Twin Cities Spirit: Celebrating Minnesota’s Loyal Fans

The Minnesota Twins fanbase has enjoyed baseball in the Twin Cities since 1961, when the Washington Senators moved to Minneapolis. In the 63 years since, the team has provided many exciting moments, playoff appearances, pennants and two World Series titles. The fans have been treated to baseball both indoors and out, experiencing Twins baseball in three different stadiums.

The Twins have rarely had a down year over the past two decades, so there has been plenty to cheer about for fans of the Twinkies. From Harmon Killebrew to Jim Kaat to Joe Mauer, fans have watched some of the top players in the game call Minnesota home. If you’re a Twins fan, you’re heading to Target Field or catching each game on the radio or TV. You probably dream of watching Jhoan Duran’s closer entrance in person, as it’s one of the most unique in baseball. If that doesn’t excite you, you need to check your pulse because that’s what Minnesota Twins baseball is about.

What it Means to be a Minnesota Twins Super Fan

Twins fans have always come out to support their team. In 1988, Minnesota became the first team in American League history to draw three million fans in a single season. The team and its fans give back to the Twin Cities, too. The Twins joined forces with Thrivent this year for a multi-year partnership and through a joint fundraising fund the fans will get to vote on how charitable donations are utilized each year.

Major League Baseball has also gone to bat for the Twins, winning a decade-long legal battle for the domain name Twins.com so that fans can access the team’s site more easily. The Twins Community Fund was founded in 1991 and aims to enrich the community by giving back in the form of resources for youth baseball and softball.

Minnesota Twins Fans on Gameday

If you’re a Twins super fan, you likely have spent much time biking the Cedar Lake Trail or have enjoyed a meal at Minnie & Paul’s in the stadium. The fans were able to enjoy games at Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2009. The Metrodome was one of the most recognizable stadiums in baseball, as it had a sizeable bag-like display over the right field wall that was in play if a ball hit it. It had Plexiglass covering the left field wall and a white roof. During Minnesota’s deep playoff runs in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the stadium was rocking, and the noise cranked up.

The team now plays at Target Field, a beautiful outdoor ballpark in the downtown Warehouse District. The stadium offers great views and premium seats for all fans, and fans wear their red, navy blue, and white jerseys in support. They also get to see T.C. Bear, the mascot loosely based on Hamm’s Beer Bear from Hamm’s Brewery, an early team sponsor in the 1960s. Even though tailgating isn’t permitted at Target Field, fans spend time in and near the stadium to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Twinkies.

Memorable Moments in Minnesota Twins Fandom

The Twins have provided some electric moments for their fans over the years. The team went to the World Series in its first year in Minneapolis and eventually built championship-winning clubs towards the end of the 1980s. Led by young star Kirby Puckett, along with Kent Hrbek, Frank Viola, Bert Blyleven and Dan Gladden, the Twins won the 1987 title, and manager Tom Kelly became the youngest manager to win a World Series at the age of 37. The team repeated in 1991 in one of the most exciting World Series ever. Puckett hit a walk-off home run in Game 6 while Jack Morris pitched 10 innings in a 1-0 Game 7 victory. Gene Larkin’s series-clinching base hit drove in Gladden and sent the Metrodome into a frenzy. The Twins won nine AL Central Division titles between 2002 and 2023, led by stars like Mauer, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, and Johan Santana.

Famous Minnesota Twins Fans

Josh Hartnett went to the same high school as Twins legend Joe Mauer and has been a loyal Twins fan for years. Local legend Rob McClanahan, who was on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, is from St. Paul and is a diehard Twins fan. Garrison Keillor is from Minnesota and wrote the foreword for a book on Target Field. Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura has been seen at many Twins games.