didn't feel that way with these guys....two big offensive tackles sitting in our group made it a tad tight.....Wolf Dog had to get up from his seat every so often just to ease the pain in his shoulders....
-The beer flowed...stories were told....the laughter rolled....concessions were sold....the Twins bats were cold.....our friendships are gold....
-The only downside to the day was that all three of my guests had to leave right after the game....something about being mature adults with actual responsibilities..... a world that I know nothing about....when did we get old???
-Oh by the way, the Twins lost.....but it didn't matter....being together with old friends was much more important.
Footnote
-The decision to go into with group of 8 guys and share Twins season tickets has proven to be a very wise decision for me. Having three seats to fill for 10 games has given me a reason and the opportunity to reconnect with old friends. I feel the money spent for these 10 games (4 seats per game) has been well worth it. it was a great investment in friendship.
6. Canterbury Park
Palmer's Prattle....Edition #6....May 15, 2010....Shakopee, MN
It was a beautiful day today and I needed to be outside doing something....but what?....Twins?....out of town.....run?....did it already....golf?....too lousy.......walk?......too dull.......bike?.....too much like running.....sit out on my deck?...too boring......go to the Minneapolis lakes?.....too old.....go out to Lake Minnetonka?....too poor....what's a 56 year old Norwegian bachelor going to do??????.....it ain't easy being me.....some days it's just hard to have fun.....
After reminiscing earlier in the day with Oly and Stork about our attendance at the Preakness back in 2005, the "AH HA" moment hit me....I can go to Canterbury Park today....it's opening weekend there and the Preakness will be simulcast there in conjunction with the live races....I could relive the magical day from 2005.... oh the stories....sorry, I digress I(that trip deserves a separate prattle edition)....and admission is free this year.....how can you beat that?
Note: click on enclosed photo to enlarge it.
Highlights of the day....
-Upon my arrival at sun drenched Canterbury Park I found a lively crowd of 8,500 having one large party.....excellent people watching.....a wide cross section of people.....all ages.....all walks of life....crusty old men......families....state fair types....young hotties.....blue collar types.....dressed up people......the beer was flowing and the party was on....I see absolutely no one I know or even recognize.....no surprise there I guess...........probably just as well...
-I found a nice table out on the front deck....Wally the Beer Man was johnny on the spot to sell me a beer....technology has made betting very easy now....the betting window now comes to you....women with portable devices will take your bets right at your table...prints your betting slips and pays you cash when you win.....this is good living...
-I find some interesting friends to hang out with.....see photo below.....horse racing brings out my gals Sunday best...
-I start out with some safe $2 bets - win/place/show....just to keep me interested in the races....easy wins but you of course make no money....finally put $10 on a horse to win.....my nag wins and I'm 30 dollars to the good...
-Finally it's time for the Preakness and there is no doubt on who I'm betting on....it's my new hero, Calvin Borel, the jockey who will be riding his Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver......listening to Calvin during interviews has taught me all about horse racing...his jockey argot/lingo/jargon has opened up a whole new world for me.
-Calvin has guaranteed that his horse, Super Saver, will win the triple crown this year so who am I to question him?.....put $50 on him to WIN!.....figure it's easy money....this is lock......
-Super Saver is right there in second place at the 3/4 turn.....I'm counting my winnings.....and then it happens.....the big fade......Super Saver tanks it down the stretch and finishes a distant and very disappointing 8th......and I'm out 50 big ones....OUCH!.....oh well, it was a good investment in FUN......my $50 is part of the $514,000 that was bet at the track today...what recession?
-Life is still good at 56.....
It was a beautiful day today and I needed to be outside doing something....but what?....Twins?....out of town.....run?....did it already....golf?....too lousy.......walk?......too dull.......bike?.....too much like running.....sit out on my deck?...too boring......go to the Minneapolis lakes?.....too old.....go out to Lake Minnetonka?....too poor....what's a 56 year old Norwegian bachelor going to do??????.....it ain't easy being me.....some days it's just hard to have fun.....
After reminiscing earlier in the day with Oly and Stork about our attendance at the Preakness back in 2005, the "AH HA" moment hit me....I can go to Canterbury Park today....it's opening weekend there and the Preakness will be simulcast there in conjunction with the live races....I could relive the magical day from 2005.... oh the stories....sorry, I digress I(that trip deserves a separate prattle edition)....and admission is free this year.....how can you beat that?
Note: click on enclosed photo to enlarge it.
Highlights of the day....
-Upon my arrival at sun drenched Canterbury Park I found a lively crowd of 8,500 having one large party.....excellent people watching.....a wide cross section of people.....all ages.....all walks of life....crusty old men......families....state fair types....young hotties.....blue collar types.....dressed up people......the beer was flowing and the party was on....I see absolutely no one I know or even recognize.....no surprise there I guess...........probably just as well...
