metstadium

Metropolitan Stadium seats
Mark Satterstrom
651-674-7777
mark@vendiamo.com

In 1985, when Met Stadium was being demolished, 2500 wooden seats were sold to a high school in Mandan, North Dakota, for a new ballfield they were building. Rows of seats were removed from Met Stadium and loaded onto seven semi trailers. But when they arrived at the building site, the disgusted contractor informed the city that the seats, meant for concrete risers, were far too heavy for the wooden stands they were constructing. Meaning, they could not be used.

An enterprising fellow, Darryl Itrich, purchased them from the city. With the rows laid out, he broke every other seat, which left him with about 1200 individual seats, and a few dozen doubles. He sold them to collectors for many years. Finally, as storage costs began to exceed his sales, Darryl moved the remaining seats to his friend’s farm field, where they stayed for about 6 years.

Then, in August, 2006, I purchased them, and brought them home to Minnesota. Since then I have saved about 40 seats that had most of their original paint intact, and have been slowly refurbishing the rest, a few at a time, to sell to collectors and Twins/Vikings fans. Two of the seats I have refurbished are owned by Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer, and one of those currently resides in his Target Field office. He broadcasted the first game played at the Twins' new Target Field in April, 2010, while sitting on one of those Met seats.

In 2011 my good friend John "JJ" Jensen located a hoard of plastic Met seats that had found their way up north. We purchased them all - about 300 seats, and brought them back to clean, refinish, and offer to collectors and fans of the old Met.

These Metropolitan Stadium seats are very solid, and guaranteed 100% original, including the bolts, nuts, and washers. There were three original colors: of wood seats: green, blue, and teal. I have matched the original colors almost perfectly, but generally offer only blue and green, as they are most popular and show off autographs the best.

Pair of black mounting stands, to turn your Met Stadium seat into a free-standing chair (these come with all necessary bolts, nuts, and washers.) These are for vertical bolt pattern standards, which have the number 3430 on them, or horizontal bolt pattern, which have the number 3450. If in doubt, call before ordering.

Pair of vertical bolt pattern - Standards have number 3430 or 343 (aisle)

Pair of horizontal bolt pattern - Standards have number 3450 or 345 (aisle)

Metropolitan Stadium Seats - Restored

After you order, call or email and tell me what seat number you want.

(Mounting stands included)

Refurbished Blue Wood Seat
Includes pair of black mounting stands
Your choice of number
Available now

Refurbished Green Wood Seat
Includes pair of black mounting stands
Your choice of number
Available now

Metropolitan Stadium Seats - Unrestored
(Mounting stands included)

As-is condition seats. These are the last 3 wood Met Stadium seats I have left that are in original condition. Please call to confirm availability.

#13

#14

Featured autographed Met Stadium seats:
Chuck Foreman 1973-1979 Minnesota Vikings
and
Bud Grant 1967-1983, 1985 Minnesota Vikings Head Coach, NFL Hall of Fame

In 2018, Chuck Foreman signed some refinished wood Met Stadium seats, both green and blue, and added an inscription to each, such as: "We loved Met Stadium," "Cold weather was our best friend," "No heaters at Met Stadium," "Merry Christmas," "Happy Birthday," "Memories of Met Stadium," and so on. Later, I visited Bud Grant, and he added his signature to the seats as well, with the notation: "HOF '94." Bud also signed some plastic Met Stadium seat backs and seat bottoms, which make nice wall displays.

Seats signed and inscribed by Chuck and Bud are $325.00 plus shipping. Please call or email for availability.

Bud Grant signed and inscribed Met Stadium plastic seat backs and seat bottoms

On June 30, 2022, I met with Tommy Kramer, and he signed 25 Met Stadium seats for me. These wood seats are painted Vikings purple, with Vikings yellow standards and stands, and feature Tommy's uniform #9 as the seat number. Autographed top slats are also available, for wall display.

Midway Stadium (I), St. Paul, Minnesota 1957-1981

The first Midway Stadium was the home of the St. Paul Saints of the American Association from 1957–1960. It was located at 1000 North Snelling Avenue, on the east side of that street. It was built with just a small uncovered and presumably expandable grandstand. It was intended to compete with Metropolitan Stadium for attracting a major league baseball team, but the already-larger capacity of "The Met" doomed Midway Stadium. It was abandoned for professional baseball once the Twins arrived in 1961 and displaced both the Saints and the Minneapolis Millers. It was used for by the Minnesota Norsemen professional softball team of the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL) for their 1977-1979 seasons. It was also used as a Minnesota Vikings practice field for the next 20 years, and finally demolished in 1981 to make way for the Energy Park. That development, with all new streets and various buildings, rubbed out any trace of the ballpark's existence.

I have the 3 wood seats, pictured above. The wood is from the original Midway Stadium, built in the mid 1950s in St. Paul, MN. The standards and aluminum bolts are from Metropolitan Stadium, built in Minneapolis at about the same time. The standards have been sandblasted clean and powder coat painted black. The wood is in all original condition, just as it came out of Midway Stadium when it was torn down in 1981. Seats are $400 for one, $750 for 2, or $1100 for all three. They include stands as pictured. Pickup in the North Branch - Harris - Cambridge area. Freight would be extra. Call for availability.