Ton of Money at Twins Parade : Crowd Showers Shredded Currency on Champions

Hundreds of thousands of deliriously happy Minnesota Twins fans showered their heroes with millions of dollars in shredded money and waved the ever-present Homer Hankies in a World Series victory celebration Tuesday.

“I could cry. That is so nice I could cry,” team owner Carl Pohlad said as he rode at the head of the parade.

“I guess this is the grand finale right here,” left fielder Dan Gladden said. “These have got to be the best fans.”

Police estimated that more than 200,000 fans turned out for the start of the parade in Minneapolis and another 200,000 or more watched the parade through St. Paul and a rally on the steps of the Capitol.

But crowd estimates were a crap shoot at best, with more than one police officer estimating a combined crowd of about 1 million for the entire event.

“I have had all sorts of details in my 20 years and I have never had close to the sea of humanity that turned out today,” said John Laux, a deputy chief in the Minneapolis Police Department. “They tried to cooperate as best as they could, but they themselves had no place to go. It was such a mass of humanity.”

No one was reported jailed in Hennepin County in connection with the parade, Hennepin County Deputy Sheriff Stephen Wood said.

At least one reveler was arrested in St. Paul, located in Ramsey County, on a charge of criminal damage to property. “I guess somebody who had too much to drink ripped a license plate off a squad car,” said Capt. Robert Gray, a watch commander.

Gov. Rudy Perpich gave most state employees the afternoon off and many Twin Cities schools followed suit. Perpich proclaimed the rest of 1987 “Twins’ Year,” and promised individual days in honor of each player and members of the team management. He also declared Dec. 5 a special day of recognition for Twin fans and awarded a state flag to each player.

“It’s a sign of this state being together, one family,” Pohlad said. “I think that’s what’s great about this state.”

Pitcher Bert Blyleven said the madness was “the best recognition that any club could ever want.”

“It makes you want to start playing again tomorrow so you can do it again next year,” Blyleven said.

“It’s something that a president deserves,” designated hitter Don Baylor said. “It’s the best I’ve seen. I didn’t get this excited when I hit my home run” that broke open Game 6.

With temperatures in the mid-40s, a brisk wind held the thousands of pounds of confetti in the air. People were hanging from windows, teen-agers climbed traffic lights and construction workers nearly 60 stories above the street waved their hands and placards.

Some 2,000 pounds of out-of-circulation money contributed by the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis was shredded for confetti, said Steven Schussler, a Minneapolis night club owner who provided fodder for the celebration.

There was so much paper that fires erupted under at least three cars, two of which were occupied by Twin players Sal Butera and George Frazier. The players escaped from the cars and coupled up with others in the first leg of the parade.

“Flames were coming out of the sides,” Butera said.

No one was reported injured in the fires.

The parade nearly came to a halt within minutes of its start in Minneapolis as thousands of fans flooded the parade route, blocking traffic. Some 40 to 50 Hennepin County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to clear a path, but the procession could only inch through both downtown areas. Some police officers had their toes run over by cars in the parade as they attempted to hold the crowd back, Laux said.

City Center, a shopping mall in downtown Minneapolis, was closed for about 30 minutes on advice from police, said Suzy Gershow, public relations manager.

The motorcade arrived at the Capitol more than an hour behind schedule because of the crowds. Many of the spectators had been waiting for five hours.

About 300 children separated from their parents during the celebrations were reunited with them with the help of Capitol security, a security spokeswoman said.

Team officials and players, many wearing fur coats and gloves against the cool weather, were introduced to the crowd at the rally. Center fielder Kirby Puckett sported an aviator’s cap with both flaps down and drew one of the largest rounds of applause.

“We’re enjoying the heck out of it,” Twin Manager Tom Kelly said. “It’s been fun, and we appreciate the help you’ve given us all year. We hope to come back and do it again next year.”

Paul Ridgeway, hired to stage the event, said it was the biggest parade in Minneapolis since President Harry Truman’s ticker-tape parade in 1948.

“It’s even beyond my wildest imagination. It’s just unbelievable,” Ridgeway said. “It’s almost spiritual.”