-I found a nice table out on the front deck....Wally the Beer Man was johnny on the spot to sell me a beer....technology has made betting very easy now....the betting window now comes to you....women with portable devices will take your bets right at your table...prints your betting slips and pays you cash when you win.....this is good living...
-I find some interesting friends to hang out with.....see photo below.....horse racing brings out my gals Sunday best...
-I start out with some safe $2 bets - win/place/show....just to keep me interested in the races....easy wins but you of course make no money....finally put $10 on a horse to win.....my nag wins and I'm 30 dollars to the good...
-Finally it's time for the Preakness and there is no doubt on who I'm betting on....it's my new hero, Calvin Borel, the jockey who will be riding his Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver......listening to Calvin during interviews has taught me all about horse racing...his jockey argot/lingo/jargon has opened up a whole new world for me.
-Calvin has guaranteed that his horse, Super Saver, will win the triple crown this year so who am I to question him?.....put $50 on him to WIN!.....figure it's easy money....this is lock......
-Super Saver is right there in second place at the 3/4 turn.....I'm counting my winnings.....and then it happens.....the big fade......Super Saver tanks it down the stretch and finishes a distant and very disappointing 8th......and I'm out 50 big ones....OUCH!.....oh well, it was a good investment in FUN......my $50 is part of the $514,000 that was bet at the track today...what recession?
-Life is still good at 56.....
5. Elsie Olson's Funeral
Palmer's Prattle.....Edition #5....April 24, 2010
I was fortunate enough to attend the memorial service for Elsie Olson this past Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, MN. It was a very nice service that both mourned Elsie's passing and celebrated her very successful life.
To fulfill my responsibility as the "man on street" for our group, this edition of my prattle will provide a quick review of the day. For those who were not in attendance it will provide a full report....for those who did attend it will serve as a recap of the day.
Important Attendees
-Cobbers....Andy, Country Stork, Culla, Jonny (Pat), Dave & Sharon Tranby, Rosey
-First Ballot Hall of Fame Mothers......Mary Atchison, Betty Stadum, Carol Grinnaker, Marcella Gulsvig
-Notables.......Jim Christopherson (legendary Cobber FB coach)
-Elsie's many relatives & friends
Service Highlights.....
-Our buddy Oly spoke on behalf of the family and he did an outstanding job reviewing the highlights of Elsie's life. Oly's story-telling style proved to be very effective because it provided everyone with a window into Elsie's life. Oly built his eulogy around Elsie's three key attributes .... 1) She was always nice to people....2) She always tried to make a connection with people.....3) She had always had courage and faith.
-For those of you who were not there, I can't provide a recap that would properly convey to you exactly what Oly said....as they say, you had to be there. I can say that the stories Oly told about Elsie were very touching, humorous and inspiring.....all at once. Wally and Elsie would have been very proud of their boy on Saturday.
-As Elsie would have said in her special way..."Darrell's talk was sooooooo...(long pause)..........good."
On the lighter side.....
-County Stork gets the "Good Guy" award....helped an unsteady older lady up the church's steps and escorted her to her seat....later helped her get in the lunch line after the service. He's soooo.................nice.
-Overheard after the service....When Oly was speaking from the pulpit he was a combination of Garrison Keillor, Billy Graham, Jimmy Swaggart and Bob Anderson.....Culla said Oly had him totally sucked in....Jonny's heard a few eulogies.....said Oly's was one of the best. (Oly followed the rules of a good sermon...only three major points)
-Oly's talk might have even kept Face from using his pillow.
-Nice crowd...estimated attendance - 250 people....the church ladies had to get more food....only expecting 175.
-Good Lutheran Church lunch....open face sandwiches....salad.....pickles......homemade bars.
-I had two open faced ham sandwiches for lunch....that put me over the top...now into 6 figures (total number of these type of sandwiches consumed in my life)
-Nicest thing said to me during the day....Betty Stadum said..."Thank you for being such a good friend to Kent" (obviously she knows more about the "open shot glass" night than I thought)
-Following the lunch....Country Stork, Jonny, Culla, Rosey and I had a good "session" at Dave's South Side Tap in Moorhead.....some new stories....retelling old stories (now there's a surprise).....Ivy talk.....lots of laughs.
-Lesson learned on Saturday .....live your life in such a way that your family and friends have something interesting to say about you at your funeral......Oly gave me an actual obituary from the Fargo Forum several years ago and it is provided below (I saved it and I carry it in my wallet)
John Omang
The funeral for John Omang, 83, Hatton, ND will be at 2 Monday in the Baker Funeral Home, Mayville, ND. Mr. Omang was born August 11, 1910 in Findley, ND where grew up and attended school. He moved to Hatton to farm and did some grain and gravel trucking. He is survived by a brother, Walter, Portland, ND and sister, Marion Omang, Hatton.
-Now is the time to be out there filling up your future obituary.......hopefully it will be longer than John's.
I was fortunate enough to attend the memorial service for Elsie Olson this past Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, MN. It was a very nice service that both mourned Elsie's passing and celebrated her very successful life.
