Brainerd fans take in playoffs

MINNEAPOLIS -- Play a baseball game and Keith Peterson will come.

Peterson is one of the most avid baseball fans in central Minnesota. Whether it's a high school, amateur, college or major league game, and no matter the distance, Peterson will drive virtually anywhere to watch.

The Brainerd Warriors' assistant baseball coach makes at least one road trip a summer to watch major league games in the Midwest. Late last summer he traveled to games in Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee.

When the Twins qualified for the division playoffs it made Peterson's decision to purchase tickets automatic.

The price of $730 per ticket for the entire postseason, from the division series through the World Series, didn't deter Peterson. Fans are refunded the price of whatever games are not played.

"The refund process is fairly simple," Peterson said Sunday at the Metrodome.

Late in the regular season he went online and was surprised to find how easy it was to buy tickets. He wound up purchasing four seats in Row 6 of Section 218, between first base and the right-field foul pole, in the upper deck.

"They said they had four seats (in the outfield) but there were also a few in the upper deck here," Peterson said. "It worked a lot better online."

The Brainerd High School social studies teacher was accompanied by his sons, Kevin, 11, and Blake, 9, for Game 4 of the American League Division Series. Also along for Game 4 was BHS English teacher Al Hewitt.

"These are just fine," Hewitt said of the seats. "You would like to be in the lower deck but you can't get access to those.

"These are better than the ones we had last year. You're a little more into the game here than you are in center field."

Last year Hewitt accompanied Peterson to a playoff game when they sat in the upper deck in center field. Peterson's sons also received an opportunity to watch the playoffs in 2002.

"They got a taste of it last year," he said. "We saw Anaheim in the (American League Championship Series). I told them I would try to get tickets this year if (the Twins) got back in the postseason."

With many parking lots gouging customers for as much as $20 in the postseason, Peterson lucked out and found a municipal ramp near the dome charging $5.

"There's a little delay getting out but it's only $5," Peterson said. "You pay $8 to $10 for Gopher football. We thought about parking at a street meter but we forgot to get quarters at our last stop."