Taft ‘Taffy’ Wright ripped a line drive into deep right-center field at Nicollet Park in Minneapolis on a brisk May afternoon in 1951. It was a typical blast from the Louisville Colonels’ hard-hitting slugger. A towering shot with extra-bases written all over it, the ball practically at war with gravity, begging to leave the ballpark. … [ Read more]
38 Days of Mays: On his last stop before the big leagues, the Say Hey Kid spent five legendary weeks as a Minneapolis Miller
February 24, 2020 by
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Forgotten Star Brewing Co. in Fridley
November 7, 2019 by
The wait is over. Fridley, Minnesota, you have now officially been baptized into the Twin Cities brewery scene. Located in one of Minnesota’s most historic buildings, in the sprawling Northern Stacks complex off East River Road, Forgotten Star Brewing Co. is an overdue and much-anticipated addition to the craft brewing congregation of the metro. “[The … [ Read more]
G.O.A.T. in MPLS: The two transcendent seasons of Elgin Baylor
July 2, 2019 by
In 1958, the once-proud Minneapolis Lakers, basketball’s original dynasty, the winners of five National Basketball Association championships, had fallen on hard times. The team was on the brink of bankruptcy, had the worst record in basketball, and didn’t even have their own arena. But their reward for falling lower than they’d ever fallen before was … [ Read more]
5 Weekend Drink Destinations in the Midwest Worth a Road Trip
April 29, 2019 by
May is the perfect month to leave daily life behind, hit the road, and enjoy some new drinks with new friends in new places. You don’t have to go far to escape; there are several destinations with exciting craft beer and cocktail communities within a day’s drive of the Twin Cities. So buckle up: it’s … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Bus Stop Burgers & Brewhouse
February 6, 2019 by
It’s easy to get excited when walking into Bus Stop Burgers & Brewhouse. Located in the Downtown East neighborhood of Minneapolis, on the ground floor of the Wells Fargo Building and firmly in the shadow of U.S. Bank Stadium, Bus Stop provides a welcome addition to a patch of downtown Minneapolis thirsty for quality food … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): 3rd Act Craft Brewery in Woodbury
December 5, 2018 by
Thanksgiving week 2018 was a historic one for the town of Woodbury, Minnesota. This eastern suburb of St. Paul that nearly 70,000 people call home is finally home to its first brewery. 3rd Act Craft Brewery, the brainchild of Woodbury resident and longtime homebrewer Steve Long and his wife Deb Long, quietly opened its doors … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): La Doña Cervecería
October 12, 2018 by
Minnesota craft beer with a Latin influence.” This is the main point that Sergio Manancero arrives at as we discuss the genesis of La Doña Cervecería, the latest taproom to open its doors in Minneapolis’ Harrison neighborhood. The fusion of Manancero’s heritage and Minnesota’s craft beer scene extends beyond the beer filling the glasses at … [ Read more]
Pitches of Dreams: A look at the cricket and Irish hurling communities of the Twin Cities
September 24, 2018 by
Tulsie Sookdeo was just a kid when he moved from Guyana to the Twin Cities in 1980. The ice and snow of his new home was the complete opposite of the tropical climate he’d left behind, but that didn’t mean a connection to his old home couldn’t be found. Guyana is one of several cricket-crazed … [ Read more]
Beyond Everywhere: Jordan, Minnesota, is a townball destination
August 3, 2018 by
I had once visited the town of Jordan, Minnesota, but I didn’t really see it. On one of those December days when the sun goes down a couple of hours after it comes up, my high school basketball team stared out into the endless winter’s night for the ten steps between the bus to the … [ Read more]
St. Paul’s Town House Bar to become soccer bar, The Black Hart of Saint Paul
May 14, 2018 by
The Town House Bar, St. Paul’s oldest LGBTQ bar and home to some of the city’s most vibrant drag shows, is getting a new owner, name, and soccer focus: The Black Hart of Saint Paul. Holly Monnett, the longtime owner of The Town House bar, is selling the business to Wes Burdine, a Midway resident … [ Read more]
The Delights of Des Moines, Iowa, Minnesota’s Minor League City
March 21, 2018 by
Just a hair less than 250 miles south of the Twin Cities sits the city of Des Moines, Iowa, the state’s capital city. As a major hub for the insurance industry, it’s nicknamed the “Hartford of the West.” Though the city received a much more flattering honor in 2017 when SportsBusiness Journal named it the … [ Read more]
Caleb Truax was never going to be World Champ. Someone should have told Caleb Truax
January 30, 2018 by
Osseo native Caleb Truax hung up his cleats and left the football program at Virginia State in 2003 to transfer back home to the University of Minnesota. An injury from high school left him with lingering patellar tendinitis and cut his collegiate football career well short of what it could have been. In the year … [ Read more]
Trailblazers 2017: Kevin Warren, COO of the Minnesota Vikings
December 26, 2017 by
It’s been a season full of success stories for the Minnesota Vikings on the field, but one of the organization’s brightest stars shines outside the lines. Kevin Warren came to the Vikings in 2005 after representing the Wilf family in the $600 million purchase from previous owner Red McCombs while working for the international law … [ Read more]
Soaring With Eagles: Minneapolis’ Nate Augspurger scrums his way onto the world stage with USA Rugby
September 26, 2017 by
The energy in the backyard of Andy and Cherie Augspurger’s home in South Minneapolis is festive and exuberant. I’m hanging out with 13 extremely strong men who are devouring extremely full plates of food. These men are from all over the world and together, they form Old Blue Rugby Football Club of New York, one … [ Read more]
The ‘ramshackle,’ DIY soccer club bringing a new sense of fun to the pitch
July 6, 2017 by
It’s summertime in Minnesota. The sun’s out, the coolers are full, and do-it-yourself season is officially here. The coolest DIY project in the Twin Cities isn’t a deck, or a fire pit, or a brand new man cave. It’s a soccer team called Minneapolis City SC—a self-proclaimed “ramshackle bunch” on a mission to build a … [ Read more]