To fulfill my responsibility as the "man on street" for our group, this edition of my prattle will provide a quick review of the day. For those who were not in attendance it will provide a full report....for those who did attend it will serve as a recap of the day.
Important Attendees
-Cobbers....Andy, Country Stork, Culla, Jonny (Pat), Dave & Sharon Tranby, Rosey
-First Ballot Hall of Fame Mothers......Mary Atchison, Betty Stadum, Carol Grinnaker, Marcella Gulsvig
-Notables.......Jim Christopherson (legendary Cobber FB coach)
-Elsie's many relatives & friends
Service Highlights.....
-Our buddy Oly spoke on behalf of the family and he did an outstanding job reviewing the highlights of Elsie's life. Oly's story-telling style proved to be very effective because it provided everyone with a window into Elsie's life. Oly built his eulogy around Elsie's three key attributes .... 1) She was always nice to people....2) She always tried to make a connection with people.....3) She had always had courage and faith.
-For those of you who were not there, I can't provide a recap that would properly convey to you exactly what Oly said....as they say, you had to be there. I can say that the stories Oly told about Elsie were very touching, humorous and inspiring.....all at once. Wally and Elsie would have been very proud of their boy on Saturday.
-As Elsie would have said in her special way..."Darrell's talk was sooooooo...(long pause)..........good."
On the lighter side.....
-County Stork gets the "Good Guy" award....helped an unsteady older lady up the church's steps and escorted her to her seat....later helped her get in the lunch line after the service. He's soooo.................nice.
-Overheard after the service....When Oly was speaking from the pulpit he was a combination of Garrison Keillor, Billy Graham, Jimmy Swaggart and Bob Anderson.....Culla said Oly had him totally sucked in....Jonny's heard a few eulogies.....said Oly's was one of the best. (Oly followed the rules of a good sermon...only three major points)
-Oly's talk might have even kept Face from using his pillow.
-Nice crowd...estimated attendance - 250 people....the church ladies had to get more food....only expecting 175.
-Good Lutheran Church lunch....open face sandwiches....salad.....pickles......homemade bars.
-I had two open faced ham sandwiches for lunch....that put me over the top...now into 6 figures (total number of these type of sandwiches consumed in my life)
-Nicest thing said to me during the day....Betty Stadum said..."Thank you for being such a good friend to Kent" (obviously she knows more about the "open shot glass" night than I thought)
-Following the lunch....Country Stork, Jonny, Culla, Rosey and I had a good "session" at Dave's South Side Tap in Moorhead.....some new stories....retelling old stories (now there's a surprise).....Ivy talk.....lots of laughs.
-Lesson learned on Saturday .....live your life in such a way that your family and friends have something interesting to say about you at your funeral......Oly gave me an actual obituary from the Fargo Forum several years ago and it is provided below (I saved it and I carry it in my wallet)
John Omang
The funeral for John Omang, 83, Hatton, ND will be at 2 Monday in the Baker Funeral Home, Mayville, ND. Mr. Omang was born August 11, 1910 in Findley, ND where grew up and attended school. He moved to Hatton to farm and did some grain and gravel trucking. He is survived by a brother, Walter, Portland, ND and sister, Marion Omang, Hatton.
-Now is the time to be out there filling up your future obituary.......hopefully it will be longer than John's.
4. Vikings Draft Party
Palmer's Prattle....Edition #4.....April 22, 2010....Lookout Bar
Your roving reporter was out and about covering one of the draft parties sponsored by the Vikings. Due to the new draft format there were 12 official draft parties taking place at different drinking establishments throughout the Twin Cities.
Much to my surprise 1 of the 12 draft parties was being held in Maple Grove at a true "neighbor" bar called "The Lookout." This 52 year old establishment was once a country bar located well outside the metro area. As the urban sprawl spread to the northwest, this little bar was soon surrounded by a Maple Grove housing development. For whatever reason "The Lookout" was allowed to continue to do business even though it is now located smack dab in the middle of a residential area.
It was a beautiful spring evening and I wanted to get outside and enjoy it with a little stroll through the neighborhood. "The Lookout" is about a 20 minute walk from my house and I made it my destination so I could witness the Vikings Draft party.
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Highlights of the party.....
-There was a good buzz in the place....festive atmosphere....packed bar....Vikings garb everywhere....rube city....rounders...slugs....blue collar bunch....not your typical white bread, cake eating Maple Grove crowd (not that there is anything wrong with that)....not sure where these people come from...
-I found the perfect spot at the bar to "belly up" and take it all in...didn't know any of the patrons in the place....however, I had several buddies before the night was over.
-The wife of the bar owner used to be my administrative assistant where I work....she provided me free beer all night.....she said my money was no good there....which of course is a good thing.
