Twin Cities games postponed
After shooting of another Black man, teams reschedule
In the raw aftermath of another killing of a Black man by police in Minnesota, there was no place for pro sports in the Twin Cities on Monday.
The Minnesota Twins, Wild and Timberwolves all postponed their games a day after the shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright following a traffic stop in a nearby suburb.
Major League Baseball’s Twins were set to begin a fourgame series against the Boston Red Sox on Monday afternoon at Target Field.
About an hour before the scheduled first pitch and as players warmed up in light rain, the police chief in Brooklyn Center — a city adjacent to Minneapolis where violent protests took place the night before — announced that the shooting was an “accidental discharge,” with the officer involved firing her handgun instead of a stun gun.
The NBA’S Timberwolves called off their game on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets, without immediately announcing when it would be rescheduled.
“Yesterday’s tragic event, involving the life of Daunte Wright, once again leaves our community mourning,” the Timberwolves said, extending sympathy to Wright’s family.
The NHL’S Wild were supposed to host the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. The postponement was made “out of respect for heartbreaking incident” in Brooklyn Center, the team said. That game was rescheduled for May 12.
“I think we all just figured it was the right thing to do,” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced a curfew from 7 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday for the three counties that include Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis and the capital of St. Paul, where the Wild play. The rest of the Red Sox-twins games are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Without a game clock in baseball, plus wet weather in the forecast for Tuesday, there would be no guarantee the games could finish in time if the curfew were extended to additional nights.