After the Twins moved into the Metrodome, I started going to Midwest League (A-ball) games down in Iowa. Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Quad Cities, Burlington. It was interesting to talk to the Iowa fans, who were mostly Twins fans. They would wonder that we would be willing to drive all that way to sit out on a drizzly day in hope they could get a game in. They liked the certainty that a domed stadium affords. If they were going to drive four or five hours, they wanted to be sure they would see a game.
Every once in a while I would catch the AAA ICubs at Seck Taylor in Des Moines. I did a bus trip one weekend and caught the Madison Muskies, Cubs in Wrigley and Brewers in Milwaukee County Stadium.
I would usually drive down with a law school buddy, but every so often my stepfather would accompany us. His dad had been a grain trader, and Maurie had a story about just about every little town in SE Minnesota and NE Iowa. He was a tall distinguished gent with white hair, and the hospitality aides, young marketing coeds from Iowa colleges, would fall all over him. Never had to go hunting for beers when Maurie was along.
Then the Saints (Northern League, unaffiliated) came to Saint Paul, and I had season tickets for ten years, 20 to 40 games a year. After a while, the novelty wore off, and when they banned cigar smoking throughout the stadium, I quit going.
Now the Twins have a great new ball park, but I haven't even been there yet.
