Article: To the Victor Go the Spoils (and Special Sections)

[Tom Froemming]

A new NFL champion will be crowned in at US Bank Stadium later this evening, which will set off a massive celebration in the new champ’s home city. Parties, parades, more merchandise than you can imagine and, of course, commemorative souvenir special sections in their newspapers. Let’s take a quick look back at the Star Tribune’s special sections from the 1987 and 1991 World Series for old times’ sake.Game 7 of the 1987 World Series was Sunday, Oct. 25, and the special section was published that following Thursday. The cover was a giant picture from the parade with this box of text with the headline “Minnesota Magic.”

Download attachment: 87FrontText.jpg

That may be a little difficult to read, so I typed it up below. I get goosebumps every time I read it.

 

“America, you gotta believe.”

The banner hanging in the Metrodome outfield in Game 7 shouted the conviction of a baseball team and its fans. It’s finally Minnesota's turn to be No. 1.

World Champions.

They were a team of strugglers, overachievers, regular guys — long on heart, short on superstars. That was the best part because it was so Minnesota. A team considered so unlikely to win it all that Las Vegas took 150-1 odds against the Twins.

It seemed magical. The Twins were unbeatable in the Dome, where fans created the ultimate home-field advantage. Commissioner Peter Ueberroth watched the World Series and declared, “These are the best baseball fans I have ever seen.”

The Minnesota Twins made sports history this October. You helped make it happen. Now remember.

This photo of Kent Hrbek losing his mind — arms up in celebration, dogpile already starting to form — is a classic.

Download attachment: 87Hrbek.jpg

You can’t talk about a Twins title without mentioning the Homer Hanky. Here’s a great ad from the paper:

Download attachment: 87AdHanky.jpg

Along with all the ring, special news coverage, merchandising and all that stuff, winning a title gives you the opportunity to do all sorts of other silly stuff, like make music videos. Here’s an ad for the Berenguer Boogie:

Download attachment: 87AdBerenguer.jpg

What was the Berenguer Boogie? Thankfully someone has uploaded it to YouTube, because words can’t do it justice:

Game 7 of the 1991 World Series was on Sunday Oct. 27 and, again, the special section was released the following Thursday, which was Halloween. Hmmm, Halloween 1991 … why does that day seem to stick out for some reason? …

Download attachment: 91Cover.jpg

It was a series to savor, indeed.

 

A variation of this iconic photo of Dan Gladden and an upended Greg Olsen made the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dazzle was tagged out on the play, which came in Game 1 of the series, but the Twins had already built a four-run lead by then.

Download attachment: 91Dazzle.jpg

Here’s another just incredible shot: The Catch.

Download attachment: 91TheCatch.jpg

Kirby looks like he must’ve found a trampoline hidden on the warning track to catapult himself that high off the ground. Twins fans looked on with bated breath, but we know Kirby wasn’t going to let the Twins lose that night. His walkoff homer later that evening went to nearly the same spot. Of course, Puckett’s blast cleared the 13-foot tall plexiglass wall and Jack Buck delivered one of the most famous home run calls of all time.

 

Don't worry, we'll get to Jack Morris and Game 7 a little later today.

 

Let’s get some good vibes flowing. What are some of your favorite memories from the Twins’ World Series championships? The Twin Cities are buzzing with the Super Bowl in town, but what was the aftermath of those championship seasons like?

 

Click here to view the article

[nclahammer]

Well done, what a terrific stroll down memory lane.

 

[Tom Froemming]

 

Well done, what a terrific stroll down memory lane.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

 

Championship celebrations sure have escalated, huh? The Twins fan for the main picture of this article only looks like he's stage diving from about six or seven feet high. Some of those idiots in Philly were diving off street lights.