-Phil Loadholt, an offensive tackle, was the Vikings player in attendance.....he worked the room...a very large man....oh my!....chatted with him...very friendly guy....he was quite proud of his former Oklahoma teammates who were drafted right away in the first round...also happy to see all of the Big 12 guys drafted early in the first round.....he of course loves Favre...hopes he comes back....non-committal on who the Vikings should draft...looking forward to first game in New Orleans...left the bar before the Vikings trade was announced....see the picture of my buddy Phil and me below.......
-Mary and Ashley were the two Vikings cheerleaders in attendance....very nice young gals....easy on the eyes as they say......worked the crowd quite well.....had plenty of personality....they seemed to understand their role.....they are at the party so that men can do the following:
-Look at them
-Engage in conversation with them
-Have pictures taken with them
-Feel better about themselves because good looking women will talk to them
-Mary and Ashley obviously fulfilled all of their responsibilities with me.....
-One guy said these two gals were what he termed "criers"...meaning that if these two good looking young women ever talked to him he would start to cry..... (please note the tears coming down my face on the enclosed photo)
-I have attached a picture that shows me with my two new friends (yes, I cried when it was taken)....Ashley to my right and Mary to my left.....yes, I know they could be my daughters or they could be daughters of my friends.....neither is true in this case so let me enjoy it.
-Crowd was very disappointed when it was announced that the Vikings had traded their 30th pick....some good raggin' going on....suddenly everyone bonded together and shared their frustration....several guys were very vocal... wanted them to take Clausen the QB from Notre Dame.....also surprised how disappointed the crowd was when Denver picked Tebow....large delegation wanted the Vikings to get him.
-I had a nice walk home...you can't be arrested for WUI can you? (walking under the influence)
Your roving reporter was out and about covering one of the draft parties sponsored by the Vikings. Due to the new draft format there were 12 official draft parties taking place at different drinking establishments throughout the Twin Cities.
Much to my surprise 1 of the 12 draft parties was being held in Maple Grove at a true "neighbor" bar called "The Lookout." This 52 year old establishment was once a country bar located well outside the metro area. As the urban sprawl spread to the northwest, this little bar was soon surrounded by a Maple Grove housing development. For whatever reason "The Lookout" was allowed to continue to do business even though it is now located smack dab in the middle of a residential area.
It was a beautiful spring evening and I wanted to get outside and enjoy it with a little stroll through the neighborhood. "The Lookout" is about a 20 minute walk from my house and I made it my destination so I could witness the Vikings Draft party.
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Highlights of the party.....
-There was a good buzz in the place....festive atmosphere....packed bar....Vikings garb everywhere....rube city....rounders...slugs....blue collar bunch....not your typical white bread, cake eating Maple Grove crowd (not that there is anything wrong with that)....not sure where these people come from...
-I found the perfect spot at the bar to "belly up" and take it all in...didn't know any of the patrons in the place....however, I had several buddies before the night was over.
-The wife of the bar owner used to be my administrative assistant where I work....she provided me free beer all night.....she said my money was no good there....which of course is a good thing.
-Phil Loadholt, an offensive tackle, was the Vikings player in attendance.....he worked the room...a very large man....oh my!....chatted with him...very friendly guy....he was quite proud of his former Oklahoma teammates who were drafted right away in the first round...also happy to see all of the Big 12 guys drafted early in the first round.....he of course loves Favre...hopes he comes back....non-committal on who the Vikings should draft...looking forward to first game in New Orleans...left the bar before the Vikings trade was announced....see the picture of my buddy Phil and me below.......
-Mary and Ashley were the two Vikings cheerleaders in attendance....very nice young gals....easy on the eyes as they say......worked the crowd quite well.....had plenty of personality....they seemed to understand their role.....they are at the party so that men can do the following:
-Look at them
-Engage in conversation with them
-Have pictures taken with them
-Feel better about themselves because good looking women will talk to them
-Mary and Ashley obviously fulfilled all of their responsibilities with me.....
-One guy said these two gals were what he termed "criers"...meaning that if these two good looking young women ever talked to him he would start to cry..... (please note the tears coming down my face on the enclosed photo)
-I have attached a picture that shows me with my two new friends (yes, I cried when it was taken)....Ashley to my right and Mary to my left.....yes, I know they could be my daughters or they could be daughters of my friends.....neither is true in this case so let me enjoy it.
-Crowd was very disappointed when it was announced that the Vikings had traded their 30th pick....some good raggin' going on....suddenly everyone bonded together and shared their frustration....several guys were very vocal... wanted them to take Clausen the QB from Notre Dame.....also surprised how disappointed the crowd was when Denver picked Tebow....large delegation wanted the Vikings to get him.
-I had a nice walk home...you can't be arrested for WUI can you? (walking under the influence)
3. Twins Opener - 2010
Palmer's Prattle....Edition #3....April 12, 2010
I was fortunate enough to attend the Twins home opener at Target Field on Monday, April 12th. It was beautiful day at the ball park and I wanted to share some the sights and sounds of what proved to be a very magical day. (I will leave game details to the Star Trib)
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Highlights of the day...
