As I’m writing this, the Minnesota Twins are 1-1 on the season after winning on a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning against Detroit. I have a feeling this won’t happen often this year.
I’m a huge Twins fan. I’m also a realistic Twins fan.
My parents took me to my first game in 1981, the last year of Met Stadium. I was more interested in the free bat I got and the good food I was treated to than the game itself.
When the Metrodome opened we attended games sporadically. I do remember some trips with my fellow altar servers from church and one that our youth baseball coach had to take us to after losing a bet. (When you’re the low seed in the playoffs and beat the #1 seed, it’s a good bet to lose!)
I was fascinated by the Metrodome in those early years. I explored every nook and cranny, even sneaking down into the lower bowels as a high schooler, just missing out on a meeting with my idol, Kirby Puckett.
Ah, Kirby Puckett. He was my baseball hero. I modeled my batting stance after him and tried to play center field like him. Nothing thrilled me more than to hear Bob Casey call out his name at the Dome.
When the 1987 season rolled around, I had become engrossed in baseball. I collected baseball cards, I had my radio tuned to WCCO, and I read every story in the newspaper about the Twins. What a magical time to become a true baseball fan, as the Twins went on to win the World Series that year!
I remember being so jealous of my dad, who got to go to one of the playoff games against Detroit. I watched the game, eagerly looking for Dad, even though he was in the far reaches of the upper left field seats. I hung on his every word the next day, wanting to know just what it would be like to be at a sold-out playoff game.
I got to find out a few years later. Dad managed to snare tickets to Game 1 of the 1991 playoffs and World Series. Those two games are my greatest memories of baseball and special times with my dad. Nothing can take away the experience of being part of that incredible postseason.
When the Twins won in walk-off fashion (before that phrase was even coined!) in Game 7, I was ecstatic. I remember it being a Sunday night. I was lucky enough to be a senior in high school with a first-hour study hall, so I wasn’t required to be to school until later. I didn’t get to sleep until the wee hours, so I needed that extra time!
I hang onto those two world championships. We in Minnesota don’t have many of those to lay claim to.
The first year I taught students who were born after 1991 really struck me as a lost generation. These kids didn’t know the excitement of World Series baseball. The Twins have made the playoffs a number of times in this century, but that ultimate goal seems very far away now.
I’ll keep watching and rooting for the home team. 1991 was so sweet because I had remained a steadfast fan even in the down years. The same happened when the team finally returned to the playoffs in 2002. I had followed the team through the dreadful years of the late 90s.
I’ll keep doing this to make the next World Series all the sweeter. Even wins like today’s, at the beginning of what is most likely a non-playoff season, are fun and give hope to the latest generation that they can experience the ultimate thrill like we did 23 years ago.
Word of the Week: This week’s word is apricity, which means the sun’s warmth on a cold day, as in, “The apricity during the Twins’ home opener was the only thing that kept the game from being completely miserable.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!