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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