MINNESOTA TWINS, TREASURE ISLAND RESORT & CASINO AND
PRAIRIE ISLAND INDIAN COMMUNITY UNVEIL CUSTOM DESIGNED,
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE BASEBALL GLOVE
Limited-edition Franklin gloves will be given away to the first 5,000 fans in attendance for the
Twins’ annual Native American Heritage Night on August 31 at Target Field
For images, video and an infographic, please click here (password: twins)
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins, Treasure Island Resort & Casino and the Prairie Island Indian Community today proudly unveiled a first-of-its-kind Franklin baseball glove celebrating Native American Heritage and the unifying power of baseball in our state, Mni Šota Makoce. The gloves, custom designed by the Treasure Island creative team in conjunction with the Prairie Island Indian Community, will be given away to the first 5,000 fans in attendance for the annual Native American Heritage Night at Target Field, set for Saturday, August 31 when the Twins host the Toronto Blue Jays. An additional 1,000 gloves will be distributed by the Minnesota Twins Community Fund to youth throughout the region via a to-be-determined program in collaboration with Treasure Island and the Prairie Island Indian Community.
Tickets for the August 31 Native American Heritage Night, presented by the Prairie Island Indian Community, are available online at twins.com/tickets, via phone by calling 1-800-33-TWINS, or in person at the Target Field ticket office. First pitch for the Twins vs. Blue Jays is set for 6:10 p.m. that night, with gates opening at 4:00 p.m.
“Dakota heritage is our state’s heritage, and we are proud to celebrate the Prairie Island Indian Community and help spread the joy of baseball through these amazing gloves,” said Kristin Rortvedt, Executive Director of the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. “We are grateful to our partners at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, the Prairie Island Indian Community and Franklin for creating this special representation of the Dakota Oyate and other indigenous people. We’re excited to host Native American Heritage Night at Target Field on August 31, and we look forward to seeing these custom gloves on ballfields throughout the region!”
“Our partnership with the Minnesota Twins creates a perfect opportunity to celebrate and share our Dakota heritage and culture with our neighbors,” said Grant Johnson, Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council President. “Sports are a great unifier and events like Native American Heritage Night and the custom-glove giveaway help us connect and build a stronger community.”
Design details and inspirations for the Native American Heritage celebration glove are outlined below.
- Mni Šota Makoce: Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for this region, Mni Šota Makoce, “the land where the waters reflect the skies.” The outside of the glove features “Mni Šota” in the font and style of the “Minnesota” lettering that adorns the front of the Twins’ road grey and alternate navy jerseys.
- Eagle: The glove also features the eagle, a sacred symbol to Dakota communities for carrying prayers to the Creator. Having been in the presence of the Creator, eagles, and their feathers, are considered a blessing.
- Star Quilt: A design reminiscent of pieces of a star quilt is shown on the palm. Star quilts are considered by Tribal nations to be an esteemed gift given as a symbol of great reverence for an individual’s contribution and commitment to the community; it represents the morning star and resilience following the depletion of the buffalo.
- Colors: The colors used in the glove’s design are meaningful to the Dakota Oyate as they represent the four cardinal directions: black (west), red (north), yellow (east) and white (south).
- Logos: The glove features the Prairie Island Indian Community seal and the Twins’ “TC” mark.
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