Twins Fest

[spyboy1]

I just went to Twins Fest over the weekend.

On Saturday I took my two-year-old and carried him around for five arm-breaking hours!

For those of you not familar with Twins Fest, it's a combination of a giant autograph session, baseball card show & stadium tour with various places for kids to play a little baseball as well, all done on the floor of the Metrodome.

The Twins do a good job of it. They have information about their minor league affliates, an exhibition from the Baseball Hall of Fame, which was awesome. Half the exhibition was Twins related and the other half historical. I was pretty excited to see an actual Ted Williams, Ty Cobb & Nap Lajoie jerseys.

They also had a team store set up with game worn jerseys for sale. Saturday they were 30% off and Sunday 50% off for the ones that were left.

I got a blue road alternate with the 40th Anniversary of the '65 American League Champs patch for $140 on Saturday and Sunday a grey road with the Eloise memorial patch of a no-name guy for just $75, less than a replica would cost me!

They had some neat things for kids too. Aside from him getting a turn in a wiffle ball batting cage, I bought a souvenier "grab bag" for $15. Mine had a 2006 team calendar autographed by Tony Oliva (mine), a pennant (his), some baseball cards (his), a 2005 yearbook (probably his), Harmon Killebrew statue (for Grandpa) and other assorted stuff a little kid would go nuts over. Not bad considering dealers were selling the Killebrew statue for $15 by itself.

I even managed to score a bobblehead doll given out to season ticket holders only for $20 when another dealer was asking $50 for the exact same thing. It's cute because it's a Doug Mientkiewicz and he's not only blowing a bubble, but holding onto a baseball, which I assume he refuses to give back to the team.

Another nice thing was instead of standing in line for an hour for the privelige of paying for some autographs, we just swung by the table where the University of Minnesota players were at, got a poster and 8 autographs without having to open my wallet or wait in line. It was nice to see the Twins give the Gophers a chance to promote their program and the free passes they gave us will not go to waste.

I recommend it next year if you are in the area.

Jeff

[OnWis97]

I always assumed it was kind of lame, but it sounds pretty cool. I am intrigued by those game worns. Do they sell them year-round?

[gosioux76]

I've always wanted to go to that. Kinda hard now, being relocated in New Mexico and all.

Growing up in rural central Minnesota, we always got visits by the Twins caravan. It was usually two or three players -- never real superstars -- and a coach or two. I remember one year we had Dan Gladden visit our elementary school. It was around 1988, I think.

I always thought it was nice that the Twins worked to make a connection with communities outside the Twin Cities metro area. It certainly endeared them to me as a fan.

Of course, it helped that Kent Hrbek would come up and fish on Mille Lacs Lake where I grew up.

[Lee.]

I have never experienced twins, but it's on my "Do Before I Die" list.

[spyboy1]

I always assumed it was kind of lame, but it sounds pretty cool. I am intrigued by those game worns. Do they sell them year-round?

The Twins pro shops usually seem to have a few game worns hanging from the ceiling. They tend to be the very, very exspensive ones or the coaches or guys no one has ever heard of from my casual observation. Having them on sale seems to be unique to the Twins Fest though.

[Joshawaggie]

i got to see the Twins caravan when it rolled into Fargo, Kent Hrbek was here this year. While nearby Rothsay and Fergus Falls I think got Harmon Killebrew, how does that work?

Oh well, ti was fun, i wish to go to the one in the Twin Cities one day, it sounds like fun.