Land of 10,000 Aches: A History of Minnesota Meltdowns

Professional sports returned to Minnesota in 1961, a year after one of the most successful pro sports franchises left Minneapolis for Los Angeles in 1960. Since then, a history of last-second losses, historically bad teams, draft busts, missed calls, terrible trades, disappointing playoff runs, blown leads, under-qualified front office staff and coaches and untimely injuries. Yet, this fan base stays loyal. For some reason. 'Land of 10,000 Aches' goes deeper into the most heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, soul-crushing, even-I-could-make-that-field-goal moments in Minnesota sports history with first-hand accounts from players, coaches and fans. Everybody remembers where they were for the good things: the Minneapolis Miracle, Kirby Puckett's Game Six home run. But were you face down in disbelief when Garrett Hartley kicked the Saints to the Super Bowl? Or forced into an emotional fetal position watching the Eagles hang 38 unanswered points on the NFL's best defense? Until names like Sal Bando, Ron Schock, Claude Osteen, Ed Thorp, Gordie Peterkin and Sergei Krivokrasov make your stomach turn, you have a long drop into the doldrums of Minnesota melancholy. This book is your guide down.

Zeke Fuhrman has had a love-hate relationship with Minnesota sports since he was born at the end of Spring Training in 1987. While he was technically alive for two Twins World Series championships, he doesn’t remember much about them, let alone the pure elation that happens when your team wins a championship. He doesn’t know anything about that. You can hear Zeke on the radio in west central Minnesota, waking up Lakes Country on Wave 104.1 then hosting the KDLM Sports Wrap on the iconic 1340 KDLM. Follow him on Twitter @JustTheRadioGuy. He lives in Detroit Lakes with his wife and two kids. No, he didn’t go to high school with Adam Thielen. Yes, this is his first book.