Ballparks – 16 - The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 

(From Google Images) 

This sad regular, fan-less season is over. I need to diversify this year’s posts. While I HAD hoped to visit some new ballparks this year, that didn’t happen. However, there are a few already on my Life List that need to be shared.

The memories might be long ago and far away and a bit thin on personal detail, like the Shea Stadium story from October 2017. The images might be someone else’s. It’s still my list and I hope you trust that it is true. Just because I don’t have pictures, ticket stubs or programs, doesn’t mean I wasn’t there.

One of the few advantages of being an old fart today is having been to a few parks that no longer exist. You younger collectors will appreciate that when you mature and some of your experiences are no longer possible.

It would be nice to eventually visit ALL of them, but this will be a more casual, opportunistic quest. If a scheduled trip gets me close to a new ballpark, I will try to catch a game and add the place to the list…like bird watchers do.

After the 1960 season, the Washington Senators fled D.C. and became the Minnesota Twins. They played twenty years in Metropolitan Stadium (opened in 1956; demolished in 1985; now the site of the gargantuan Mall of America) before the climate of the Great White North prompted the city fathers to build an indoor venue for their football Vikings…and any other activity they can fit in. The Metrodome is the only facility that has hosted the World Series, the All-Star game, A Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four…and a Rolling Stones concert.

Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, MN 

(From Google Images) 

Built on converted farmland outside of Minneapolis, the stadium 

was a typical mid-century American sports venue…symmetrical 

and away from the congested downtown with plenty of parking 

because driving is the only way Americans like to get around. While 

the Minnesota climate made playing against the football Vikings a 

miserable experience for visiting teams, baseball in the early spring 

and autumn was occasionally not very pleasant either. 

The Metrodome was built for football and was not good for baseball. The fiberglass roof, held aloft by air pressure was white, which made it difficult to track fly balls. It was also low enough to have balls hit struts and hanging speakers. This made for interesting ground rules regarding balls in play. They compressed the football stands in right field into a wall of telescoped seating which was covered with a plastic sheet. The wall was high (23 feet) but still close to home plate. The ‘Hefty Bag’ wall was a tempting target for lefty sluggers.

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (From Google Images) 

In 2010, Mother Nature helped persuade management that something better was needed when a big snowfall collapsed the roof (see video) and the Metrodome was finally closed in 2013. Now the Vikings have their own indoor, downtown stadium and the Twins occupy their own outdoor playpen based on the pleasant, urban, Camden Yards model. Target Field was presented here previously.

“Yeah, yeah. So, what about YOUR experience there?”

Sometime in the mid-90’s, I was visiting my sister and took in a game. I recall very large diameter air ducts…big holes in the field-level walls that were there to keep the air flowing and the roof aloft. Again, no program. No camera. Just an unmemorable game with my brother-in-law. Andy and I had a good time, though.

Gone but not forgotten.

River Cruise Diary – Antwerp, Belgium

Last port of call is Antwerp, Belgium…a major seaport and the world’s premier diamond center. Our morning walking tour noted the wealth and power the city had in the 1600’s when Dutch merchants brought exotic treasures back from other continents.

I would think every first-time visitor to Antwerp goes to the Great Market Square with its classic guild halls on one side and the fine old City Hall on the other. During peak season, I suspect the square is full of restaurant diners, merchants and tourists. Not so on this cool Wednesday morning.

Brabo Fountain [1887], Antwerp (20 November 2019) 

The Brabo Fountain depicts the myth that some say led to the naming of the city. Legend has it that a mean old giant controlled the harbor and any ship captain who failed to pay the toll would have his hand cut off and flung into the Schelde River. Along comes brave Roman captain Brabo. How he defeats the giant is not described, but the end result is Brabo throwing the giant’s hand away. Some suggest the city’s name is derived from the old Dutch words for ‘hand-launch.’

Completed in 1565, the City Hall reflected the prosperity of the area at the time. Originally conceived as a Gothic design, the final structure incorporated Italian and Renaissance features. However, what you see behind the fountain here is a ‘print,’ if you will, of the entire building. Unlike what we might expect here in our ‘Exceptional’ country, where a building under major renovation is covered in scaffolding, plastic sheeting and tarps, all that is behind a full-scale presentation of the restored façade. Classy. A photo of the uncovered building is here.

Medieval Door Lock Plate, Antwerp, Belgium (20 November 2019) 

Our guide, Amin, knew what would appeal to us on this chilly morning and he made sure we sampled some Belgian chocolates and fried potatoes (they don’t call them ‘French’ fries here). Along the way, he pointed out this ancient door to an alley dwelling. We were told the design is intended to guide one’s key down to the lock hole because so often the occupant was drunk and needed the help. The scratched, worn metal here seems to indicate the guide was used often. It occurred to me later that maybe the guide was also necessary just because it is very dark at night.

