Weekend Discussion: Baseball Day in Minnesota?

by Jon Marthaler on Feb 9, 2008 7:48 PM EST in News

Today is Hockey Day in Minnesota (so dubbed by FSN North), with three high school games, the Wild game, and the Gopher game all being televised on the network. It's a great chance to play a couple of outdoor games up north and to talk hockey on FSN for sixteen straight hours.

The question: if you were going to put together "Baseball Day in Minnesota," what would be part of the event?

I'd think you'd need a Twins game to cap off the evening, for certain. But other than that, what would you include? The American Legion championships? The Minnesota townball championships? A Saints/Twins doubleheader at the new park?

The possibilities and permutations are endless, especially given the divergent schedules of every amateur league in the state (the Gophers are done with their regular schedule by mid-May, high school isn't done until early June, etc.)

Any thoughts?

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My vote

Townball state starts mid-August (I think). Assuming this is the case, I would try to time it with a couple of first round games. Here's what I'd do: 11 AM townball, 2:30 PM townball, 6 Saints, 9:05 Twins. Fireworks after the Twins game in the new ball park.

by GACTwinFan on Feb 9, 2008 8:18 PM EST reply actions

Too hot?

I like it... but will it be too blasted hot in mid-August to spend all day at the park?

Then again, the State Fair is in late August and nobody seems to mind...

by Jon Marthaler on Feb 10, 2008 1:50 AM EST up reply actions

Hummmm

I would do the Saints in the afternoon. The Twins earlier in the evening. Maybe a Twins Old-Timers vs. Gopher Alumni game. It would nice to work a Townball game in there...but not too eaerly in the monring. And some of the high-school summer leagues, where most of the better high school players do end up playing. You could also have multiple events happening, drawing crowds to different sites at the same time (like the weekend theater festival). You should also have at least one exhibit on baseball kick-off in some museum -- be a great place to have old-timers meet and greet fans. And you could have a big picnic/downtown food party a la Taste of Minnesota, mainly between games, but going all evening with music and such (only baseball band songs played). Have a weekend of favorite baseball movies being played. Oh, a blogger dunk tank would be ncie, too.

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by twintown on Feb 11, 2008 12:11 PM EST reply actions

The State of Town Ball

We can claim we're the State of Hockey. That's a pretty easy case to make. Sorry Massachusetts, but you aint got the World Pond Hockey Tournament. You are not the land of 10,000 outdoor rinks, a two-class state tournament, and five Div 1 hockey programs.

But we'd have to fight with California, Florida, Texas and a few others for the right to call ourselves the State of Baseball. And we would most certainly lose.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Minnesota was the only state that has an organized state tournament for town ball. Is this just a myth, or reality? If it's true, we could call ourselves the State of Town Ball.

My vote would be to have Baseball Night in Minnesota during that tournament, when the Twins and Saints are both in town. The Governor can do one of those official proclamation thingies. It would be cool. We might even make the evening news.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Feb 11, 2008 12:35 PM EST reply actions

dot dot dot

I like the idea of Baseball Day in Minnesota.
Maybe have a town ball game or Legion ball in the morning, Saints mid-afternoon, Twins at night.
Maybe a roundtable discussion with former Twins/Minnesotans in the majors.

Sure Minnesota isn't #1 in ballplayers playing, but State of Baseball..well..its a state of mind

by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on Feb 11, 2008 7:52 PM EST reply actions