Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Memories at Mall of America Field


 
Sunday December 29th, 2013 is coming fast and with that thought it is become more and more emotional for me as I get ready to say goodbye knowing I have had so many memories in this great building.

The stadium opened April 3, 1982. I was not in attendance for that but do have a few Twins memories to pass on.

TWINS MEMORIES

I did see every American League team except two which were the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

I also remember sitting out in lower level field where there was plexus glass that extended the fence for home runs. I can remember sitting out there and seeing the ball hit the plexus glass and taking crazy bounces.

1-May 4, 1984 I was in attendance at the Twins-A’s baseball game and got to witness one of the more bizarre baseball happenings. A’s slugger, Dave Kingman hit a ball so high I remember my friend and I trying to find the ball in the ceiling for no avail. The ball went into the hole in the roof and never came down. The ruling was a ground rule double for Kingman.

2-I attended the home run derby in 1985 in which I paid a donation fee of 2.00 and sat in the upper deck behind home plate. Pirate’s slugger, Dave Parker won the event with 6 followed by Twins, Tom Brunansky and 4 other players tying for 2nd with 4 home runs. I still have my all-star pin from that event.

3-The year 2009 I was at the dome 7 straight weekends

8/21 Vikes-Chiefs   8/25 Twins-Orioles   8/29  Twins vs Rangers  9/04 Vikes-Cowboys  9/11 Twins vs A’s   9-17 Twins vs Tigers   9/27 Vikes-49ers  10/04 Twins-Royals  10/05 Vikes-Packers and 10/06 Twins vs Tigers

The 10/04 vs the Royals was supposed to be the last game ever at the dome but with a win the Twins forced a game 163 with the Tigers, Game # 163, which I attended as well. I got a certificate at the Royals game stating it was the last game at the dome for baseball.

The Vikings 9/27 game with the 49ers was the Brett Favre to Greg Lewis connection that shocked the world.

The 10/05 Vikes-Packers game was the Monday night game where Brett Favre played for the purple and beat the Packers in a game in which I believe the dome had never been so loud. It was a record set by Favre that I don’t know will ever be broke again. The victory over Green Bay meant Favre had beaten all 32 teams.

VIKINGS MEMORIES

I have been a Vikings season ticket holder for 13 seasons. I did attend a few games through 5 seasons before I got my season tickets.

I have attended 15 Vikings-Packers games in which the Vikes went 7-8 in those games.

1-January 17,1999, yes I was at the Vikings-Falcons NFC title game where I was standing there chanting Super Bowl, Super Bowl… watching Gary Anderson line up for the clincher. I will never forget watching the ref wave his arms with a no good motion. The shock and then watching Falcons’ coach Dan Reeves and the Falcons doing the dirty bird on the dome stage.

2-Sun Nov 30,2000 Vikes-Lions game  Cris Carter catches 4 yard touchdown vs the Lions which was Cris’s 1000th career catch.

3-Sun Sep 30, 2007- Vikings-Packers game   Brett Favre throws his NFL record 421st touchdown to Greg Jennings. I do not like the Packers but must admit I stood up and clapped for Favre knowing it was NFL history.

4-Sun Nov. 7, 2007- The Vikes- Chargers games where Adrian ran for 296 yards and watched another NFL record fall as Charger’s Cromartie take a missed Vikings field goal and run it back 109 yards right at halftime.

5-Mon Nov 30, 2008- Vikings quarterback, Gus Frerotte launches a bomb from the 1 to Bernard Berrian for a 99 yard touchdown.

6-2009- 2011 I did a blog for my local paper from a fan perspective. I was not paid rather my payment was a media pass to sit in the press box and then conduct player interviews. I did this 2 times a season since I was still a season ticket holder. It was the dream you cannot make up.

7- Wed April 13, 2011 I took a tour of the dome after the roof collapsed. I like my head shook the whole time in disbelief. I remember standing in the press box and looking out the roof and seeing the Minneapolis skyscrapers. The tour was 4.00 and at the end I received a 3x3 square of the dome roof as a keepsake. It was a day never to forget. I saw water all over the field and plywood on the floor wondering if the dome would ever be the same.

8-Sun Jan 1, 2012- Vikes- Bears game  Jared Allen gets 3 sacks which help him into the Vikings sack record by posing Chris Doleman’s 21. Allen is now 2nd in NFL history behind Michael Strahan.

9-Sun Jan 1, 2012- Vikes-Bears game    The game had ended and I watched Jim Kleinsasser run off the field for the very last time as he retired after 13 seasons all with the Purple.

I have attended 139 Vikings game through my dome life years. I have witnessed 99 wins. I know when the Vikings beat Detroit on Sunday it will be the 100th victory I will have seen. That would be a sweet mark for me to always remember.

I have seen every NFL team at least once with the Houston Texans being the last team I had not seen. The first team I ever saw was in 1996 with the Vikings playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I have saved every game ticket writing on the back of each one the score of the game. It is so fun to look back through the years at the tickets and I also have a game program from each game as well.

I for one will miss the dome but must admit I am excited for the future. I thank the Hubert H. Humphrey dome later known as the Mall of America Field for all the memories I will never forget. I have seen my share of losses but never for once thought it was a waist of my money. I am a fan until the day I die, win or lose.

Thanks for reading

Purplestick

 


 

 

 

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