3500 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis (Walldogs)

Located on the north side of the building that currently houses B-Squad Vintage and Yeti Records, this mural was painted by David and Susie Butler as part of the Walldogs on Nicollet mural project.  Walldogs is a collaboration between the Lyndale and Kingfield Neighborhood Associations.  Ten murals at eight sites along Nicollet Avenue were painted from July 24th-27th, 2008.  It was "one of the largest creations of public art in Minneapolis’ history" (here).
 
This mural commemorates both Nicollet Park and the Minneapolis Millers baseball team.

"Nicollet Park is a former baseball ground located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The ground was home to the minor league Minneapolis Millers of the Western League and later American Association from 1896 to 1955. During its first season (1896) it was officially known as Wright Field name for one of baseball's founding fathers Harry Wright. The wood stadium was replaced by a steel and concrete stadium in 1912. Lights were installed in 1937.

"The ballpark was on a small block bounded by Nicollet Avenue on the east, 31st Street on the south, Blaisdell Avenue on the west and Lake Street (or 30th Street) on the north in the present-day Lyndale neighborhood. Home plate was in the southwest corner. A small ticket office building with a Spanish-style roof stood outside the right field corner, at the Nicollet-31st intersection.

"Joe Hauser hit 69 homers for the Millers in 1933. Ted Williams also made a bit of a splash here in 1938, on his way up to the major leagues, registering 43 round-trippers to lead the league. Willie Mays was enjoyed by the Minneapolis fans for only a month or so in 1951 before the parent club New York Giants rushed the young ballplayer to the big leagues.

"The park also held early National Football League games as the Minneapolis Marines and Minneapolis Red Jackets played some games there during the 1920s. In 1944 the Minneapolis Millerettes of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League called Nicollet Park home. Nicollet Park was also the place that the cereal Wheaties was first advertised. Augsburg College's football team played their home games at Nicollet from 1946 to 1950. The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers played a preseason game on August 29 1948 at Nicollet Park." (here)

Nicollet Park closed in 1955 and was demolished in 1956 after the Millers moved to the Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN. 

The Minneapolis Millers had a heated rivalry with the St. Paul Saints.  Unfortunately, the Millers team folded following their 1960 season after the Minnesota Twins arrived the following year.  In 1994, a new team called the Minneapolis Millers was formed as part of the Great Central League.  They played at Parade Stadium within the confines of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.  Though the league existed for only one season, the new Millers finished in second place.