Sunday, May 20, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS AND THE MINNESOTA TWINS

MINNEAPOLIS -- ONE OF THE TWIN CITIES

With a population of 3,500,000 in the greater urban area, Minneapolis is a very appealing place to live and work. It is one part of the Twin Cities; the other half is the neighboring state capital of St. Paul right across the Mississippi River. This urban concentration came to be because the falls of the river supplied needed power for the many mills which came to be located there.
 By the last half of the 19thcentury, the Mississippi River was a force for America’s industrialization – lumber and flour mills shipped their goods east and new settlers flowed in. 

May is the perfect time to visit – crab apples are blooming, weather is temperate, sports and outdoor activities abound, and the Minnesota Twins are in residence
Edwin Davis, Channel to the Mills, 1913


Rain slickers handed out to devoted fans

View of downtown from Minneapolis Institute of Art

Brian Dozier (2B) at the plate
in their new and most attractive downtown Target Field.

In fact, we are avid Twins fans, as our nephew, Thad Levine, has recently moved up from Dallas and the Texas Rangers to become the Twins general manager.  And what a great operation it is – seven minor league teams give upcoming players the opportunity to shine; the stadium’s Champions Club feeds season tickets holders smorgasbord dinners; TV cameras and radio announcers keep the fans abreast as the innings bring excitement. In Florida, we are also near the Twins spring training stadium in Fort Myers FL --  where it almost seems that almost all retired Minnesotans escape to during the winter

So there we were right behind home plate (in rain-delay and shine) cheering, shouting, clapping with the fans. And enjoying it all….. The Minnesota fan base is wide and deep and they really love their home team, win or lose, fair weather or foul. As we saw, the Twins are a young team in transition with great prospects

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