50 Fun Facts About Minnesota Sports

From which city did the Twins franchise relocate to Minnesota in 1961?

They had been the Senators; a new expansion Senators team took their place in Washington the same year.

What is the Twins' name a reference to?

Owner Calvin Griffith rejected the Twin Cities' first offer before agreeing to move.

In which two years did the Twins win the World Series in Minnesota?

The franchise had also won in 1924 as the Washington Senators.

Which Twins pitcher threw ten shutout innings in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series?

Gene Larkin's walk-off single won it 1-0 in a game often called the greatest ever played.

Which Twin hit the 11th-inning walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series?

Charlie Leibrandt was brought in specifically to face him.

Which Twins catcher won the AL MVP in 2009, only the second catcher to do so in 33 years?

He was a St. Paul native and later returned to catcher for one final game.

How long was the Twins' record postseason losing streak before they finally won a playoff game in 2023?

It stretched back to the 2004 ALDS and was the longest in North American pro sports history.

Where have the Twins played since 2010?

Met Stadium hosted them from 1961 to 1981 and the Metrodome from 1982 to 2009.

In which year did the Vikings begin play in the NFL?

They won their very first game, beating the Bears 37-13 as rookie Fran Tarkenton threw four touchdowns off the bench.

How many Super Bowls did the Vikings play in during the 1970s — and lose?

Kansas City, Miami, Pittsburgh and Oakland beat them in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX and XI.

What was the nickname of the Vikings' fearsome late-1960s defensive line?

Alan Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen and Jim Marshall led it.

Which coach led the Vikings to all four of their Super Bowls?

He came from the CFL in 1967 and went 151-87-5 in Minnesota.

What went wrong for the 15-1 Vikings in the 1998 NFC Championship Game?

He had gone the entire regular season without missing; the Falcons tied it and won in overtime.

Which receiver caught the walk-off 'Minneapolis Miracle' touchdown against the Saints in January 2018?

Marcus Williams whiffed on the tackle and Diggs ran the rest of the way as time expired.

In which suburb did both the Twins and Vikings play at Metropolitan Stadium?

The Mall of America now stands on the site.

In which year did the Timberwolves begin play as an NBA expansion team?

They joined alongside Orlando, Charlotte and Miami, and have the lowest win percentage of any active NBA team.

Which Timberwolves star won the NBA MVP award in 2004?

That season the Wolves won their first division title and reached the Western Conference Finals.

Which No. 1 overall pick from 2020 sparked the Timberwolves' revival?

With coach Chris Finch he led the team to consecutive Western Conference Finals.

Which Timberwolf had 31 points and 31 rebounds in 2010, the NBA's first 30-30 game in 28 years?

The game against the Knicks was not even televised locally.

Which centre led the Minneapolis Lakers dynasty of the late 1940s and early 1950s?

After the NBL-BAA merger the Lakers won four of the next five NBA titles before decamping to Los Angeles in 1960.

In which season did the Minnesota Wild begin play?

The NHL awarded the franchise in June 1997, seven years after the North Stars left.

To which city did the North Stars move after the 1992-93 season?

They became the Dallas Stars; the North Stars had reached two Stanley Cup Finals, in 1981 and 1991.

Whom did the Wild upset on their surprise run to the 2003 Western Conference finals?

They rallied from 3-1 down in both series.

Whom did the Wild take third overall in the 2000 draft as their first franchise star?

Jacques Lemaire was the team's first head coach.

How many WNBA championships had the Minnesota Lynx won by the end of the 2025 season?

They came in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 under coach Cheryl Reeve.

Which LSU guard did the Lynx take first overall in the 2006 WNBA draft?

Whalen was the Minnesota native on the title teams; Moore arrived as the No. 1 pick in 2011.

In which year did the Lynx begin play?

They joined alongside the Orlando Miracle and drew 12,122 fans to their first game at Target Center.

What trophy do the Gophers and Michigan play for?

It is a five-gallon earthenware water jug dating from 1903.

What is Floyd of Rosedale, the trophy Minnesota and Iowa play for?

It commemorates a bet between the two states' governors in 1935 that was paid with a live hog.

What did the Gophers reclaim from Wisconsin in 2018 to end a 14-season losing streak?

The Axe replaced the original Slab of Bacon trophy in 1948 after the bacon went missing.

How many national championships do the Gophers claim in football?

Four are from the wire services — 1936, 1940, 1941 and 1960 — and the 1934-36 three-peat remains the last by a Division I team.

Which Gophers coach and St. Paul native led the 1980 US Olympic hockey team to the Miracle on Ice?

Nine members of his 1979 NCAA champion Gophers went on to the Olympic roster.

What distinction does the Metrodome hold among stadiums?

Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, the 1987 and 1991 World Series, the 1985 All-Star Game and two Final Fours.

What happened to the Metrodome roof in December 2010?

It had first collapsed under a foot of snow in 1981, weeks before it opened.

In which season did Minnesota United join Major League Soccer?

They played their first two years at the Gophers' stadium before Allianz Field opened in St. Paul.

What is Minnesota United's soccer-specific stadium called?

It sits in St. Paul's Midway neighbourhood.

Which two ABA teams played in Minnesota between the Lakers' departure and the Timberwolves' arrival?

Each lasted a single season, 1967-68 and 1968-69, and the Wolves have worn throwbacks for both.

Which Twins slugger signed by the Senators in 1954 became the franchise's home-run king?

He, Allison, Oliva and Zoilo Versalles carried the Twins to the 1965 pennant.

Where did the North Stars play their home games?

Their colours for most of their history were green, yellow, gold and white.

How many NBA titles did the Lakers win while based in Minneapolis?

They came in nine years, built around 6-foot-10 centre George Mikan.

Which Twins manager oversaw both of the franchise's Minnesota-era championships?

Kent Hrbek, Bert Blyleven, Frank Viola and Kirby Puckett starred under him.

Which Vikings quarterback was traded to the Giants in 1967 and later returned?

He came back in 1972 and quarterbacked three of the four Super Bowl teams.

Whom did the Lynx beat 68-51 to win the franchise's first regular-season game in 1999?

A crowd of 12,122 turned out at Target Center; the team finished its debut season 15-17.

By how many points did the Lynx beat the Indiana Fever in August 2017, a WNBA record margin?

The 111-52 rout also set a league record with 37 unanswered points; Minnesota went on to win its fourth title that year.

Who bought the Lynx and Timberwolves from Glen Taylor, becoming their owners in 2025?

Taylor had owned both clubs since the Lynx's 1999 founding, and the teams share Target Center.

Which Twin Cities team played in the original NASL from 1976 to 1981?

They played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington; the Strikers later had one 1984 season at the Metrodome.

Which rival bid did Bill McGuire's group beat to land Minnesota's MLS franchise in 2015?

MLS made Minnesota United its 23rd club; the Wilfs had a legislative provision allowing them to chase an MLS team at the new Vikings stadium.

Who scored Minnesota United's first MLS hat trick, on July 4, 2018?

The club's first Designated Player, signed from Club América, led the 2018 team in goals and assists despite missing five matches.

How many NCAA championships has the Gophers women's ice hockey team won?

It counts seven national titles in all and competes in the WCHA rather than the Big Ten.

Which Gophers team won an NCAA national championship in the 2006-07 academic year?

The same year brought Big Ten titles in men's hockey, golf, swimming and diving, women's rowing and indoor track.