Sid!
Encyclopedia
Sid!: The Sports Legends, the Inside Scoops, and the Close Personal Friends is an autobiography of Star Tribune
sports columnist Sid Hartman
. Voyageur Press of Stillwater, Minnesota
published the book in 1997.
The autobiography follows Hartman from his newspaper-selling days in Minneapolis, Minnesota
to his days working in the newspaper industry. It covers almost every aspect about Minnesota sports from 1940 onward.
and the Minnesota Vikings
. He goes in-depth on the Metrodome ideas, and then talks about the success (or lack thereof) of Minnesota teams from 1980s to 1997. Then he talks about his personal life.
In 2007, Voyageur Press released a revised paperback edition of the book, including a new epilogue by Hartman and Reusse discussing the last ten years in Minnesota sports.
The story then progresses to sports, when pro basketball came to Minnesota. He told how newspapers had interest in sports coming to town because it would sell newspapers. He also says that the Lakers had a huge dynasty from 1947-1957 with Mikel and Mikkelson.
He goes on to say that the Twins were a very good team when they even though they thought differently. The Vikings came in 1961 and had a shabby team until Bud Grant came in. He brought the Vikings to 4 Super Bowls and would trust Sid with his life.
He then transitions into saying that the Twins weren't as popular in the 1970s as they were in the 1960s. He says that the biggest mistake Calvin Griffith made was firing Martin. Many practical jokes were played on Sid, and Sid may have been the reason that only a few reporters are allowed to talk to officials.
Then the books goes on to say that the only way the Viking would stay in Minnesota was if a new stadium was built. Calvin was against a dome. Sid was getting death threats in phone calls. They built the Metrodome for football and had the minimum requirements for baseball.
He notes that the Twins were on the verge of going to Tampa Bay when Carl Pohlad
bought the Twins after Twin Cities business owners bought the cheap seats for games to get Calvin Griffith
to resign. After that, the Twins did well. They won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. The Twin Cities got a lot of sporting events in 1991-1992. They had the US Open, the Twins made it to the World Series, the Super Bowl was held in the Metrodome, and the North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.
He goes on to talk about Herb Brooks
and that coached the North Stars and the US Olympic team. In 1980 his Olympic team got the gold medal in hockey.
He talks about the 1997 Gopher basketball team and their success made it to the Final Four.
44 pictures
Revised edition:
48 pictures
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
sports columnist Sid Hartman
Sid Hartman
Sid Hartman is an American sports journalist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the WCCO 830 AM radio station.-Background and early career:A high-school dropout, Hartman received no formal writing training...
. Voyageur Press of Stillwater, Minnesota
Stillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
published the book in 1997.
The autobiography follows Hartman from his newspaper-selling days in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
to his days working in the newspaper industry. It covers almost every aspect about Minnesota sports from 1940 onward.
Overview
This book discusses many of the events in the Minnesota sports scene from 1940 onward. He talks about the Minneapolis Lakers. He then goes on to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. He goes in-depth on the Metrodome ideas, and then talks about the success (or lack thereof) of Minnesota teams from 1980s to 1997. Then he talks about his personal life.
In 2007, Voyageur Press released a revised paperback edition of the book, including a new epilogue by Hartman and Reusse discussing the last ten years in Minnesota sports.
Summary
The book starts by talking about Sid as a kid. Sid did the news run in West Minneapolis after dropping out of high school as a junior. Sid's first reporting job was for the Gophers and was a big supporter of the Lakers.The story then progresses to sports, when pro basketball came to Minnesota. He told how newspapers had interest in sports coming to town because it would sell newspapers. He also says that the Lakers had a huge dynasty from 1947-1957 with Mikel and Mikkelson.
He goes on to say that the Twins were a very good team when they even though they thought differently. The Vikings came in 1961 and had a shabby team until Bud Grant came in. He brought the Vikings to 4 Super Bowls and would trust Sid with his life.
He then transitions into saying that the Twins weren't as popular in the 1970s as they were in the 1960s. He says that the biggest mistake Calvin Griffith made was firing Martin. Many practical jokes were played on Sid, and Sid may have been the reason that only a few reporters are allowed to talk to officials.
Then the books goes on to say that the only way the Viking would stay in Minnesota was if a new stadium was built. Calvin was against a dome. Sid was getting death threats in phone calls. They built the Metrodome for football and had the minimum requirements for baseball.
He notes that the Twins were on the verge of going to Tampa Bay when Carl Pohlad
Carl Pohlad
Carl R. Pohlad was a successful financier and the owner of the Minnesota Twins baseball franchise from 1984 until his death in 2009.-Early life:...
bought the Twins after Twin Cities business owners bought the cheap seats for games to get Calvin Griffith
Calvin Griffith
Calvin Robertson Griffith , born Calvin Robertson in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was a Major League Baseball team owner...
to resign. After that, the Twins did well. They won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. The Twin Cities got a lot of sporting events in 1991-1992. They had the US Open, the Twins made it to the World Series, the Super Bowl was held in the Metrodome, and the North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.
He goes on to talk about Herb Brooks
Herb Brooks
Herbert Paul Brooks, Jr. was an American ice hockey player and coach. He notably coached the United States' men's hockey team to a 4-3 upset of the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York on February 22, 1980...
and that coached the North Stars and the US Olympic team. In 1980 his Olympic team got the gold medal in hockey.
He talks about the 1997 Gopher basketball team and their success made it to the Final Four.
Contents
- Foreword by Bud Grant
- Foreword by Bob Knight
- Preface by Patrick Reusse
- Chapter 1: Getting the Scoop
- Chapter 2: The North Side and Newspaper Alley
- Chapter 3: Breaking into the Business
- Chapter 4: A Reporter's First Love
- Chapter 5: Running the Lakers
- Chapter 6: Becoming Big League
- Chapter 7: Calvin and the Twins
- Chapter 8: Max Winter and the Vikings
- Chapter 9: Bud Grant
- Chapter 10: The Vikings' Town
- Chapter 11: Building the Metrodome
- Chapter 12: Lou Holtz
- Chapter 13: From Buyout to the World Series
- Chapter 14: Sports Capital of the World
- Chapter 15: The Hockey State
- Chapter 16: Hoops: Almost a Career
- Chapter 17: The Final Four
- Chapter 18: Hasley, Cedric, and 'CCO
- Chapter 19: Close Personal Friends
- Chapter 20: The Private Side of Life
- Chapter 21: Jottings
- Chapter 22: They Say
- Epilogue
- Index
Release details
Original edition:44 pictures
Revised edition:
48 pictures