Central Rail Station, Antwerp, Belgium (20 November 2019) 

Antwerp’s Central Rail Station is considered one of the finest terminals in the world. Completed in 1905, its entrance hall can compare with any classical building of that time. Between 2000 and 2009, the station was completely renovated and modernized to accommodate the high-speed rail service that Europeans prioritize.

Statue of Peter Paul Rubens and the 

Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp (20 November 2019) 

Begun in 1352 and completed in 1521, the Cathedral of Our Lady is the largest church in Belgium. It has survived fires, religious wars and plundering by French revolutionaries. Today it is renown because it also houses masterpieces by Antwerp resident and Belgian national hero, Peter Paul Rubens.

Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium (20 November 2019) 

From 1965 to 2015, the cathedral underwent extensive restorations. One can see magnificent stained glass and wood carved alter pieces and choir stalls (too dark here to appreciate). 

 

The Raising of the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens 

Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, Belgium (20 November 2019) 

Rubens is known for his huge, heroic paintings and the cathedral has three of them. This triptych, completed in 1611, measures eleven by fifteen feet. Napoleon appropriated two of the paintings to France for a few years when he was the big bully in Europe but they were returned to Antwerp in 1815.

A Cabin with a View (20 November 2019) 

The closer one gets to the sea, the more the tides are evident. Sometimes our cabin faced the river. Other times, we were on the side tied to the berth. When the tide is low, there is not much to see. This created challenges for the crew regarding which deck they needed to attach the gang plank for our comings and goings.

Antwerp marked the end of our touring. The evening entailed one last fine dinner followed by packing and squaring accounts…signing for drinks was easy for two weeks but the bills come due eventually. It is important to bring along extra cash for gratuities for cabin attendants, wait staff and our excellent tour guide…all top-notch pros. The next morning, we were bussed to Brussels for the flight home.

If this blogging adventure continues and all the state capitols, grave sites, ballparks and rants are exhausted, I just might revisit the images and impressions from other river cruises.

River Cruise Diary – More of Netherlands

End of the Rainbow, Kinderdijk, Netherlands (19 November 2019) 

We awake in Kinderdijk and before the tour and the morning rain hit us, I saw the biggest, brightest rainbow I can remember. You could see both ends but they were so far apart, I didn’t have a lens wide enough to fit it into a single shot. Instead, I zoomed in to one end. Maybe there’s a pot of gold under that ferry.

As the Rhine descends closer to the coast, it widens into a delta. Land at or below sea level needs to be drained if it is to be settled and developed. Our morning excursion will take us to the project that has been controlling the local water levels for nearly 300 years.

The Windmills at Kinderdijk, Netherlands (19 November 2019) 

The Kinderdijk windmills date to 1738 and are the largest concentration of windmills in the country. They were built to maintain a water level that would allow agriculture and settlement. We boarded a small tour boat and floated through the canals to one particular mill that was open for viewing.

Miller’s Garden, Kinderrdijk, Netherlands (19 November 2019)

The mills are working residences where people apply to live in tiny and rather rustic conditions. This mill property included a garden, chicken coop and a separate pantry/kitchen house with a wood stove.

Windmill Interior, Kinderdijk, Netherlands (19 November 2019)

The charming living quarters are built around the massive guts of the windmill. Another wood stove heats the room. Around the bend to the left is a sleeping loft…quite cozy. I had to wonder what it’s like to sleep when the entire building is in motion.

Wind Power and Mussel Aquaculture, Netherlands (19 November 2019) 

We sailed away before lunch and cruised further downstream to Willemstad. There the majority of the passengers stayed on board or toured the old fortress and quaint village while the nerdier subset drove to the Delta Works. On the way, there was this view out the bus window that captured modern Netherlands commerce…windmills for energy and mussel aquaculture.

Oosterscheldekering Delta Works, Netherlands (19 November 2019) 

The Oosterscheldekering (literally, the ‘Eastern Scheldt [River] storm surge barrier’) is the largest of the 13 Delta Works projects. Completed in 1986, the construction is five miles long and connects two delta islands.

An artificial island was created midway across the span to facilitate construction. It now is an amusement park complete with an interpretive center for the project. The exhibits include one of those “You Are There” demonstrations of the Great Flood of 1953…complete with moving floors, sound effects and a panoramic visual recreation of the event. As with many catastrophic storms, the combination of low pressure, high winds and high spring tides created a storm surge of over 18 feet. The overwhelmed and inadequate flood defenses gave way to inundate a third of the country, killing over 1800 people.

Open Delta Works (19 November 2019) 

The delta is a vital economic and environmental area. The project had to allow for shipping in and out of the ports and the tides to come and go so the wildlife and fisheries would not be harmed. Just as important was to be able to shut off all that exchange with the sea when storm surges happen. The massive project is considered one of the wonders of modern engineering.

Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans - 

All That Remains (12 August 2006) 

Having lived in New Orleans fifteen years, I have some familiarity with issues related to flooding and living somewhere below sea level. That also means I have encountered many who question the wisdom of committing resources to saving that beautiful, steamy southern city.

