Twins Play Ball - Bridge Collapses

In a scene out of Hollywood, the Minnesota Twinsbaseball. On the face of it playing baseball, when
played ball Wednesday night. Before the gamejust a few blocks away a scene of devastation
there had been questions on whether or not towas unfolding in the heart of the Twins' own
cancel the nights game. A cancellation not becausecommunity, made no sense. Calling off the game
of weather, but because of a catastrophe closeseemed the way to go. Then the Twins office
to the Metrodome.heard from the Minnesota Department of Public
A bridge collapsed an hour before the scheduledSafety. The state office asked the Twins to play
start of the game. A major bridge carryingball. To play ball, and keep the 25,000 fans who
thousands of Minnesotans daily. A freeway bridge,had reached the Metrodome there. To play and
which had stood for over 40 years in the hearthelp keep the downtown streets and remaining
of the Twin Cities, spanning the mighty Mississippi.highways clear of these 25,000 exiting people for
A bridge that carried thousands of Twins fans toa few critical hours.
games in the Metrodome. A bridge, which carriedAnd so the Twins played ball. To the disbelief of
many of the Twins players, coaches and officepeople and reporters around the country, the
staff to work and back home.Twins went ahead with their game. They did not
The news reached the Twins office about 6:30.know, at first, of the request by the Minnesota
And suddenly, the stunned Twins staff wasDepartment of Public Safety to do just that; to
grappling with a decision on whether to playplay ball.