On this day in 1965, the outer Astrodome ceiling was painted because the sun’s glare made fielding fly balls hazardous. The cost of painting it was $20,000. Painting the roof caused the real grass turf to die and spurred the introduction of artificial turf.

So far this season, most of the Minnesota Twins home games have been played in temperatures much closer to 30 degrees than to 70 degrees. Football weather, not baseball weather.

When I first moved to the Twin Cities in 1986, the Minnesota Twins played inside on AstroTurf, the fake grass invented as a solution for the issues painting the Astrodome ceiling had caused 20 years earlier.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and its artificial turf were much maligned by baseball fans. That is why the Twins’ current stadium, Target Field, was built. Fans wanted real grass and real sunlight.

Today, the Minnesota Twins are playing the Cincinnati Reds at 1:10 PM. The game-time temperatures are expected to be in the low 40s. With a little bit of wind, it is going to feel like the 30s.

My wife, Sue, is going to the game today with a friend who grew up in Cincinnati. A month ago, when we got the tickets, I played with the idea of getting a cheap ticket of my own and also going to the game, primarily so I could see Elly De La Cruz play in person again. He is that electric.

Sitting here this morning, I am glad that I did not. Now, if the Twins still played inside on artificial turf or if they had built a stadium with a retractable roof like the Milwaukee Brewers did, I would probably be going. With a retractable roof, you can have it all: real grass, outdoor baseball, and an excuse to go to a baseball game on any day of the year.

But, as you know, the grass is always greener…