I was an early sign-up for a chance to see how flood protection can be done…how the government engages the best talent available to fix a problem and produce something that works. The Dutch nation thought what they had was worth saving and they figured out how to do it. Now, they’re teaching other flood-prone regions to do the same.

Tomorrow, we’ll be in Antwerp, Belgium, the last stop on the adventure. This is in no way a criticism of the trip or river cruising. I can’t wait for this pandemic to end and to get back on a river boat again.

I guess this realization was more a function of the wet, chilly weather and the fact that most of the passengers were senior citizens. At the end of two weeks, many passengers had colds. In the confines of the bus ride back from the Delta Works, I was surrounded by sneezing, coughing and nose-blowing. It was like the ‘Voyage of the Damned.’

Ballparks - 15 - Target Field, Minneapolis, MN

9/20/2019

What with travel stories and the protracted screeds of late, I almost let another baseball season pass without adding posts to my Life List Quest. Of course, the Coronavirus pandemic did its part to reduce this season to one big asterisk in the record books…and prevent me from adding that list further. It has been strange watching Big League games played in empty stadia.

Plopped in the middle of downtown Minneapolis with a tidy 39,000 seats, Target Field opened for the 2010 season and occupies one of the major league’s smallest footprints. Progressive Minneapolis was not about to turn prime downtown real estate into acres of parking spaces. The new light rail line runs from the southern suburbs and terminates right next to the stadium. I went to the game with my sister’s family and our train was packed.

Beyond the Outfield Wall 

Target Field (20 September 2019) 

There is just enough room to walk around the stadium…where you will find pictures and signs recalling former players, managers and broadcasters. Another nice tradition for the newer ballparks continues here with statues of former stars in action.

Kirby Puckett Statue, Target Field (20 September 2019)

Unveiled in 2010, the statue depicts the exuberant and popular Twins star Kirby Puckett, represented as he rounded the bases after hitting the winning home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. Puckett died suddenly at age 46.

The history of the Minnesota Twins began in Washington, D.C. and was reviewed when we posted stories on Nationals Stadium in 2018 and Robert F. Kennedy Stadium last year. They will celebrate sixty years in the state next season…if there is one.

The team is named not for the Bobbsey’s or the Bush girls or Romulus and Remus but for the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The latter city is the state capital which we will also showcase…one of these days.

The team first played in suburban Bloomington for 21 years before moving to downtown Minneapolis and the woeful Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for another 28 seasons. Two of the Humphreydome teams won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. I did a game there and will make a separate post for that addition to the Life List.

Play Area, Target Field (20 September 2019)

The modern, family-friendly ballpark offers additional entertainment opportunities. Come early and play other games before the pros take the field. Baseball tickets are no longer cheap, so you get more for your ticket…plus, you’re there longer and may buy that extra beer or three.

Target Center, Minneapolis (20 September 2019) 

Target Center, home of the NBA Timberwolves and WNBA Minnesota Lynx, is right next to Target Field. This is a company town after all. 

 

You Won’t Find This in Yankee Stadium, 

Target Field (20 September 2019)

Impressions of the modern ballpark…there are scads of food options. We are Americans and we like to eat and the concourses here are packed with diverse eating opportunities including some local favorites.

Back in my day, if you were in Section 110, you might find hot dogs two sections to the left and your beer three to the right. Now, the concourse is literally ringed with food windows, wagons and beer taps.

Also, like at Wrigley Field, where I saw many young fans there to just gather and drink, this park has areas for that…and a ticket option where $50 gets you a standing room pass good for a month.

Another impression…it is bright…well-lit…not just ample field lighting but BIG signs, BIG screens, bright score boards and other visual attractions (distractions?) for today’s visually-stimulated, screen-addicted population.

Ballpark, Amusement Park or Bar/Hangout? 

Target Field (20 September 2019)

Inside the left field foul pole is a multi-story fan magnet. The retired Twins stars’ numbers on one level, food and beer on most levels.

There was once a time when a series on American baseball stadia did NOT include descriptions of between-inning mascot races. I’m beginning to think this once-cute idea has run its course, so to speak.

Cooling Off After the Twins Mascot Race, 

Target Field (20 September 2019) 

The Milwaukee Brewers sausages and the Washington Nationals’ presidents are fun. After seeing the Atlanta Braves Home Depot tools and now the Twins array of Minnesota characters, maybe the concept has gone too far. Here we have a duck, a loon, a walleye, Babe the Blue Ox and of course, ‘Bullseye’, the Target dog…it is Target Field after all. There used to be a mosquito character but I guess that was taking Minnesota references too far for some.

High Fives After a Win, Target Field (20 September 2019) 

The date link at the top of the page will take you to the ’Baseball Reference’ site and the complete box score of the game. The Kansas City Royals were that night’s opponents and the home team won a close one, 4-3. This was a good year for the Twins, who have had some long playoff slumps in their time. Too many losing seasons have led some to call them the ‘Twinks’. Not this season, since they won their division and made the playoffs. I like it when small-market, low-budget teams beat out the big-spenders.