What You Know by T.I. on Grooveshark

This post is dedicated to one of the most loved baseball players that Minnesota has ever seen.  He is our hometown boy, rocks sideburns like no one else can, has T.I. playing when he steps up to bat, has an old school bromance with Justin Morneau, has his mom star in Kemps commercials with him and married a hometown girl he’s known since high school. What’s that?  There’s more???

HE JUST HAD TWIN GIRLS.  You heard that correctly.  Our favorite Minnesota Twin decided to go and have himself twins.  This is probably the sweetest thing ever.  He was pulled last minute from the game on Monday night to race home and get the hospital before these two little girls were born.

Yes, meet Joe Mauer.

I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to tell you this story, but I feel like it’s appropriate today for Fan Friday.  I went to the same high school as Mr. Mauer (and his beautiful wife.)  We were not friends, we were not in the same grade, we did not have any classes together, I cannot get you his autograph today, he would not recognize me now, but we shared one special afternoon. (and yes, I get asked all those questions all the time)

I was a freshman in high school and didn’t really have too many friends yet.  I didn’t come from one of the middle schools that the majority of my grade did, so it took me a little longer to mingle and put myself out there.  I was lucky enough to know some neighborhood kids that would pick me up for school and bring me home afterwards.  Ronnie was my favorite to ride with.  He was kind of a jerk in a big brother like way, but I knew he’d help me out any time I needed anything.

There was one afternoon in September that I needed a ride from him, so I waited by his bright blue Geo Metro (yes, the car that is the size of a teaspoon) in the parking lot for him to finish football practice.  He showed up with another tall kid and said we were dropping him off first so I’d have to crawl in the backseat with their backpacks.  I was a little tiny girl, so I didn’t argue (even though the front seat was so much cooler.)

We started our ride home with football talk.  They asked me a few questions about how my first month of high school was going and then we just listened to the radio.  A few minutes go by and a song comes on the radio that we all know.

Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations on Grooveshark
The two guys in the front seat (both over 6 feet tall) began singing along loudly and I was trying not to laugh while trying to pretend like I knew all the words so I could be cool too.  Just as the song ended, we pulled into an alley and dropped this kid off.  I immediately hopped up to the front seat and asked Ronnie who it was.  He looked at me like I was crazy.  Once he realized I had no idea, he told me to pay attention to that kid.  He told me that he was the “golden boy” and would make millions someday.  He was Joe Mauer.  
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Over the next two years that we were in school together, we said hi in the halls and shared a few more carpools.  I watched him help our football team win the State Championship.  I watched him hit home run after home run in baseball games.  I saw him at other sporting events because he always supported other teams when he could (I’m pretty sure he came to at least one girl’s hockey game while I was there.)  I watched ESPN come to our school for a press conference.  I never really talked to him again, but I’ll never forget that day in the car.
So that’s reason #1540385 why I will always be a Twins fan and I will always be a Joe Mauer fan.  Congrats again to him and his family on their new additions.  This song is dedicated to them, because even though they will be loved by all of MN, they will never actually be real royals.
Royals by Lorde on Grooveshark

Venus Trapped in Mars