Saturday, May 23 the Minnesota Twins lost their biggest fan. I lost my best friend, my hero, my Mom — Alice Anne Davis Snyder.

Losing my Dad at such a young age helped forge a bond between my Mother and me. A bond about a baseball team we called our very own for over 40 years, our beloved Twinkies.

Some say it is just a game, but whose Mom would call in the middle of the game to say “Did you see that?” or “I can’t believe they are putting him in to pitch”?  Those quick exchanges were our way of telling each other everything else was going to be okay; we had a baseball game to win.

You were  the best judge of character and talent, better than anybody working as a major league scout. You would pick out your favorite players and stick with them through thick and thin all season long, just like a Mom would do.

I am sure Eddie “Every Day” Guardado, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel knew how hard you were rooting for them over the years. I know how hard you rooted for me.

It will never be the same again turning the corner to your house without hearing the Twins game from a couple of blocks away. Thank goodness Rich and Tracy loved baseball like you did.

I will never forget the joy of 1987 and 1991. Wasn’t it a rush to have them call our team, World Champions!

I truly believe the Twins new ball park next year, has no roof on it so my Mom can watch her beloved Twins from the best seat in the house.

All of our trips growing up were planned around a baseball game just for me. Getting to see the Baseball Hall of Fame, along with the Football and Basketball ones, all in one summer along with the All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium, still count as one of my favorite things we did.  

Thanks for always taking the time to play wiffle ball with me in the backyard. As busy as you were, you always had time to throw me the ball.

Thanks for being the best Mom a guy could have. For teaching me right from wrong,  for instilling passion and loyalty in me, the joy of competing and for your love of sports. 

I will cherish every Twins win like it is their last, until the next one, with your granddaughter and Hillary who somehow became  Twins fan too. I wonder why.

WIN TWINS

Your loving and grateful son,

Lenn