-Met by college buddy, Darrel Olson (Oly) and his family (Kris, Erik & Peder) on the Plaza at 9:30 am for a game that starts at 3:10 pm.....we were official "rubes."....it's a beautiful Monday morning in downtown Minneapoils.
-In honor of this very historic day the Twins have put statues of Joe Mauer at various street corner locations in downtown Minneapolis.....each statue serves as a scrapbook of Twins history.....the attached picture shows the Mauer statue located right outside of the Target Center....
-Oly and Kris now have three kids to take care of today....Erik, Peder and me.
-Erik and Peder both have back packs full of things for players to sign....baseballs, baseball cards, gloves and pictures...
-The Plaza area outside Target Field was already buzzing and it's over 6 hours until the first pitch will be thrown...people everywhere.....lots of hubbub....electricity in the air....hype....hoopla......pomp.....pagentry.....ballyhoo....
-I see this guy talking on his cell phone...noticed him becasue he's wearing a University of Miami sweatshirt....looked so out of place with all the people in Twins apparel....didn't he "get the memo"....as I got closer I heard his voice and it stopped me in my tracks.....that accent could only belong to one guy......yes, it was none other than Frank Viola....one of the heros of the 1987 World Championship Twins team.....unfortunately he was too engrosed in his phone conversation to talk to him.
-Harmon Killebrew was my hero when I was just a young lad..... I was a devoted Twins growing up in Zumbrota.....attended my first game at Met Stadium in 1962.....wore a Twins cap everywhere.....even wore it to bed.....listened to games on the radio every night with my Dad and older brother.....the picture below shows me paying homage to the Killer at this very impressive statue....(Killebrew's statue was unveiled before the second exhibition game with St. Louis on Saturday...was not there that day).
- Another college buddy, Kent Stadum, (Stade) joined the group around 11:00 am.....he needs to find a ticket on the street...could be a tough "get".....early prices being quoted......$400 a seat....minimum price.
-Saw every kind of Twins cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt and jacket imaginable....the Twins Pro Shop was having a field day....
-People gather early around the Puckett statue waiting for the unveiling at 11:30 am...huge throng of people as you see in the picture below...
-Kirby Jr. does the honors and unveils the statue.....Puckett is in the "see you tomorrow night" pose as he ran around the bases after his homerun in Game 6 in 1991 World Series.....see picture below...
-The critics were out early....the statue's face looks nothing like Kirby.... I would have to agree.
-Every media outlet is there...TV reporters...camera men....radio personalities....newspaper reporters....everyone is looking for an angle on "a story."
-It's a "Who's Who" of former Twins....they are everywhere....too many to even being to list.
-Overheard as Tanya Puckett and Kirby Jr were walking by...."Kirby pull up your pants."
-Gates open at 12:00 noon....Peder and Erik want to be the first fans in the park....Olsons are off....batting practice to watch....autographs to get...
-Oly talks with former Twins pitcher, Jim Kaat....Peder gets Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia's autograph down by the dugout....American League MVP in 2008...good "get" for Peder.
-Talked with Sammy's Cobber buddy, Marty, and two of his very "connected" friends before the game .....Sammy and Oly can fill you in on all of their connections to former Twins players.....Killebrew, Oliva, Mudcat Grant to name a few.
-Stade and I hang around outside the ball park and people watch on the plaza....with a few beers of course....
-Met a friend of Stade's named Jamie Ogden......remember him?....White Bear Lake Boy....3rd round draft pick of Twins in 1990....1B/OF...spent 8 years in the Twins minor league system....last three at AAA Salt Lake City....Kent Hrbek kept him out of the big leagues.
-Met Tom Chorske...anybody remember him?...I did.......former Gopher hockey player.....New Jersey Devils - Stanley Cup Champs...1995...he showed me his championship ring...very large!
-Stade gets his ticket....seller's market....more buyers than tickets available......he got one cheap for $200....he's in...we watch the game from all over the park....it's just one big party.
-Championship banners are raised in left field by former Twins players......Blyleven, Viola, Morris, Radke, Gladden....see picture below.....
-Interesting note during the introductions...Twins third base coach Scott Ulger received a smattering of "boos".when he was introduced.....guess the fans were still angry about him waving in J.J. Hardy during the 9th inning of Sunday's game in Chicago....see picture below....
-Lots of food choices....high prices......$7.00 for a beer....people appear to be more interested in eating than watching the game...long lines everywhere...
-National Anthem....home opener....pomp...pagentry....see picture below....
-Carl Pavano throws first official pitch at Target Field to shortstop Marco Scutaro of the Boston Red Sox at 3:11 pm on April 12....see picture below...
-Get confirmation from Mark Anderson (Andy) during the game...he can't see the field from his office in the IDS tower....good to know that decisions being made in the "what if room" will not be affected by the Twins games.
