When I was younger, I had always wanted to be a Twins season ticket holder. I thought it was a way to show my love for the baseball team I followed and “get closer” to them. In 2001, I finally became one. It was a half season package. The following year, I became a full season ticket holder for two seats. Section 120, Row 20, Seats 7 & 8. I shared a lot of great times in those seats with Amy and friends. Through the first season, Amy and I got to know Heidi & Bob who had the seats next to ours. Our friendship that started in 2002 is still going strong! Later on, the kids and I spent a lot of memorable moments in those seats. It means a lot to me to spend some quality time at a baseball game with the kids.
When the Twins moved to Target Field for the 2010 season, I knew I wanted those two seats when the Metrodome was demolished (Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3). Those seats represented much more to me than a couple ugly seats. They held all the good times (and a couple tough ones mainly in the post season) I had for a number of years before I moved “next door” sharing a pair of seats with Heidi & Bob. When I heard the process that was going to happen when the seats were to be sold, I immediately sent in my request for seats 1, 7, 8, and the highest number in the row. What I wanted to do was to replace the two outside sides of the seats with the aisle marker with the Metrodome logo and the row marker. I received a call a week after they went on sale that I could get my 7 & 8 seats but 1 was spoken for already. I did not care. I was getting 7 & 8 and could get the left and right aisle sides from any row 20. I was pumped. I waited for the word to go pick them up. The word never came. I spoke with my buddy Joel and he said we should drive down there today because it was the last day to pick up the seats and if I did not get them then, I probably would not get the seats I wanted. At 9:30 this morning I headed to Minneapolis to meet up with Joel. I got in the car line and it was not moving. Luckily Joel brought a dolly and we parked on the street and brought the dolly in. This was Joel’s second time picking up seat stuff so he knew who to talk to. We immediately found Tony. Tony was the foreman of the job I am guessing. I told him what seats I was after and they had yet to pull any seats from 120. I was in luck! Tony immediately drove the cart to that section and pulled those seats for me and had a gentleman walk them over to me… all the way from 120 to where we were standing in left field! I tipped that person $20 as a token of thanks. Tony asked about seat 1 and the other aisle seat. I told him I did not care which section they were from as long as they had a 20 and an M logo on the side. He found the two seats and brought them to me. I tipped him too. When all four seats were there, I told Tony what those meant to me. He was genuinely happy to help me get what I wanted. So, Tony, I know you won’t ever see this but THANK YOU!
Not only did Tony hook me up, he also ok’d Joel and I to rummage through the seat backs to pick out the numbers we wanted. Joel and I spent an hour going through the seat back pile pulling out 4 (Brett Favre & Paul Molitor), 7 (Joe Mauer), 10 (Tom Kelly), 14 (Kent Hrbek), 16 (Frank Viola), 28 (Adrian Peterson & Bert Blyleven), 32 (Dave Winfield), 33 (Eddie Murray) and a few others I cannot remember. No less than five times did someone walk by and ask if we were ok’d to be there. We said “Tony said it was ok!” and they walked away. Again, Tony was the man! After paying for our goodies, Joel and I headed out to load our vehicles. It was the last time I would ever be in the Metrodome. I could not keep the grin off my face. I got my seats!
I thank Tony and the other gentleman who carried my seats all the way across the Metrodome floor to me. I especially thank Joel who talked me into meeting him down there. Without Joel’s gentle nudging, I would have waited and probably missed out. Thank you Joel. You are the man too!
Section 120, row 20, seats 7 & 8… thanks for the memories. I will always be reminded of all of them when I look at your beautiful blue seats.
I know this is not at all related to my autographing adventures but it was certainly related. I will be getting a couple seatbacks signed at some point and you will be the first to hear about it on this blog!