34 Years Ago Today the Metrodome Opened in Minnesota

While the Vikings are getting ready to move into their shiny, new billion dollar US Bank Stadium, it was on this date some 34 years ago that the Twins moved into their shiny, new (at the time) home: The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

That's right, the Metrodome hosted its first real game on April 6, 1982, as the Twins battled the Seattle Mariners. (And much like this year, the Twins lost their opener, 11 to 7.) The Metrodome, which was demolished beginning in 2013 to make room for the new US Bank Stadium, was quite the structure when it opened. I mean, it's roof was held up by... air! (Remember how the pressure changed when you'd walk in and out of the doors of the Metrodome?!?)

And, it allowed for every single Twins, Gophers, and Vikings game to be played when scheduled, no matter what the weather was like outside. In fact, while it ultimately seemed a little too sparse and utilitarian to many fans, it remains the only professional sports venue to have hosted  hosted a MLB All-Star Game (1985), a Super Bowl (1992), an NCAA Final Four  (1992 & 2001), and a World Series (1987 & 1991).

I was a kid growing up back in central Wisconsin when the 'Dome opened, but my brother, dad and grandparents all road-tripped over to Minneapolis that summer when the Brewers played the Twins to check out the new, state-of-the-art stadium. I remember thinking how cool it was that we didn't have to worry about the game being rained out. Do you have any favorite memories of the Metrodome?