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Park Bench Perspective in St. Louis Park: Roads, Memories, and Mapping the Twin Cities

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer record the Park Bench Perspective podcast from a literal bench at Blackstone Park in St. Louis Park by the Paige Bueckers courts, joking about aging and recalling how the area has changed from open fields to apartments. They reminisce about childhood baseball ground rules, schools seeming smaller over time, and decades-long Twin Cities road construction, discussing the post–World War II interstate system and renumbered roads like Highway 12 becoming 394 and 169 once being County Road 18. They note local changes such as Cooper’s becoming The Local, new housing developments, and roundabouts, and talk about how people adapt to change and mentally “map” places without phones. Stories include getting directions from a cop while lost, confusion over St. Paul’s street layout, a curb-damaged tire on a first St. Paul job, and how music triggers memories. They also riff on McDonald’s consistency, Super Size Me, South Park, weed-store business pressures, birthdays, and plans for more guests and community episodes.

00:00 Park Bench Perspective
00:31 Reunion Banter
01:01 Blackstone Park Courts
01:41 The 15th Man Story
02:50 Baseball Field Memories
04:10 Roadwork And Commutes
05:09 Teachers And Aging
06:10 Interstates And Farmland
07:07 St Louis Park Changes
08:24 Late Night Food Spots
09:20 Roundabouts And Change
10:58 Mental Maps And Buses
12:37 Exit Numbers Debate
13:50 Lost And Pulled Over
15:38 PSA About St Paul
15:58 St Paul Street Numbers
17:10 Why Cities Grow Outward
17:42 Old School Construction Tales
18:41 Real Estate Behind Brands
19:28 McDonalds Consistency Debate
21:22 South Park Jared Parody
22:50 Names That Aged Badly
23:45 Pierced Ear to St Paul Misery
26:06 Music Memory Time Travel
26:58 South Park Podcast Pitch
28:16 Weed Stores and NFT Hype
28:55 Bench Talk Wrap Up

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Ballpark Barrister

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Reuniting with John Bigelow: Cedar Manor Memories, St. Louis Park, and Life After High School

Hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa welcome longtime friend John Bigelow to the “proverbial bench” to reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park, especially their Cedar Manor and St. Louis Park High School years. John shares his neighborhood roots, family stories about his surname, and memories ranging from movie theater hangouts and concerts to being homecoming king and throwing a huge party. They discuss John’s legal career—moving from family law to estate planning and closing trusts after his late wife’s death—plus thoughts on AI’s impact on the profession. Conversation also covers UMD/Duluth winters and driving on icy hills, changing car safety and self-reliance, appreciation for teachers, Gen X childhood freedom with community supervision, and how neighborliness and community culture have shifted over time.

00:00 Bench Reunion Begins
00:20 Meet John Bigelow
00:48 Cedar Manor Memories
01:18 Names and Old Friends
03:07 Movie Theater Hookups
04:10 Homecoming King Chaos
06:20 Law Career and Estate Work
08:00 Music and First Concerts
11:29 College and Law School Talk
12:49 AI and the Legal Future
14:29 Duluth Winters and Icy Hills
17:15 Big Cars and Roadside Skills
18:50 Invading Cedar Manor Stories
20:23 Teachers We Remember
21:20 Halverson Basketball Showdown
21:36 Growing Respect For Teachers
23:07 Classroom Experiment Gone Wrong
24:51 Gym Class Parachute Days
25:04 Why St Louis Park Ruled
27:17 Gen X Timing Secret Sauce
30:49 Neighbors Then And Now
32:24 Running For Office Jokes
33:52 80s Nostalgia And Going Back
35:09 Music Teachers And Side Jobs
37:08 Wrap Up And Goodbyes

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You can find Carlos's Substack at

Ballpark Barrister

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St. Louis Park Roots, Minnesota Wild Hockey, and Remembering Marty Hammer with Kevin Falness

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer host Park Bench Perspectives with guest Kevin Falness (St. Louis Park class of 1990), discussing their shared St. Louis Park roots and community pride. Falness recounts being born and raised in St. Louis Park, attending Susan Lindgren, Peter Hobart, and the high school, briefly living in Denver (1995–2000), then returning to raise a family nearby. He describes his radio career, including working for the Minnesota Wild since July 2000 and on KFAN (including Beyond the Pond with Pat Micheletti), and outlines where to find his broadcasts and content. The conversation covers Minnesota sports frustrations, the Wild’s outlook and key players, and the competitiveness of the NHL Central Division. They also reflect on college hockey’s Big Ten shift and NIL’s disruptive impact. The episode closes with heartfelt memories of Marty Hammer and Falness’s role at his funeral.

00:00 Welcome to the Bench
01:46 St Louis Park Roots
02:03 Schools and Growing Up
03:50 Radio and the Wild
04:46 Old Schools Feel Tiny
05:26 High School Hall of Fame
07:04 Minnesota Sports Heartbreak
09:43 Why This Wild Team
11:46 Bill Guerin Stories
13:36 Remembering Marty Hammer
16:18 Golf Memories and Legacy
18:45 Marty the Athlete
19:25 Making Hockey Affordable
20:43 Park Hockey Reality Check
22:23 Small Town Sports Pool
23:08 Diversity in St Louis Park
23:55 Where to Hear Kevin
26:53 Gophers Attendance Rebound
28:13 NIL Breaks College Sports
31:02 Donors and Buying Titles
32:01 Wild Window and Injuries
34:49 Back to Park Memories
36:17 Wrap Up and Marty Tribute

Support the show

You can find Carlos's Substack at

Ballpark Barrister