-Perfect day....great game....big win....outdoor baseball is back.....it's the place where everyone wants to be this summer.
I was fortunate enough to attend the Twins home opener at Target Field on Monday, April 12th. It was beautiful day at the ball park and I wanted to share some the sights and sounds of what proved to be a very magical day. (I will leave game details to the Star Trib)
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
Highlights of the day...
-Met by college buddy, Darrel Olson (Oly) and his family (Kris, Erik & Peder) on the Plaza at 9:30 am for a game that starts at 3:10 pm.....we were official "rubes."....it's a beautiful Monday morning in downtown Minneapoils.
-In honor of this very historic day the Twins have put statues of Joe Mauer at various street corner locations in downtown Minneapolis.....each statue serves as a scrapbook of Twins history.....the attached picture shows the Mauer statue located right outside of the Target Center....
-Oly and Kris now have three kids to take care of today....Erik, Peder and me.
-Erik and Peder both have back packs full of things for players to sign....baseballs, baseball cards, gloves and pictures...
-The Plaza area outside Target Field was already buzzing and it's over 6 hours until the first pitch will be thrown...people everywhere.....lots of hubbub....electricity in the air....hype....hoopla......pomp.....pagentry.....ballyhoo....
-Harmon Killebrew was my hero when I was just a young lad..... I was a devoted Twins growing up in Zumbrota.....attended my first game at Met Stadium in 1962.....wore a Twins cap everywhere.....even wore it to bed.....listened to games on the radio every night with my Dad and older brother.....the picture below shows me paying homage to the Killer at this very impressive statue....(Killebrew's statue was unveiled before the second exhibition game with St. Louis on Saturday...was not there that day).
- Another college buddy, Kent Stadum, (Stade) joined the group around 11:00 am.....he needs to find a ticket on the street...could be a tough "get".....early prices being quoted......$400 a seat....minimum price.
-Saw every kind of Twins cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt and jacket imaginable....the Twins Pro Shop was having a field day....
-People gather early around the Puckett statue waiting for the unveiling at 11:30 am...huge throng of people as you see in the picture below...
-Kirby Jr. does the honors and unveils the statue.....Puckett is in the "see you tomorrow night" pose as he ran around the bases after his homerun in Game 6 in 1991 World Series.....see picture below...
-The critics were out early....the statue's face looks nothing like Kirby.... I would have to agree.
-Every media outlet is there...TV reporters...camera men....radio personalities....newspaper reporters....everyone is looking for an angle on "a story."
-It's a "Who's Who" of former Twins....they are everywhere....too many to even being to list.
-Overheard as Tanya Puckett and Kirby Jr were walking by...."Kirby pull up your pants."
-Gates open at 12:00 noon....Peder and Erik want to be the first fans in the park....Olsons are off....batting practice to watch....autographs to get...
-Oly talks with former Twins pitcher, Jim Kaat....Peder gets Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia's autograph down by the dugout....American League MVP in 2008...good "get" for Peder.
-Talked with Sammy's Cobber buddy, Marty, and two of his very "connected" friends before the game .....Sammy and Oly can fill you in on all of their connections to former Twins players.....Killebrew, Oliva, Mudcat Grant to name a few.
-Stade and I hang around outside the ball park and people watch on the plaza....with a few beers of course....
-Met a friend of Stade's named Jamie Ogden......remember him?....White Bear Lake Boy....3rd round draft pick of Twins in 1990....1B/OF...spent 8 years in the Twins minor league system....last three at AAA Salt Lake City....Kent Hrbek kept him out of the big leagues.
-Met Tom Chorske...anybody remember him?...I did.......former Gopher hockey player.....New Jersey Devils - Stanley Cup Champs...1995...he showed me his championship ring...very large!
-Stade gets his ticket....seller's market....more buyers than tickets available......he got one cheap for $200....he's in...we watch the game from all over the park....it's just one big party.
-Championship banners are raised in left field by former Twins players......Blyleven, Viola, Morris, Radke, Gladden....see picture below.....
-Interesting note during the introductions...Twins third base coach Scott Ulger received a smattering of "boos".when he was introduced.....guess the fans were still angry about him waving in J.J. Hardy during the 9th inning of Sunday's game in Chicago....see picture below....
-Lots of food choices....high prices......$7.00 for a beer....people appear to be more interested in eating than watching the game...long lines everywhere...
-National Anthem....home opener....pomp...pagentry....see picture below....
-Carl Pavano throws first official pitch at Target Field to shortstop Marco Scutaro of the Boston Red Sox at 3:11 pm on April 12....see picture below...
-Get confirmation from Mark Anderson (Andy) during the game...he can't see the field from his office in the IDS tower....good to know that decisions being made in the "what if room" will not be affected by the Twins games.
-Perfect day....great game....big win....outdoor baseball is back.....it's the place where everyone wants to be this summer.
