For The Love Of The Game

Road Trip Day 44

As Soon As I Got There, Good Times Were Rollin'

In case you didn't know this already, I should mention that I am a huge Prince fan. Have been since 1985. Secondly you need to know that Prince is from Minneapolis and references the city in several songs. Today I paid a visit to two of them.

Uptown (a song on Prince's 1980 album "Dirty Mind") is an area to the south-west of, well, downtown Minneapolis and has a more bohemian feel that the more commercial heart of the city. It comprises cafés, clubs, boutiques, non-chain restaurants, at least one cinema and a particularly cool "Wrecka Stow" (aka Record Store) called Cheepo Record where I picked up two Prince compilation CDs missing from my collection. Well, technically I have them already, but these are the single disc versions rather than the 3 disc collection... but I digress.

Meet Me There, If You Dare

Within Uptown is a shopping mall named Calhoun Square, which is the title of a song released in 1998 but recorded some years earlier I believe.

So, with another couple of landmarks added to my list, I drove through Uptown and around Lake Calhoun which is encircled by some extremely well-to-do luxury apartment block, houses and full-on mansions. All very classy and, on a better day, with lovely views over the lake.

Down By The River

A few blocks away from my hotel, where downtown meets the river is an former Flour Mill which was almost destroyed by fire in 1991. Rather than demolish the ruins, they were reinforced and augmented to provide a building which now houses the Mill City Museum telling the history of flour milling in the city, and an apartment block. It makes for a curious, but pleasing façade.

In the left of the shot above you'll see what appears to be a huge projection jutting out into nothing... which is exactly what it is. A wing of the neighbouring Guthrie Theatre projects out towards the river in somewhat improbable fashion. I'm not sure if it looks good or not.

These riverfront developments are adjacent to the St Anthony Falls which, I read, are the only significant falls on the Mississippi river. They have been substantially reinforced, not to say entirely remodelled to ensure their continued existence in the face of erosion which threatened to effectively wash the falls away leaving a less dramatic cascade.

Twin Cities

Minneapolis is the larger, more vibrant half of the Twin Cities. A short drive away is the centre of the other half, St. Paul. Time was short so I couldn't spend long there, but #I did have time to take a look at the Minnesota State Capitol which, like other Capitol buildings I have seen, is capped by a huge dome and golden statues.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

In August and September 2007 I went to 8 Prince concerts in London. I was excited like a small child before each one and utterly elated after each one.

It is that level of excitement that I achieved when I attended the Minnesota Twins game at the Humber H. Humphrey Metrodome today.

I had to stop myself skipping as I walked the couple of blocks distance to the dome, surrounded by fellow Twins fans. Caps, shirts and jacks almost exclusively covered in team insignias. Personally, I sported my new Joe Mauer shirt and home game cap.

I passed through security and into the concourse where I bought the obligatory hotdog and chips (crisps, not French fries) and a huge Diet Coke in a souvenir cup. Food and drink in-hand, I was directed to my seat in the 10th row on the first base line. The lady on the box office had seen me right and found me a excellent seat.

Game Guide

I'd not been sat long when the gentleman behind me heard me mention that I was from England and we got chatting. A lifelong fan, he was able to fill me in on all the action as it unfolded and guided through the aspects of the game that I wasn't familiar with. He was suitably impressed with my knowledge of Baseball and all things American. In return I helped dispel a few myths and rumours about my homeland.

The chap behind me, a surgeon, was not the only person I spoke to. A delightful elderly couple next to him were interested to hear my story and how I happened to be here at a Twins game. They even furnished me with delicious Dubble Bubble bubblegum which she was adamant I should chew, for good luck I think.

Baseball is a very sociable game to watch with plenty of opportunity to talk between innings. I explained how I had happened to choose The Twins as "my team" at the start of the 1987 season, a year in which they won the World Series. As such I was regarded as a lucky mascot and my attendance tonight a good omen.

Glam Slam

OK, I'm stretching the song title thing a bit far here, but it's to highlight that in the very first inning of the night The Twins managed to "load the bases", which means to have a runner on each of the three bases. I turned to the chap behind me and told him I am aware of what the phrase "Grand Slam" means. A Grand Slam in baseball is a home run scored with the bases loaded, resulting in the maximum of 4 runners scoring with one hit of the ball. Grand Slams are very rare.

He laughed and said "There you go, you've jinxed it now."

The pitcher wound up, threw the ball and Delmon Young smashed the ball over the fence for a Grand Slam. The crowd in the Metrodome erupted and as the excitement died down I turned around and said "Jinxed it, my ass!"

Too Exciting

Tonight's game was a must win. A loss by the Twins would mean the end of the season for them, Also a win for our rivals the Detroit Tigers would spell doom. The Detroit score was on display and they got hammered in Chicago 8-0. It was up to the Twins to win

We were 10 runs to nothing ahead at one point before the Kansas City Royals started pulling runs back. Things were getting tense by the time the 7th Inning Stretch came around.

In the end, after much nervous energy had been expended on and off the field, the Minnesota Twins won by a margin of 10-7. Good thing I was there, really.

Thank You!

I could not have asked for better company, a more exciting game, a closer view or more enthralling first-time experience at a ball game. My deepest thanks to those around me and to The Twins for making a dream come true.

Goodnight Sports Fans.

Stats - Day Seventy

Distance travelled - 0 miles - Stayed in Minneapolis

State count - 26 + DC + B.C.

Room numbers stayed in - 203, 1, 148, 212, 205, 210, 246, 118, 3, 145, 229, 111, 207, 206, 40, 605, "Cowboy", 35, 11, 18, 262, 216, 208, 430, 216, 59, 226, 115 / 110*, 309, 30, 8, 255, 428

*room switch