The Twins’ Class A Beloit farm team has the tall and the small. Pitcher Loek Van Mil is 7-foot-1, shortstop Chris Cates is 5-foot-3.
Dave Mona, one of the local organizers for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, was elated with the news earlier this week that Michelle Wie has qualified for the June 23-29 championship at Interlachen Country Club. He said fans have been anxiously asking whether Wie, 18, will play here.
Mona said daily capacity for the Open will be 22,500. Although he didn’t have figures available, he said advance ticket sales are fairly balanced for the championship’s last four days.
Trick-shot artist Dennis Walters, who is paralyzed below the waist, will headline an exhibition for the Catch the Spirit program at the Open on Monday, June 23 at 1 p.m. on the driving range at Interlachen. Walters will be joined by Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, ESPN analyst Michele Tafoya and Tim Laudner, a member of the Twins’ 1987 World Series Championship team.
Catch the Spirit began in 1991 as an effort to attract more youth and families to golf and USGA championships. As a part of Catch the Spirit, anyone 17 and younger receives free admission to the Open when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Kids receive a front-row seat in all grandstands during the week. More information is available at www.2008uswomensopen.com.
Long time Lakers’ fan Dana Marshall sent a trivia note via e-mail that the franchise’s last game as the Minneapolis Lakers was played on March 26, 1960 at Washington University in St. Louis. The Lakers are celebrating 60 years of the Minneapolis-Los Angeles Lakers franchise.
The Minnesota Thunder host Atlanta on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. in another game that will be played at Field U2 at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets, according to the team’s Web site, www.mnthunder.com. The track at the NSC stadium field is being removed so the playing surface will be 80 feet closer to the grandstand. The facility will be ready for the Thunder in July.