When Jim Bruton heard about the “Love Boat” party on Lake Minnetonka two years ago, he had a different reaction than many Minnesota Vikings fans. Publicity about the party and other negative news about the Vikings over the years inspired Bruton to write a book, “A Tradition Of Purple, An Inside Look At the Minnesota Vikings.”
The book was published this fall and it’s a positive tale about Vikings coaches, players, front office personnel and the charitable deeds of the organization then and now. The book’s point of distinction is that it’s written from a fan’s perspective with the intent of documenting what the franchise has meant to this region since its inception in 1961.
Bruton attended the team’s first game and has been rooting for the Vikings ever since. As a 16-year-old from Alexander Ramsey High School in Roseville, Bruton watched rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton and his expansion teammates surprise the Chicago Bears in that first game, winning 37-13 at Met Stadium. Bruton chuckled about the memory in a phone interview on Wednesday when he recalled that Bears owner and coach George Halas helped Minneapolis-St. Paul to secure an NFL team and the Vikings welcomed him to town by solidly defeating his storied franchise.
Bruton has owned Vikings season tickets for 41 years. He’s not only been watching the team for a long time, he tried to play for the Purple. Bruton had limited success as a placekicker for the Gophers in 1965 and 1966, kicking off in a few games and once missing a field goal against Michigan. Still, he pursued a dream to play in the NFL and as a free agent was cut twice by the Vikings, and once by the Dallas Cowboys. “I am probably the only active season ticket holder that (coach) Bud Grant cut (from the team) twice,” Bruton said.
Not that Bruton hasn’t led an interesting and successful life away from football. He spent 35 years in the corrections field and retired as warden of the state’s maximum security prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota. He always retained his passion for the Vikings, though, and in the early 1990s set up a meeting with Grant after having not seen the legendary coach for many years. This resulted in Grant autographing a photo of himself with this inscription: “To Jim. I always wished you had tried out again, so I could have cut you a third time!”
Grant was one of seven people associated with the Vikings, including part owner Mark Wilf, who approved the manuscript before it was written. The book sells for $24.95 and a portion of the proceeds go to the Viking Children’s Fund that has been assisting non-profits since the 1970s when general manager Mike Lynn started it.
Bruton has a series of book signings coming up where he’s accompanied by former Vikings players. A listing is on the Vikings web site (www.vikings.com) and can be accessed under events and alumni appearances. Bruton also welcomes calls by e-mail jamesjhbjr@comcast.net, or telephone, 651-398-4937. He will autograph books for those who contact him.