Target Field

Well, let's cut right to it: Monday's opener was a whole lot of fun. Watching the game was fun. Making my way through the unexpectedly large crowd was fun. Just being at the ballpark was fun. The Twins even looked like they were having some fun. (The Royals started out that way, but it didn't last.) There's not much new at Target Field, but lots of... little things are worth noting. And the first is to note the tragic removal of the pulled pork sandwich from the State Fair concession stand. Did it move, or is it just gone? I couldn't find it anywhere, and it's the one thing I eat almost every time I go to a game. With the cheeseburger, I considered it the best value at Target Field. Oh, maybe that's the answer... But speaking of food, the line for the mini donuts has officially gone insane. When I walked the outfield concourse during the late innings, the line stretched all the way out to gate 34. Now, the mini donuts are good, but they're certainly not good enough to justify waiting at least half an hour. That's crazy. (But I'm happy for the vendor -- an independent.) I didn't count, but I'd estimate at least 100 people in this line for mini donuts during the 8th inning. You can't buy a $1 scorecard anymore, and that's a bummer, if not exactly a surprise. Instead, there's a similar scorecard (without the team rosters) stapled into the middle of the Twins Magazine, which was being given out for free. So, the price is right. But I always just liked the whole concept of handing over a buck, and getting something so much better -- so tangible, practical, traditional, and perfectly suited to the occasion -- in return. In a very real way, it felt like an act of conjuring: the instant conversion of a meaningless and virtually useless piece of paper into one on which a story could be recorded, carefully and systematically, just for joy of it, and maybe the reliving and retelling later. Try doing that on a dollar bill ( WheresGeorge.com notwithstanding). These two ladies were chatting up a storm about the game, and knew ...Read More