| The History |
It was built in 1955 on farmland in Bloomington in hopes of luring a major league team. |
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| The Minors |
Minneapolis Millers of the AAA league played there from 1956 through 1960. I went to several games over the years. My mom worked at the stadium as a cook and somehow got me a team photograph with autographs. At least five of the players made it to the majors. My favorites were Gail Harris and Orlando Cepeda I went to a few games over the years. |
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| The Twins I |
In 1961 The Minnesota Twins joined the American League. We were let out of school at Noon so we could watch the game - either in the stadium or on TV. The big ticket was the Yankee games. Mom was now working at Perkins Pancakes and she managed to talk two young waitresses (Charlotte) to bring me to one of the games. We sat in the left field side bleachers, so not a good view, but still a great memory for a teenage boy. I had to leave my Babe Ruth game after three innings so I could go to the game. That first year I sketched some of the Twins and even had them autographed by players (see them). Unfortunately, most were lost in a house fire before I could scan them. |
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| The Autographs |
Sept 6, 1961. My mom had a sports reporter bring me to the game a couple hours before the start and we were able to go onto the field and talk to players. I got a few coaches' autographs. Then we had seats right behind the dugout. |
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| The Job |
Because I happened to be in a carpool to school I went along with the others when they signed up for jobs at Metropolitan Stadium in April 1963. The concession manager had a son at De and in my class, so it was easy to get in early and I managed to get hotdogs, which was a good earner.
You worked when you wanted. Got to see some of the Twins baseball games and the Vikings football games. Hot dogs sold better in the winter. I made enough in the summer and fall to pay gas money. But come Viking games the stands filled and I made enough to buy clothes and records.
My best friend, Gary, also sold hot dogs. After games we would hang around because what ever didn't sell was given to the vendors for free. After night games I would drive Gary home and we would share a large Coke and watch the Tonight Show. On slow days we would go to left field
and watch the game from behind pillars.
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Not me
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| The Nuns |
Somedays I biked over but most of the time I drove the short distance. I even walked it once or twice. Being at a Catholic school, we got off religious days and I thought since most of the vendors would be in public school for the afternoon game I would make a killing.
Crowds were sparse those weekday afternoons, so I didn't. The worst game I ever had was "Nuns Day" who were let in free. The whole place was a sea of black and white and not one of them with any money. They just sat there politely
watching the game and it felt like I was at a funeral. Could only sell 20 dogs that game which earned me 75¢ at 3.75¢/dog. I averaged $5/game. On hot days I would buy the chocolate malt cup, a frozen thingie that you ate with a wooden stick. |
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| The First Paycheck |
Worked the Twins 8 - Chisox 6 game and got my first paycheck = $25.90, clear $22.66. At the game were Slater, Breitenbucher, Labiak, Tom Olson, Mark Plasha and Dick Bastyr. They didn't buy a hotdog from me. |
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| The Vikings |
The team joined the NFL in 1961. I worked most of the Sunday games. Hot dogs sold so well that some of the stronger hawkers would carry two bins at a time. The secret was to have a full (40 hot dogs) bin ready at half time and you didn't have to walk around just stay at one spot and sell, sell, sell. |
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| The End |
Sept 25, 1981. Roy Menne took me to the second to last Twins game at the Met. Had great seats right on top of third base dugout.
Fan appreciation night so we got free yearbooks. I also bought "20 Years at the Met". About ten guys behind us were loaded and funny with their yelling and screaming. Fellow next to me caught a ball on errant throw by first baseman that bounced over the dugout. |
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