Friday, May 21, 2010
2. Target Field Opens
Palmer's Prattle....Edition # 2....April 2, 2010
I of course had to be at the first Twins game to ever be played at Target Field. Your devoted rube, Twins fan, baseball fan and part time reporter has filed another report.
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
HUGE DAY at Target Field....the major highlights....
-Rained hard until around 2:30...rain stopped and never started again....cloudy & cool
-2:45 pm ...formal ceremony to unveil the Carew statue outside the ballpark...Carew, Oliva, Killebrew were all there.....many speeches by dignitaries.....statue was covered and Carew pulled off the cover....big bronze statue....very impressive...see photos below.
-Unveiled the retired numbers before the game...introduced Killebrew, Oliva, Hrbek Carew and a Puckett representative...see attached photo of them standing by the mound...numbers are displayed out in left field.
-Twins are now in the first base dugout....good view into the dugout from our seats.
-All the construction workers who worked on the ballpark had an official parade around the field before the game.
-Flag and flag pole from Met Stadium are being reused...out in right field....formal raising of the flag prior to national anthem.
-Construction workers sang the national anthem as a choir.
-4 Hennepin County commissioners threw out the first pitch.
-Carl Pavano throws first pitch....Skip Shumaker (2B baseman) is the first batter.....see photo below.
-First pitch lined to O Dog...knocks it down...throws him out...first official entry in the score book is "4-3".
-Denard Span has the trifecta...first hit (triple)....first run scored....first home run.
-Joe Mauer's first at bat at Target Field....called out on strikes....ouch!
-Pavano gives up back to back dingers....
-Most touching moment...prolonged standing and loud ovation for Jacque Jones....he had to step out of the box to gather himself....unfortunately he strikes out....he did however make a nice diving catch in right field.
-Most disturbing moment - Pat Neshek gets lit up...can't finish the inning...Cards put the game out of reach with a 5 run 8th inning.....like watching batting practice.
-Observation #1...people are more interested in eating than watching the game....the lines at the concession stands were unbelievably long in the lower level throughout the entire game....20 deep the whole game
-Observation #2... due to the openness of the ballpark, I predict that many people will not actually sit in their seats, they will just roam around the place and watch the game from the concourse....several good gathering places - outdoor bar in left field and two little bars in the upper level right behind home plate.
-The ballpark looks really impressive under the lights.
-Fun facts...I engaged with.....Roy Smalley, Rod Carew and Dave St. Peter...
-Gained immediate credibility from Smalley when I told him I was at the Met and saw him pop out to UL Washington for the final out of the last game ever played there...he was amazed that I knew that obscure fact....he got into telling me about how he was feeling as he stepped up the plate.......didn't want to be the one to make the last out.
-Final score: Cards 8...Twins 4
-Fans were absolutely GIDDY!!!
-One more historic game to add to my list ......I have now witnessed the following events in Minnesota baseball history....last game at Met Stadium, first game at the dome, last game at the dome, first game played at Target Field (Gophers vs. LA Tech) and the first Twins game ever played at Target Field.
I of course had to be at the first Twins game to ever be played at Target Field. Your devoted rube, Twins fan, baseball fan and part time reporter has filed another report.
Note: click on enclosed photos to enlarge them.
HUGE DAY at Target Field....the major highlights....
-Rained hard until around 2:30...rain stopped and never started again....cloudy & cool
-2:45 pm ...formal ceremony to unveil the Carew statue outside the ballpark...Carew, Oliva, Killebrew were all there.....many speeches by dignitaries.....statue was covered and Carew pulled off the cover....big bronze statue....very impressive...see photos below.
-Twins are now in the first base dugout....good view into the dugout from our seats.
-All the construction workers who worked on the ballpark had an official parade around the field before the game.
-Flag and flag pole from Met Stadium are being reused...out in right field....formal raising of the flag prior to national anthem.
-Construction workers sang the national anthem as a choir.
-4 Hennepin County commissioners threw out the first pitch.
-Carl Pavano throws first pitch....Skip Shumaker (2B baseman) is the first batter.....see photo below.
-First pitch lined to O Dog...knocks it down...throws him out...first official entry in the score book is "4-3".
-Denard Span has the trifecta...first hit (triple)....first run scored....first home run.
-Joe Mauer's first at bat at Target Field....called out on strikes....ouch!
-Pavano gives up back to back dingers....
-Most touching moment...prolonged standing and loud ovation for Jacque Jones....he had to step out of the box to gather himself....unfortunately he strikes out....he did however make a nice diving catch in right field.
-Most disturbing moment - Pat Neshek gets lit up...can't finish the inning...Cards put the game out of reach with a 5 run 8th inning.....like watching batting practice.
-Observation #1...people are more interested in eating than watching the game....the lines at the concession stands were unbelievably long in the lower level throughout the entire game....20 deep the whole game
-Observation #2... due to the openness of the ballpark, I predict that many people will not actually sit in their seats, they will just roam around the place and watch the game from the concourse....several good gathering places - outdoor bar in left field and two little bars in the upper level right behind home plate.
