Why is there a red seat hanging in the Mall of America?

When Harmon Killebrew died in 2011, obituaries recalled the statement of former Baltimore Orioles manager Paul Richards: “Killebrew can knock the ball out of any park, including Yellowstone.”

Killebrew’s power resulted in 573 home runs in a 22-year career that spanned from 1954–75. Beginning his career with the Washington Senators, Killebrew did not see much playing time in his early years. Between 1954–58, he played in 113 games, hit 11 home runs, and smacked 57 hits.

In 1959, however, Killebrew’s career launched with enough power to ignite the rockets in NASA’s nascent Mercury program—he was an All-Star, playing in 153 games, smashing 42 home runs, and notching 105 RBI. Killebrew played in 13 All-Star games in his career. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, Killebrew holds the distinction of being the first Twin honored in the hallowed corridors of Cooperstown.

The Washington Senators relocated to Minnesota after the 1960 season and became the Twins. Killebrew, in turn, became a folk hero to the Twin Cities metropolitan region. “You can’t put into words the depth of Killebrew’s meaning to the Twins and to baseball fans in Minnesota,” wrote Scott Miller in “Killebrew was no ‘Killer,’ except when it came to slugging,” Killebrew’s obituary for CBSSports.com. Killebrew played the last year of his career for the Kansas City Royals.

Metropolitan Stadium, the home field for the Twins during Killebrew’s reign of terror on American League pitching, succumbed to the domed stadium craze started by the Houston Astrodome in the mid-1960s. The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis debuted in 1982, serving as the new home for the Twins and the Minnesota Vikings. Consequently, developers razed Metropolitan Stadium. Located in Bloomington, a Minneapolis suburb, the stadium site provided fertile ground for a shopping mall—the Mall of America.

On a wall at the MOA, a red seat from Metropolitan Stadium marks an example of Killebrew’s power. In a game against the California Angels on June 3, 1967, Killebrew knocked a Lew Burdette pitch 522 feet into the spot occupied by the seat. Some sources put the distance at 520 feet. Regardless, it’s the longest home run at Metropolitan Stadium.

Lew Burdette, the answer to the “Who threw the pitch?” trivia question involving Killebrew’s celebrated home run, had a role in another iconic game. On May 26, 1959, Harvey Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a game against the Milwaukee Braves. Burdette matched Haddix, scoring a victory for the Braves when Joe Adcock hit an RBI double in the 13th inning.

Burdette’s career apex was his performance in the 1957 World Series. After a 17–9 season for the Milwaukee Braves, Burdette pitched three complete games against the New York Yankees, including two shutouts. His exploits earned him the World Series MVP Award.

Burdette finished his career with California Angels in 1966–67, appearing as a relief pitcher. According to Baseball Reference, Burdette replaced George Brunet with two outs in the fourth inning of the June 3, 1967 game against the Twins. With second baseman Rod Carew and third baseman Rich Rollins on base—the Nos. 2 and 3 hitters in the Twins lineup, cleanup hitter Harmon Killebrew clocked a Burdette pitch, added three runs to the Twins tally, and created a moment that endures for baseball in the Twin Cities.