Twins confirm engagement

Several inches of snow had fallen, the temperature was barely above zero and Elyites could be forgiven if baseball was the furthest thing from their minds on a weekday afternoon in mid-January earlier this year.But when the Minnesota Twins brought their winter caravan to Ely on just such a day, they were greeted by more than 200 area residents at a noon luncheon and a packed house of excited Ely school students at Washington Auditorium.That kind of enthusiasm ensured that the Twins would return to Ely for their 2005 winter tour of the upper Midwest.Earlier this month, the Twins locked up plans for their Ely visit, set for Tuesday, Jan. 18.The highlight includes a noon lunch program at Grand Ely Lodge, and plans are in the works for the Twins to make a return trip to the school, as well.The lineup of Twins personnel, released by the team last week, includes outfielder Lew Ford, pitcher Grant Balfour, Twins legend and current radio announcer Dan Gladden, television announcer Clay Matvick, and probably one other player.They’ll visit Virginia and Mt. Iron earlier in the day and Grand Rapids that evening, but Twins representatives said they made sure they fit Ely into the itinerary as well, after the show of support at this year’s event, which featured manager Ron Gardenhire, legend Tony Oliva and former third baseman Corey Koskie.“Ely had a great, great stop and we certainly wanted to come back up there again,” said Andrea Knutson, community affairs coordinator for the Twins. “We want to do our best and visit as many outstate, northern Minnesota communities as we can.”Once again, Ely’s baseball facility and the local youth baseball organization stand to benefit from the Twins’ appearance.The lunch at Grand Ely Lodge will double as a fundraiser for the Ely Baseball Association, which sponsors four area youth teams.Tickets are $20 apiece, and local businesses may sponsor a table for $150, which includes eight tickets to the event and the guarantee of four tickets to a 2005 Twins home game.For the EBA, the event fit in with plans for a winter fundraiser. The organization spends about $25,000 annually on summer baseball, and is in the midst of raising another $70,000 to complete its obligation for the new lighting system at the baseball field.“We’re thrilled and grateful that the Twins have once again agreed to work with us to help raise money for youth baseball in Ely,” said EBA President Clarence Jordan. “It should be a great day for baseball fans of all ages.”Knutson said the winter events allow the Twins to reach out to a fan base that extends throughout the upper Midwest.“Our ultimate goal is to visit as many communities as possible,” said Knutson. “We visit many communities in the Twin Cities during the season, and the caravan allows us to really get the opportunity to get out and visit more of our fans.”Elyites will have a chance to meet a Twins contingent headed by Ford, who burst into the starting lineup in 2004 and helped spark the American League Central Division champions’ offense.Balfour worked both as a starting pitcher and out of the bullpen.Two members of the Twins broadcast team are also slated to come to Ely. Gladden, part of Minnesota’s 1987 and 1991 world championship teams, now works on the Twins’ radio network while Matvick is part of the Fox Sports Net television team.Another player may also be added to the lineup.They are one of four separate Twins contingents who will trek throughout a five-state area, combining to make nearly 50 stops in two weeks.The Twins will sign autographs, mingle with fans and show a highlight video of the 2004 season during their stop at the Grand Ely Lodge.Admission also includes a buffet lunch and the chance to win several door prizes, including tickets to several 2004 Twins home games.Organizers have also included the special package for local business owners or organizations.“We hope to get a lot of businesses involved,” said Jordan. “They can take their employees to lunch or give tickets out to their customers, and they can support local baseball at the same time.”In existence for nearly 20 years, the Twins’ winter caravan has included stops in Hibbing and Virginia in recent years and a visit to Fortune Bay Resort in 2002.But last year’s event is believed to be the first time the caravan has come to Ely.Local radio station WELY, which carries Twins games, played a key role in the decision to include Ely last year and the radio station joins Grand Ely Lodge and the Ely Echo as event sponsors.