Courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Gathering with fellow sports fans for the Minnesota Twins’ opening day, playing a first round of golf (or disc golf) on a newly opened green, or catching a game near the end of basketball season are cherished spring pastimes for Minnesotans as warmer weather draws us out to the courts and fields.
World of Discs
Disc golf is an easy-to-pick-up activity that’s growing in popularity in Minnesota. Try your hand at this mashup of Frisbee and traditional golf, where players try to land a colorful disc into a metal basket with the fewest tosses.
Becker City Park, Becker
Breezy Point Park Reserve, Breezy Point
Bryant Lake Park, Eden Prairie
Driftless 18, Rochester
87 Elm Creek Park Reserve, Maple Grove
Hansen Park, New Brighton
Kaposia Disc Golf Course, South St. Paul
Rosland Park, Edina
Photo by Dallas Wrinkle
Opening Day by the Numbers
The Minnesota Twins go to bat against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 3 at Target Field, marking the start of the team’s 66th season. Matt Hodson, the Twins’ director of business communications, shares some fun facts—and memorable moments—from opening days of yore.
40,714: The number of attendees in the Twins’ biggest-ever home opener crowd; that happened in 2011.
35 degrees: The temperature on the coldest opening day, in 2013. (The warmest opener happened in 2021 when the thermometer hit 67 degrees).
1961: The year of the Twins’ first-ever home opener, which was held at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington and led by Don Mincher with the first home run of the game.
Eighth: Joe Mauer’s batting order in his major league debut on opening day in 2004; he went 2-for-3 with two walks.
Courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Play Ball
Catch a game with the Loons, the Gophers, or another Minnesota sports team as warmer weather ushers in a new season for baseball and soccer and wraps up basketball.
March 22: Minnesota United FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC at Allianz Field, St. Paul
March 25: University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Baseball vs. St. Thomas at Siebert Field, Minneapolis
March 25: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets at Target Center, Minneapolis
March 28: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Detroit Pistons at Target Center, Minneapolis
April 3-5: University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Softball vs. Ohio State at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, Minneapolis
April 18: Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers at Allianz Field, St. Paul
