Hubert H. Humphrey’s Palace
Rounds 1-3 Results:
Twenty years ago, the HHH Metrodome would never have sniffed top three in this poll. Twenty years from now, there’s a good chance it won’t either. But us 30-and-40-somethings remember the Dome not as a dump with bad sightlines, but as the place where baseball magic came alive. It was where Kirby, Hrbie, Torii, Dougie, Mornie, Johan & Joe all thrilled us while we scarfed Dome Dogs, waved Hankies, and whooshed out the door afterwards. Like dial-up Internet & video rental stories, these are memories that generations before and after cannot comprehend.
Next: Prepare to be Dazzle’d!
Jack Morris
- Is it possible to cement a regional legacy with one game? That’s essentially what Black Jack did in 1991. The St. Paul native was solid (125 ERA+) in the regular season. But in the playoffs he took charge of the staff, culminating with 10 scoreless innings in Game 7 of the ‘91 World Series before Gene Larkin sent us home happy. There is a case for Morris’ masterpiece as the single greatest pitching performance in MLB history.
photo by: Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Paul Molitor
- Despite a long, Hall of Fame career elsewhere, the St. Paul-born, Gopher-playing Molitor didn’t play for his hometown major league squad until 39 years of age (1996-1998). Even then, his .341 BA campaign in ‘96 was remarkable! After assuming various coaching roles in the Twins organization from 2005-2014, Molly assumed the top dugout perch from 2015-2018. Even after being let go, Molitor remained—and remains—active as a roving instructor.
Target Field
- Debuting in 2010, Target Field was—and remains to this day—a gem of a ballpark. Nestled into a Minneapolis plot that no one thought possible to accommodate a baseball yard, it has a uniquely cozy feel. It always resides in the top third of MLB ballpark lists—often in the top five! Maintained impeccably for the past 14 years—some might argue better than the on-field product—Target Field is the mirror image of its Metrodome predecessor: a glorious shrine to Minnesota baseball, only missing a championship trophy in its bowels.
The Star Tribune Sports Section
- Gather ‘round, children, and let me tell you of a time before the internet. In the hardscrabble analog age of human existence, following your local sporting nine was not a moment-by-moment affair. Instead, a rolled-up newsprint assemblage that magically appeared on your doorstep to meet the rising sun was often your best bet for baseball news. No shade to east Twin Cities suburbanites who received the Pioneer Press, but the west-side’s Star Tribune had unassailable sports coverage that provided beat opinions and box scores to pore over for hours.
Dan Gladden
- In five seasons with the Twins, Dan Gladden accumulated 5.8 WAR—not exactly the stuff of legends. Yet, legend he is in these parts. His hustle and speed were key components of two championships and he was clutch in both—a grand slam in ’87 & a 10th inning double in G7 ‘91 that sparked the winning rally. Dazzle’s “colorful” commentary aside John Gordon, Corey Provus and others in the radio booth is unique, to say the least.