From Birds to Baseball

Minneapolis shakes hands with St. Paul

in this old Minnesota Twins logo

I have three consuming passions in my life as my friends and family will attest: The Bible, birds and baseball. You have witnessed the first two here on these pages day after day. The baseball passion I keep mostly hidden. (Though I did let it come out on April 8 this year. Check the archives.) I mention baseball today because my beloved Minnesota Twins have scratched and clawed their way back from the brink of elimination, and tonight take on the Detroit Tigers for the right to advance to the American League playoffs. I attended my first Twins game back in 1961, the year they moved to Minnesota from Washington. My dad took me and my grandpa to see the Twins play the Cleveland Indians. We were intending to make it an annual tradition, but sadly Grandpa died the next year. I have been to many Twins games over the years, both in old Metropolitan Stadium and in the indoor Metrodome. Next year I will be able to enjoy outdoor baseball again when the team moves to the new Target Field. Before that happens, though, there is tonight's big game. It could be the last game in the old dome. Or it could be the preview to some more Minnesota Twins magic. So... is there any connection between the Minnesota Twins and birds? Well of course! Their minor league AAA affiliate is the Rochester Redwings! So most of the current Twins previously wore the handsome Red Wing logo pictured below. I do have to admit it looks more like a mad cardinal than a Red-winged Blackbird, but at least it is a bird!