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Metropolitan Stadium 1962
Metropolitan Stadium in 1962

Metropolitan Stadium was a famous sports stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota. It opened in 1956 and was first home to a minor league baseball team called the Minneapolis Millers. The stadium was made much bigger in 1961. This was so it could host major league teams. In 1961, two big teams started playing there: the Minnesota Twins (baseball) and the Minnesota Vikings (football). Metropolitan Stadium was used until 1982 when a new stadium, the Metrodome, took its place. The old stadium was torn down in the mid-1980s.

Today, the land where the stadium once stood is home to the huge Mall of America. People often call the old stadium the "Old Met." Inside the Mall, on the first floor, you can find a special brass marker shaped like a home plate. It shows exactly where the home plate of the "Old Met" used to be.

Metropolitan Stadium: A Minnesota Sports Landmark

Metropolitan Stadium, often called the "Old Met," was a very important place for sports in Minnesota. It was built in Bloomington, a city near Minneapolis and Saint Paul. For many years, it was the main place where people went to watch professional baseball and football games.

Early Days and Growth

The stadium first opened its doors in 1956. Its first team was the Minneapolis Millers, a minor league baseball team. Minor league teams are like a training ground for players who hope to play in the major leagues someday.

In 1961, the stadium got a big upgrade. It was made much larger to get ready for major league teams. This was an exciting time for Minnesota sports fans!

Big League Teams Arrive

After the stadium was expanded, two major professional sports teams moved in:

  • The Minnesota Twins baseball team moved from Washington, DC. They played their first game at the stadium in 1961.
  • The Minnesota Vikings football team also started playing there in 1961. This was their very first season as a team!

For over 20 years, the "Old Met" was the home field for both the Twins and the Vikings. Many famous games and exciting moments happened there.

The End of an Era

By the early 1980s, a new, indoor stadium was being built in Minneapolis. This new stadium was called the Metrodome. It was designed to protect fans and players from Minnesota's cold winters.

Metropolitan Stadium closed its doors in 1981. The Twins and Vikings moved to the new Metrodome in 1982. The "Old Met" was torn down a few years later, in the mid-1980s.

What's There Now?

Even though the stadium is gone, its memory lives on. The land where Metropolitan Stadium once stood is now home to the Mall of America. This is one of the biggest shopping malls in the world!

Inside the Mall of America, you can find a special tribute to the "Old Met." On the first floor, there's a brass marker shaped like a baseball home plate. It shows the exact spot where home plate was located in the old stadium. It's a cool way to remember the stadium's history.

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