The Minnesota Vikings have spent their training camp days at Mankato State University for the last 47 years. That will continue but their home away from the football field will change. Gage Hall has been the dormitory that housed the Vikings teams since 1965. Hot, humid days turned into less hot, still humid nights. Without air conditioning for many of those years, the complete exhaustion from football was the only thing that allowed for some sleep. Despite the hard work on the football field and the brutal heat, the players had many great memories from their time at Mankato. Fireworks, bocce ball with Bud Grant, late night pizza deliveries from Jake's, the usual training camp hijinks. Perhaps the most famous stunt was Keith Millard tossing coach Monte Kiffin off the top of Gage Hall. It was just a mannequin but no one knew that at the time. Good times.
Gage Hall was the tallest building in Mankato. It is no more. Gage Hall was imploded yesterday morning. Hundreds gathered to watch the building come down. 47 years standing and the building came down in seconds. The site will be redeveloped for parking. Two new buildings have already replaced the dormitory after the university decided that it was cheaper to build new, more modern on-campus housing than rehabilitate the old complex. The Vikings were the last to use Gage Hall as it closed following their training camp last summer. Not only was the old dormitory the summer home to the Minnesota Vikings it was the home to more than 50,000 Mankato State students.
Hearing about Gage Hall has been a part of my football summers since the early 1970s. I've never been to Mankato, let alone walk the halls of Gage. I only feel like I have. The players are likely glad to get out of that old building but they must still be a little sad.
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