In 1961, Minnesota gained its first professional sports team when the Washington Senators moved to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington and became the Minnesota Twins. The team enjoyed relatively quick success, winning the American League pennant in 1965 behind the hitting of Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew, and the pitching of Mudcat Grant and Jim Kaat. The Twins lost the World Series that year to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team didn't make another trip to the World Series until 1987, when they became Word Series champions…a feat the Twins repeated in 1991.
By 1987, the Twins moved into the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The team's move to that domed stadium was controversial, as would be its move to Target Field in 2010. Both projects were preceded by years of debate and controversy over whether public investments in stadiums were worthwhile.
Nine Twins players have have had their numbers retired: Harmon Killebrew (3), Tony Oliva (6), Joe Mauer (7) Kent Hrbek (14), Bert Blyleven (28), Rod Carew (29), Kirby Puckett (34), and Jim Katt (36).
March 29, 2001 - MPR's Michael Khoo reports that the move to build a new Twins stadium with partial state funding cleared a crucial legislative committee. The favorable vote comes just one day before the first deadline for committee action, but the legislation still faces significant obstacles. A number of lawmakers and citizens' groups remain staunchly opposed to public funding for a new ballpark.
March 29, 2001 - MPR's Marisa Helms reports that there's a big test for the Minnesota Twins stadium proposal at the State Capitol, with the final chance for the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee to vote on the bill before the Legislature's first deadline.
April 3, 2001 - Lavelle Neal, who covers the Minnesota Twins for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, sees a promising season for the team as the 2001 Major League Baseball season begins. Neal says the Twins have a lot of developing ballplayers that are starting to figure out their way around the league.
April 9, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews author and Minnesota Twins fan Mick Cochrane, who grew up watching team during one of the their winning streaks in the late 1960's. His love for the team inspired his latest novel, Sport. In the book, 13-year-old Harlan uses the regular rhythm of baseball and his beloved Twins to anchor his increasingly chaotic life.
April 10, 2001 - MPR's William Wilcoxen reports on Minnesota Twins home opener, in which the team beat Detroit Tigers 11-5. The result gave the Twins their fourth win in six games so far in 2001 season and fueled optimism the team may break its streak of eight straight losing season.
April 12, 2001 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports that a Minnesota House committee has dealt a seemingly fatal blow to the Minnesota Twins' request this session for a state-subsidized ballpark. The House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs committee has voted to table the proposal, and both supporters and opponents of the plan say the move effectively ends debate for this session.
April 25, 2001 - The Minnesota Twins have the second best record in Major League Baseball. Their 14-4 start is the surprise story in baseball in 2001. Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer catches up with LaVelle Neal, who covers the team for the Minneapolis Star Tribune to get his view of team.
May 1, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson visits the Metrodome during a Minnesota Twins practice to chat with players, including Doug Mientkiewicz, who joined the Twins in 1999. Mientkiewicz was sent back down to the minors after a disappointing season, but has since come back strong. In the early 2001 season, He has a 13 game hitting streak and leads the Twins in key offensive categories: .380 average, six home runs, and 21 RBIs.
May 2, 2001 - MPR sports commentator Jay Weiner shares his thoughts on latest ballpark proposal, which he sees as better than all the others we've seen before, but it still needs to be improved.
May 2, 2001 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter, who has been with the team since he was drafted right out of high school in 1993. Hunter says he didn't get serious about baseball until he turned 15, because he was obsessed with another sport…football.