-The ballpark looks really impressive under the lights.
-Fun facts...I engaged with.....Roy Smalley, Rod Carew and Dave St. Peter...
-Gained immediate credibility from Smalley when I told him I was at the Met and saw him pop out to UL Washington for the final out of the last game ever played there...he was amazed that I knew that obscure fact....he got into telling me about how he was feeling as he stepped up the plate.......didn't want to be the one to make the last out.
-Final score: Cards 8...Twins 4
-Fans were absolutely GIDDY!!!
-One more historic game to add to my list ......I have now witnessed the following events in Minnesota baseball history....last game at Met Stadium, first game at the dome, last game at the dome, first game played at Target Field (Gophers vs. LA Tech) and the first Twins game ever played at Target Field.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
1. Target Field Tour
Palmer's Prattle....Edition #1....March 27, 2010
In my quest to attend every significant sporting event in the twin cities, your roving reporter was jonny on the spot when the first pitch was thrown at the very first baseball game ever to be played at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis. This historic game pitted the the hometown University of Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. the hated Bulldogs from Louisiana Tech.
Note: Click on enclosed photo to enlarge it.
In my quest to attend every significant sporting event in the twin cities, your roving reporter was jonny on the spot when the first pitch was thrown at the very first baseball game ever to be played at Target Field in downtown Minneapolis. This historic game pitted the the hometown University of Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. the hated Bulldogs from Louisiana Tech.
Note: Click on enclosed photo to enlarge it.
Highlights of this historic day in Minnesota baseball history....
-Tickets went on sale at Target Field for this game at 7:00 am on Saturday morning (day of the game).....no advanced ticket sales....no on-line options......the only way to get tickets was to buy them at Target Field when the ticket windows opened early Saturday morning....they were also going to sell only 25,000 tickets to the game....tickets price was only $2.00.
-Arrived at Target Field at 6:15 am....couldn't take a chance on not getting a ticket...there was already people lined up waiting for the ticket windows to open.
-Met a couple of die hard baseball fans waiting in line.....kind of sad in a way....these guys said this would be their only chance to see Target Field because they could never afford to pay for tickets to a Twins game....they didn't own cars.....learned all about how they used the bus system to get there from St. Paul.....makes a man appreciate what he's got....
-Ticket windows open 20 minutes early.....I have my ticket by 7:05...back home in Maple Grove by 7:30.....limit was 10 tickets per person..... I bought 4 tickets......had a plan in mind for later.....
-Arrive at Target Field around noon for the 1:10 game.....people are excited...seeing the place for the first time....everyone loves the place......giddiness prevails....feels like I'm on vacation....this beautiful ball park can't actually be in Minneapolis, can it?
-Ticket windows are still open and tickets are available.....guess I didn't need to be down there early..... there are very long lines to get tickets.....
-Put my Good Samaritan plan into place....scout out people at the end of the long lines who appear deserving of getting free tickets from me.....select an old couple decked out on Gopher apparel....give them 2 free tickets....tell them "pay it forward"....they are thrilled....see an old guy who appears to be by himself (kind of like me)...give him a free ticket....pay it forward my friend....he's shocked.
-I give the place the complete tour....it's perfect....they did it right....it lived up to all the hype.....not a bad seat in the house....great view of the Minneapolis skyline...
-I have my first beer and hot dog (not cheap)....ummmm....sooo good....how come a hot dog tastes is so delicious at a ball game?.....when I have one at home it just tastes like a bland wiener in a bun.
Cool cloudy day...50's...comfortable.....hey, it's March 27th and I watching outdoor baseball.... in a brand new major league ball park.....in Minnesota....how good is that?
-The photo below shows the very first pitch thrown at Target Field....it's official....outdoor baseball is back!
-For you historians out there, the following information can be used someday when you want to talk about Target Field trivia.....
First baseball game ever played....March 27, 2010
First teams to play....U of M vs Louisiana Tech
First pitch thrown...Ball 1..Pitcher -TJ Oakes - Gophers - from Jordan, MN
First pitch caught.Catcher - Kyle Knudson - Gophers - from Maple Grove, MN
First hit - Mark Threlkeld - LA Tech - double - right field - 1st - 1:11pm
First home run - Clint Ewing - LA Tech - 358 ft to left field - 4th inning
Final Score - LA Tech 9...Gophers 1
My list is is growing.... I have been in attendance to see the following historic baseball events in Minneapolis:
1. Last pitch at Met Stadium - Sept 1981 - Twins vs Kansas City
(last regular season game)
2. First pitch at the Dome - April 1982 - Twins vs Phillies
(exhibition game)
3. Last pitch at the Dome - October 2009 - Twins vs Yankees
(playoff game)
4. First pitch at Target Field - March 2010 - U of M vs LA Tech
(college game)
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