Recent content from Patrick Reusse
Reusse: 'Town team' wins with guys who'll remind you of Puckett, Ripken
Led by three star players, the Minnetonka Millers are shooting for their 15th state championship among amateur teams that are based in the metro area.
Reusse: Brainerd racetrack deserves a victory
Brainerd International Raceway will host a Trans Am Series event this weekend, with social distancing rules in place.
Patrick Plus: Howard University celebrates another whopper of an upset — in hoops recruiting
One of the nation's top college basketball prospects is headed to a historically Black college.
Reusse: You can expect unpredictable Twins' season to zoom right by
This will be a Twins season that's going to be like none other in more ways than one and with no guarantees: not in the result from 60 games, nor from a pandemic that might not allow that many.
Reusse: U baseball standouts plan on sticking around
Jack Wassel and Patrick Fredrickson went unselected in an abbreviated MLB draft and are aiming to win a Big Ten title in 2021 instead.
Reusse: Otis Dypwick, golf author, to be part of 2020 Hall of Fame class
Best known for his role publicizing Gophers sports, he also produced instructional golf books.
Reusse: Time is right to honor sport's resolute: Meet Joe Warner and Will Cross
They played football at Minnesota Crookston, where victory came around only every few years.
Reusse: Twins' second-half run in '81 should give woeful Tigers hope
A bad Twins team somehow got in playoff contention the second half of the 1981 split season.
Reusse: Daughter's death took wind out of St. Paul Saints owner Veeck
Only now is the baseball showman starting to show signs of at least a partial return to his affable self.
Reusse: How did a Russian sports legend end up in Detroit Lakes?
In the early '90s, goalie Vladislav Tretiak became a goalie instructor at a hockey camp -- and faced tough questions from 9-year-olds.
Reusse: Four-man Gibbon track team gave metro powers a run for 1954 title
Dr. Edgar Taggatz "keeps the Wildcats spirit alive," one of the key figures says.
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Reusse: Yes, tear down the Griffith statue — and also listen to Carew
Remember former Twins owner Calvin Griffith in whatever way you choose, but there's no defending his racist comments of 1978.
Reusse: Summit League deals blow to Augustana's Division I hopes
Seven months after offering St. Thomas membership, the conference denied the South Dakota's schools application to join.
Reusse: In defiance of governor, it's 'Play ball!' in Stearns County
Tradition (and beautiful weather) override concerns over the coronavirus pandemic in townball hotbeds such as the Stearns County League.
Baseball is back in Minnesota as amateur league creates own path to play
Facing growing unrest from teams, the Minnesota Baseball Association board agreed not to punish teams under MBA rules if they were to start playing this weekend under specific conditions.
Reusse: Hunger for baseball is obvious in Minnesota's town ball communities
Minnesota town ball teams, barred by restrictions, have been traveling to neighboring states to play. ""People want to see baseball so badly we've had 40, 50 people watching us practice," said Milroy Irish manager Bob Dolan.
Reusse: On Hiawatha's tees, black golfers group sees course of America changing
At Hiawatha Golf Club on Tuesday, there was a search for perspective on where we are, where we could be going, in a city and a state these older black men have made home.
Reusse: Threat to Minnesota summer baseball is a false alarm
There had been a hint baseball was classified as "high risk" by Gov. Tim Walz's latest briefing and there was no go-ahead to finally start the Town Ball season. But teams can relax.
Reusse: MSU Mankato was biggest loser when college hockey shut down
The Mavericks had veterans dedicated to putting past NCAA woes behind them, a 31-5-2 record, another WCHA regular-season title, and a grip on a No. 1 regional seed.
Reusse: Longtime Gophers strength coach weighs in on way to retirement
Bob Rohde will retire Friday a couple of months short of 41 years with the Gophers. He was hired for football, although all athletes could use the weightlifting room at the Bierman Building. And they did.
Reusse: Baseball memories of Lake Street turn to ashes
The final game at Nicollet Baseball Park was Sept. 28, 1955. The site became a bank, which was torched Friday night.
Reusse: Stephen Jackson, other activists score with straight talk at Mpls. City Hall
Longtime NBA player Stephen Jackson bared his soul in talking about George Floyd, a dead friend that he called his "twin."
Pro poker player Anderson waits for 'real Vegas' to return to life
With casinos closed, Minnesota native Danielle Andersen has resorted to playing card games with neighborhood kids.
Reusse: Brothers in boxing can't fully share pain over George Floyd's death
For Phil Williams and Ryan Burnet, bonded by their work together at a boxing gym in north Minneapolis, emotions are running raw in the wake of Floyd's death.
Minnesota native thriving as executive with Toronto Raptors
Lakefield native Teresa Resch was the first in a succession of women — now numbering 14 — whom Masai Ujiri hired for his Toronto Raptors.
Reusse: Remembering a good Marine and a beloved sports photojournalist
Rich Nuessle was once a staple in the Twin Cities sports media. If you were in that circle and failed to have a wacky adventure with Rich, you had to be in quarantine. Behind the fun, though, was a hero with a tortured soul.
