Re-watching Twins win Game 7 in 1987 still a joy

Some fans call it their greatest memory in Minnesota sports history. Game 7, 1987. Twins win. And they won it all, all over again, last night as Fox Sports North rebroadcast the Game 7 World Series clinching game that gave this state its first modern, major pro sports title.

The starting pitcher and catcher from that game — Frank Viola and Tim Laudner — joined Star Tribune journalists and others Tuesday night for a Rewatch Party on startribune.com. If you missed it, you can watch the rewatch it here.

Here are some things we overheard re-watching history:

"Three of the four hits I gave up were on changeups. ... But after that, the last 70 pitches [were almost exclusively] fastballs. That third through eighth inning was a dream."

— Viola

"It was a Harry Houdini!"

— Laudner on how Viola got out of the second inning

"It was not real baseball. You only have a few months of beauty in Minnesota, and we were indoors for it."

— Viola on the Metrodome

"It was a stadium, a multiuse stadium. When it came time to blow that place up, I would have paid a lot of money to push the plunger."

— Laudner on the Dome

"I was lucky to be named MVP. Game 4 eliminated me in my mind. Talk about a total team effort. It wasn't mine. That was everybody's. I can't say I was the difference maker."

— Viola

"The one guy who thought we could contend from Day 1 was Gary Gaetti. He was unflappable, and he voiced that opinion often. He thought we could beat anybody."

— Laudner

"You talk about humongous butterflies. It's what every kid is thinking about growing up: a Game 7 and I got to live it. I wouldn't trade that time for anything. You win a championship with 25 guys you genuinely like, that doesn't happen all that often."

— Viola