Author: David Shama

Tom Kelly is on WCCO Radio with Dark Star from 9:30 to 10 p.m. on weekday nights through the World Series.  After that he is on with Star at the same time on Tuesdays.  This reminds a writer that perhaps no local coach or manager ever took the time to explain his sport to the public like Kelly, the former Twins manager. 

Star and Kelly are long time friends.  “I thought I knew a lot about baseball before I met Kelly,” Star said.  “I didn’t know anything.” 

For years while Kelly was managing the Twins his radio show was hosted by Dave Mona and Sid Hartman.  Mona said he thinks Kelly wants people to appreciate baseball at a “deeper level” so Kelly can often be very detailed in his responses to questions. 

Mona used to anticipate when a classic Kelly answer was about to be delivered after a WCCO caller had posed a question. “Sometimes I could audibly hear him sigh and Sid would start to say, ‘goodbye,’ and Tom would say, ‘no, let’s hear him out.’  And then there were two keys to what was going to follow.  The first was, ‘oh, my,’ which is only two words but spoke volumes if you knew Kellyese because you knew the recipient of the, ‘oh, my,’ was about to get a tutorial on how baseball is done (played). 

“And the other (key) would be, ‘well, let’s take a look at the situation.’ And then Tom would start with reverse roles and become the person asking the questions (of the caller) and I always thought when he did that it was some of the most insightful Tom Kelly shows in history because of the kinds of questions he asked.”

Mona then gave these examples of questions. “What was the count?  Who was on desk? What’s his experience been with that pitcher? Who is in the bullpen?  How have they done against him?  What sort  of bunter is he?…I thought during those times people got a pretty rare insight into the seemingly easy but really very complicated world of being a major league manager and I don’t think anyone ever did that better than Tom when he was going through one of those
Q & A’s.”

Vikings’ coach Brad Childress talking about former Gopher Laurence Maroney who comes to town next Monday night with New England: “I thought he was a very good player coming out (to the 2006 draft).  …He’s got the speed to be able to take it the distance.”

The American Heart Association is working with the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL to promote the What Moves U program to encourage kids to get physically active.  The Vikings’ Steve Hutchinson is involved.  “It’s important for students to stay active – especially with the rise in childhood obesity,” Hutchinson said. 

Best humor witnessed over the weekend:  a Gopher fan wagging his index finger and yelling we’re “No. 1” after Minnesota scored its lone touchdown in a 10-9 victory over Division I-AA North Dakota State on Saturday. 

Bill Lester, executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said there is quiet talk among local sports boosters to bid for the 2016 Olympics.  This area finished second to Atlanta in a bid for the 1988 Olympics, Lester said. 

Bethel linebacker Kirby Carr, Saint John’s linebacker Jamie Steffensmeier and St. Thomas wide receiver P.J. Theisen have been listed among 148 candidates by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) for the 2006 Draddy Trophy.  The award is given to the best player in the country based on combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. The winner receives a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.  Among the past winners is former Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel (2003).

Davanni’s owner and former Gopher Roger Schelper, 58, still plays pick up basketball a couple times per week at a local health club.  The former Edina High School athlete (track, basketball and football) was inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame last year. 

Saint Paul Saints pitcher Mike Meyer, the team’s all-time leader in victories, and first baseman Nick Gretz are retiring from professional baseball. Meyer is returning to his home in Arizona. Gretz, who lives in Farmington, is working in the Twin Cities and is an assistant coach for the Apple Valley High School boys’ hockey team.

The Minnesota Twins finished ninth in attendance among 14 American League teams in 2006.  The Twins’ total attendance of 2,285,018 and average of 28,210 per game placed them 20th among the 30 teams in major league baseball.  Before baseball’s All-Star game in July the Twins averaged 25,426 fans at home.  After the All-Star game the club averaged 30,926. 

Interesting attendance figures for a team that was the feel good story of the summer.  All the Twins did was completely surprise their fans and all of baseball by overcoming a poor early season performance to win the American League Central Division on the last day of the season.  Along the way the Twins had a long stretch where they were winning more games than any team in the big leagues. The Twins also had the best home record in the majors, 54-27. 

The 2006 attendance was the Twins’ fourth highest ever and the first time since 1992-93 that the club had consecutive two million-plus seasons. In franchise history (since 1961) the Twins have drawn over three million fans only once in a single season (1988).  The Twins have attracted better than two million fans just eight times and only once drew more than 2.5 million.  When the Twins played outdoors at Met Stadium they drew under one million fans 11 times. 

A Twins executive insists the organization is pleased with interest in the team.  Vice president of marketing Patrick Klinger can recite several reasons as to why the Twins don’t draw more fans.  Among the explanations offered is one that helped the franchise win approval for the new outdoor ball park: “During our decade long effort to secure a new ball park, the sporting public heard often that the Metrodome is not an ideal place to watch baseball,” Klinger said. “Anyone who has attended a Twins game at the dome knows it was primarily designed for football and baseball.” 

While the dome has helped attract fans because of the assurance that regardless of weather games will be played, it has also kept fans away, Klinger said.  The dome has the fewest seats between first and third base of any major league baseball stadium.  The dome has more upper deck than lower deck seats.  Plus, the baseball ambiance in the dome is arguably the worst in baseball (hello, Tropicana Field).  Not what a marketer wants. 

On warm, sunny days there is the temptation for fans to find other activities rather than watch indoor baseball.  And the Twins offer up virtually every game on local TV and Klinger said that while local ratings are among the strongest in major league baseball, the telecasts make it easy for fans to watch the games from home. 

A factor, too, in the Twins’ challenge to match attendance accomplishments with their on-field excellence (four division titles in five years) has been season tickets.  At about 7,500 season tickets, the Twins have one of the lowest totals in baseball.  That means fans can usually wait until game day to decide whether to buy tickets and the decision may be to stay away for various reasons. 

Klinger predicts team attendance will be a different dynamic in the new outdoor downtown baseball stadium scheduled to open in 2010.  Interest and excitement about the team and the ball park is so significant that season tickets may total 15,000, or about double what the Twins sell now.  Klinger expects the fans’ appetite for outdoor baseball to continue indefinitely, long after the honeymoon period of the new ball park is over.  And the ball park itself will be an entertainment destination, offering superb sightlines and 21^st century luxuries and attractions. 

There is little doubt that in the years ahead the Twins’ ranking among other teams in attendance will be better than in the past.  The bet in the Twins’ offices is three million or better for several seasons.