Patrick Plus: Mainz becomes my main team in European soccer
Swansea City, Borussia Fulda both let me down.
Reusse: Faith, not Minnesota ties, brought Denard Span, Anne Schleper together
The former Twins outfielder was hoping to play in majors this season; instead he has been spending quality family time with his wife, a former Gophers hockey standout.
Reusse: There's room to roam in MLB parks, so let's get teams back
Players in other sports might have more trouble social distancing in smaller arenas and/or with more inherent collisions, but MLB is over-regulating with its 67-page list of dos and don'ts for reopening in the coronavirus era.
Reusse: 'Klaw' might have been an 'opener' for Twins before its time
Was Tom Klawitter's start in 1985 the first "opener" in the major leagues?
Reusse: Herron will always be Lumpy 2 among Wayzata peers
Before Tim Herron became known as Lumpy on the PGA Tour, he asked Wayzata's first Lumpy for permission.
Reusse: Can catchers stay safe at home in pandemic baseball?
Former Twins Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond -- as well as catchers from the Gophers, the minors and amateur ball -- talked with Patrick Reusse about what could be ahead.
Reusse: For Jake and Janie Reed, athletic careers on hold together
Jake Reed was signed by the Twins out of Oregon in 2014. He has pitched in more than 100 games in Class AAA but never in the majors. Janie Reed, Jake's wife, has waited longer to be an Olympian.
Reusse: Bills Mafia gets ready to hit Vegas Strip
Are you ready for this? Buffalo at Las Vegas on Oct. 4. Even if it still had the real Mafia running the town, the Strip might be overmatched by Bills Mafia.
Reusse: Run by characters and 'lake kids,' Lake Minnetonka marina is a keeper
Invasive species (of all kinds) keep things interesting on Lake Minnetonka. Howard's Point Marina is still going strong. The owner said he bought it because "it's a neighborhood treasure."
Reusse: New coach Lamker says Augsburg football is 'going to change'
Derrin Lamker, the former high school coach at Edina and Osseo, led Augsburg to a MIAC title in 1997. But the Auggies of 2018 and 2019 were 4-16 overall and 1-15 in the MIAC. Now he's head coach at his alma mater.
Patrick Plus: Hockey coach Dave Peterson became villain at 1988 Winter Olympics by design
The former state championship-winning coach at Minneapolis Southwest wanted to take pressure off his players.
Reusse: A fond farewell to the Twins' 'Big Fella'
Wayne Hattaway, a staple in the Twins clubhouse for decades, died Thursday night at age 80.
Reusse: An appreciation for Gladden, creator of blast and bloop bookends
While he waits for baseball's return, Dan Gladden recalls triumphs from World Series past: the slam, the double and some good baseball stories three decades later.
Reusse: End of Twins rookie team will devastate many in Tennessee town
The Twins rookie-ball affiliate in Elizabethton, Tenn., established in the 1970s, has been targeted for elimination as part of a trimming of the minor leagues.
Reusse: Retold Sonmor hockey stories still among the best
The only stories better than former Gophers, Fighting Saints and North Stars coach Glen Sonmor telling his were others telling theirs about him.
Reusse: HBO's 'The Scheme' on college basketball corruption a must-see
The first insistence received that I had to watch “The Scheme,’’ the freshly arrived HBO documentary on college basketball corruption, came from my wife. That…
Reusse: Vikings forced to drop big dreams for T-Jack, Williamson
Tarvaris Jackson and Troy Williamson could never harness their raw talent together on the field for the Vikings in the mid-2000s.
Reusse: Twins cult hero Ford still playing, still hearing 'Looooo' calls at age 43
Lew Ford played 499 games (including five in the postseason) for the Twins, and then came a little bit of everything. He's currently with the Long Island Ducks in independent ball.
Reusse: Budget cuts for Gophers? Start with football
The first post-coronavirus gouge in athletic budgets should come in football — at Minnesota, and across the Power Five landscape.
Reusse: From the U to Spain, Knight sees different Holy Week at new home
Former Gophers player Leslie Knight has spent the last 11 years playing pro basketball and living in Spain — much more time than needed to absorb what Holy Week means in that country.
Here's how the Twins did during Patrick Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams
The Twins won five of six during Patrick Reusse's mythical "homestand" at Target Field, revisiting games from the team's past while the coronavirus pandemic robs us of games of the present.
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Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 7: A grand beginning to an epic drubbing
Two first-inning grand slams by legendary Twins sluggers Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew made a lasting impression on one particular 16-year-old in the stands.
Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 2: Baseball stories for a rainy day
This chilly Friday was to be an off day for the Twins. We're at Target Field anyway, listening to what's being said. In baseball the stories can be more entertaining than the ballgames.
Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 6: Santana's last blast with the Twins
The post-victory angst after the Twins' 1-0 victory over Texas was dictated by manager Ron Gardenhire's decision to remove Johan Santana after eight innings. Santana had 17 strikeouts on 112 pitches.
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Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 5: Stop punching people, Billy!
