June 4, 2001 - As the Minnesota Twins hold a 1/2 game lead in the American League Central and prepare for a series against the Cleveland Indians, Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer talks with sports commentator LaVelle Neal about what the rest of season may hold for the Twins.
June 5, 2001 - MPR's William Wilcoxen reports on The Minnesota Twins making St. Paul's Joe Mauer the first pick in Major League Baseball's 2001 draft of amateur players. Mauer is a three-sport star at Cretin-Derham Hall High School, who is ranked among the best athletes the Twin Cities have ever produced.
June 6, 2001 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Terry Ryan, Minnesota Twins general manager, about the team’s selection of Cretin-Durham Hall catcher Joe Mauer as the first overall pick in the baseball draft.
July 3, 2001 - MPR's William Wilcoxen reports that multiple players on the Minnesota Twins may be chosen for the upcoming 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Halfway through their baseball season the Minnesota Twins are perched at the top of their division, with the second best record in the American League. The strong performance of a team many experts picked to finish last remains the surprise story of the year in baseball.
July 4, 2001 - A day before Independence Day, a record 15,000 soccer fans turned out at the National Sports Center to wave Old Glory and cheer the U.S. national women's team in its 1-0 victory over Canada in a holiday exhibition match. MPR’s William Wilcoxen captures the day.
July 6, 2001 - MPR’s Kamoi Goetz profiles the 21st annual Hmong International Freedom Festival sports competition in St. Paul. 25,000 people are expected at the two-day festival which features a parade, food and souvenir booths, and sports competitions. Hmong youth from across the country will compete with Minnesota athletes in soccer, volleyball…and Takraw, a sport that blends aspects of both volleyball and soccer.
July 9, 2001 - The Minnesota Twins will send three players to the All-Star Game. It's the first time since 1996 that the team has sent more than one player to the game. Pitchers Joe Mays and Eric Milton, and shortstop Christian Guzman have led the surprising Twins this year. LaVelle Neal provides commentary about the team’s success in first half of 2001.
July 11, 2001 - What a difference a year can make. The Twins come out of this year's All-Star Break in first place, with a five game lead over Cleveland in the Central Division. Last year at this time, Minnesota was 18 1/2 games behind first place. Baseball analyst Kevin Hennessy credits a combination of great pitching and some well-timed offense.
August 2, 2001 - MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner has been thinking about MInnesota Viking Korey Stringer's death. It reminded him of a 100-year-old poem by A.E. Housman.
August 3, 2001 - Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield will be inducted into the Hall and Midday has a Baseball Hall of Fame extravaganza to preview the event with the recorded words of Kirby Puckett himself, sports analyst Howard Sinker live from Cooperstown, and comments from MPR listeners.