About Mark Bingham
Mark was a successful public relations executive who’d played rugby for the perennial national champions, UC Berkeley. His love of the game led him to help establish Fog RFC. The Fog, in contrast to his previous teams, was a newly formed club that hoped to join the competitive Northern California Rugby Football Union (NCRFU) as its first team geared primarily toward gay men and men of color.
Most of the Fog were complete novices to the game, but Mark started showing up anyway. He coached, cajoled, and crashed through their practices, and played No. 8 in their first two friendly matches. He also played in their first tournament (where he promptly dislocated his shoulder). He taught his teammates his favorite rugby songs and made them feel like we were part of something bigger than themselves. That was early 2001.
Over the summer the Fog gained entry into the NCRFU. Mark, traveling in Europe, let them know how proud he was of the club’s achievement. He explained that in being a part of a rugby team comprised entirely of gay men, he “finally felt accepted as a gay man and a rugby player.” His two worlds were one for the first time.
Mark never got another opportunity to play for the Fog. He was aboard United flight 93 when it crashed in rural Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.
Rugby gave Mark the opportunity to be his true self: a gay man, an athlete, a friend, a son...and our brother. The best way for us to honor his memory is to carry on the amazing legacy he left behind.
Mayhem RFC
The Minneapolis Mayhem Rugby Football Club is one of the nation’s few male rugby clubs that makes the sport accessible to traditionally underrepresented groups, including gay men. Our goal is to foster local, regional, national and international participation and competition in the game of Rugby Union Football, and to create an environment where members of the community can learn the laws and practice of Rugby, thus improving their capabilities as players.
Since forming in 2005, Mayhem RFC has been fortunate enough to play against teams from Minnesota, across the country, and around the world. Mayhem RFC is a member of the Minnesota Rugby Football Union (MNRFU), the Midwest Rugby Union, USA Rugby, and the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB).
Mayhem RFC competed at The Bingham Cup tournaments in New York and Dublin, finishing third in the Plate Division in 2008. After that experience, Mayhem RFC bid to host Bingham Cup 2010 in Minneapolis. In January 2009, they were awarded hosting rights and Bingham Cup 2010 looks to be the best tournament to date.
Our history may be brief, but our team continues to build our skills as players, our bond as teammates and our relationships as friends. Our goal is simple: play rugby, have fun and keep moving forward.
Tahi! Rua! Toru! Mayhem! Mayhem! Mayhem!
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Minneapolis
There’s no place quite like Minneapolis. It’s a city of amazing contrasts and combinations. Where down-home people meet uptown style. Where below-zero temperature meets above-average intelligence. Where modern glass architecture meets outdoor green adventure. Where every season, every art and every type meet in every possible way.
With beautiful surroundings and plenty to do, Minneapolis is an exhilarating place to spend a few days. The one-of-a-kind theater scene sells more theater tickets per capita than any U.S. city, while the city’s 22 lakes provide recreation year-round.
A lush green environment combined with contemporary architecture makes the city a unique combination of natural beauty and sophistication. Upscale shopping and sidewalk dining paired with cultural and family activities make the City of Lakes a wonderful place to visit or live.
For more information about Minneapolis, please visit Meet Minneapolis
Accommodations
Marriott Center
Enjoy the revitalized atmosphere of this sophisticated Minneapolis, MN hotel, offering newly renovated guest rooms expertly blending comfort with contemporary design, while boasting modern conveniences and stunning city views. Over 33,000 square feet of innovative meeting and event space creates an unparalleled environment for successful business engagements and stunning social gatherings. Located in the heart of downtown, this delightful Minneapolis, Minnesota hotel is connected to the vibrant shopping, entertainment, and business districts through the world famous skyway system. Easy access to the Twin Cities’ top attractions, including the Metrodome, Target Center, Minneapolis Convention Center, Block E, and the historic Theatre District, positions this luxurious hotel in downtown Minneapolis as the center of it all.
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Radisson Hotel Plaza
With a prime location in the heart of downtown Minneapolis just steps away from shopping and entertainment, the Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis offers warm hospitality, an inviting atmosphere and stylish accommodations. As Radisson’s flagship hotel, this four star Minneapolis hotel is sure to pamper guests with luxurious amenities and services.
Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, the exquisite Hilton Minneapolis hotel is perfect for guests traveling to Minneapolis on business or for pleasure. An elegant Victorian brick building rising twenty-five stories above one of America’s top cities, the hotel offers a range of in-house amenities and is ideally situated to access the city’s top attractions.
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