Billy Martin brought the Oakland Athletics here as the manager for the first time and, this being Minnesota, it's no surprise that he quickly found himself in the middle of something.
Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 4: Perfect place for Puckett's perfect day
Several thousand Brewers fans contributed to a full Target Field on Sunday. They seemed to congregate in the right field corner, with easy access to several beer locations.
Reusse's (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 3: Who? Almost threw a what?
The Twins unveiled a hitting attack of great potential in Florida exhibitions, with Rod Carew, Lyman Bostock, Disco Dan Ford and Larry Hisle being joined by rookie catcher Butch Wynegar.
Reusse: (Target) Field of Dreams, Day 1: A good day, a bad loss
We've asked Patrick Reusse to bring us baseball each morning during what should have been the Twins' opening homestand. Six games over seven days, beginning with the 1979 home opener reimagined for April 2020.
Reusse: For first time since 1952, fan doesn't get his boys' state tournament fix
Wendell Fredin's 67-year streak of making it to the Twin Cities for the tournament came to an end.
Tausch goofed around, but was dependable Vikings teammate
His Vikings linemate Tim Irwin called the late guard "my left arm."
Reusse: Former U standout Seliger-Swenson gets a taste of volleyball in France
"Triple S" enjoyed her time abroad before returning to Minnesota when the pandemic hit.
Reusse: Colorful Ramos got Twins franchise started right in '61 opener
Take a look back at The Greatest Day in Minnesota Sports History: April 11, 1961. It was a three-hit shutout by Pedro Ramos, outlasting future Hall of Famer Whitey Ford
Reusse: An epic ending to the era of Minnesota's one-class basketball
This Week in Minnesota Sports: There were the usual 18,000 customers inside Williams Arena to watch a state one-class basketball champion in 1970, when tiny Sherburn ended that era by beating South St. Paul.
Reusse: NFL players led by dunderhead union boss
Most negotiators would not be as proud as DeMaurice Smith seems to be about producing a deal with a lower cut of revenues and a grant of unchallenged power to a power-mad commissioner.
Reusse: Fiser's run as U softball ace comes to an end — or does it?
Senior Amber Fiser pitched in 46 of the Gophers' 60 games last season. Her senior season - like so many - has been cut short. Will she move on or take advantage of an added year granted by the NCAA?
Reusse: Cavner says PGA Tour got virus action right
3M Open CEO says tour commissioner Jay Monahan "is solid in crisis mode."
Reusse: U baseball players got reality check with quick end to season, Anderson says
A "do-over" season being offered by the NCAA can be viewed as an optimistic scenario given this week's shutdown events. But for some, another year means spending more money to stay in school.
Patrick Reusse on Sid Hartman: The birthday boy is awesome (literally)
I nteractions with Sid Hartman have caused people to be annoyed, alarmed, amused, afraid, agonized, alienated and accepting, and those are just the “a’’…
Reusse: Cheers despite concerns continued at state tournament
At the same time that pro and college sports were taking dramatic action, Minnesota's girls' basketball tournament was going on as scheduled, and no complaints were overheard.
Reusse: Brainerd's Anderson will pitch 'when it matters' for Rays
Nick Anderson's path to the major leagues detoured through the home remodeling business, amateur baseball and independent ball.
Reusse: Twins' roster math not helping La Tortuga
The Twins figure to start the season with four true outfielders, as Marwin Gonzalez rebounds from knee surgery he can't be classified as the main spare. That means Willians Astudillo is a long shot for Opening Day.
Reusse: Twins bench coach Bell and Edina hockey: It's all relative
There is a connection from the 1954 Major League Baseball All-Star Game to this season's Edina Squirt A team. You just have to know where to look.
Reusse: For Twins prospect Ober, other numbers outweigh pitch speed
Bailey Ober pitched a total of 78⅔ innings at three levels last season, and stands 6-9 and with a right arm extension in his delivery that makes 90 mph get on a hitter quickly.
Reusse: New dad Kirilloff hopes injury issues are behind him
At 22, Alex Kirilloff is happily married with an infant daughter. He hopes his baseball life quickly catches up with his family life.
Reusse: Adrianza finds his place — and occasional power — with Twins
The Twins claimed Ehire Adrianza in 2017 for his fielding. His versatility and hitting since then have been a pleasant bonus.
Reusse: Hall of Fame class driven differently to same successful end
There was a quality beyond the norm to be found in all of this year's six people who were inducted in the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday night.
Reusse: At spring training, it's times of trouble for Red Sox
The angst surrounding the Red Sox, some based on the forthcoming results of an investigation into sign stealing; more so, this month's trade of outfielder Mookie Betts, are obvious.
Reusse: Former Twins players weary of Astros-bashing
"This isn't a good time for the players to be this split,'' former Twins player rep Michael Cuddyer said. "You have to let it end.''
Reusse: K-Vest? Rapsodo? Trackman? Twins, Gophers get high-tech help
The Twins and Gophers have added an array of high-tech tools to better analyze performance. Another plus? Bringing coaches to the pros from college programs that embrace technology.
