Wendell R. Anderson

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Wendell Richard "Wendy" Anderson (February 1, 1933 – July 17, 2016) was an American politician and hockey player who served from 1971 to 1976 as the 33rd governor of Minnesota. In late 1976, he resigned as governor in order to be appointed to the U.S. Senate, after Senator Walter Mondale was elected Vice President of the United States. Anderson served in the Senate for almost two years, but after losing the 1978 Senate election to Rudy Boschwitz, he resigned a few days before the end of his term to give Boschwitz seniority.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Background

Anderson was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1933. He attended Saint Paul's Johnson High School and the University of Minnesota, where he received a B.A. in 1954. He earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1960.

Anderson served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1957, reaching the rank of First Lieutenant.<ref>Former MN Governor Wendell Anderson dies at 83</ref><ref>United States Congressional Serial Set - Volumes 13112-13116</ref> He later served with an intelligence unit in the Army Reserve.<ref>The Legislative manual of the State of Minnesota. ... 1959-1960</ref><ref>Minnesota Legislative Manual 1961-1962</ref><ref>Minnesota Legislative Manual 1963-1964</ref>

Hockey career

From 1951 to 1954, Anderson played defense for the University of Minnesota, where he made two NCAA Frozen Four runs in his final two seasons (the Gophers were defeated in back-to-back championship finals by the Michigan Wolverines and the RPI Bachelors<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>). He was a member of the U.S. hockey team that won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics. Long after his on-ice career ended, he was drafted in 1972 by the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the inaugural World Hockey Association draft, in what was seen as a publicity stunt. (Not to be outdone, another WHA team selected Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin.) Anderson chose to remain governor.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1950–51	St. Paul Johnson High School	USHS		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1951–52	University of Minnesota	MCHL		3	1	1	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
1952–53	University of Minnesota	MCHL		32	2	6	8	26		—	—	—	—	—
1953–54	University of Minnesota	WIHL		28	4	11	15	18		—	—	—	—	—
1954–55	Minneapolis Bungalows	MNHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1961–62	Minneapolis Rebels	USHL Sr.		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
College totals				63	7	19	25	46		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1955	United States	WC	4th		8	2	2	4	5
1956	United States	OLY	Template:Silver2		7	0	1	1	2
Totals					15	2	3	5	7

Political career

Anderson served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1959 to 1963 and in the Minnesota State Senate from 1963 to 1971.<ref name=MLRL>Template:Cite web</ref> He was elected governor of Minnesota in 1970. His signature accomplishment as governor was helping to create the "Minnesota Miracle of 1971", an innovative reform in financing of Minnesota public schools and local governments that created a fairer distribution in taxation and education. For his efforts, Anderson was featured on a 1973 cover of Time magazine.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

After U.S. Senator Walter Mondale was elected vice president in 1976, the governor had to appoint Mondale's successor. Anderson agreed with his lieutenant governor, Rudy Perpich, that Anderson would resign as governor, and Perpich, as the new governor, would appoint Anderson to the Senate.

In what became known as the "Minnesota Massacre", nearly the entire DFL Party ticket was defeated in 1978, including Perpich and the candidates for both U.S. Senate seats, Anderson and Bob Short. Anderson's arrangement to have himself appointed to the Senate—and Perpich's role in that appointment—were deemed central factors in the defeats; Anderson said the move to appoint himself senator was his big mistake.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From 1989 to 2002, Anderson served as honorary consul general of Sweden in Minneapolis.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> From 1995 to 2001, he served as a director for and head of the legal committee of Turbodyne Technologies Inc. (TRBD) in Carpinteria, California. In his later years, he was regularly called upon to act as a commentator on Minnesota politics for local stations such as KSTP-TV.<ref name=MLRL/>

Personal life

Anderson married Mary Christine McKee (1939–2018) of Bemidji, Minnesota, in 1963. They had three children: Amy, Elizabeth, and Brett. They divorced in 1990.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 1970s, Anderson appeared on the TV game show What's My Line? A panel consisting of Gene Rayburn, Arlene Francis, Gene Shalit and Sheila MacRae was unable to guess that he was the governor of Minnesota.

In 1975, two of the Swedish District lodges of the Vasa Order of America selected Anderson as Swedish-American of the Year.<ref>"Wendell R. Anderson" Vasa Order of AmericaTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Anderson died on July 17, 2016, of complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 83.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His cremated remains were buried in Lakewood Cemetery in August 2019.<ref>https://www.lakewoodcemetery.org/burial-result/273924/wendell-r-anderson/</ref>

External links

• Wendell Anderson on the cover of TIME magazine: August 13, 1973
• Template:Find a Grave
• Template:C-SPAN
• Template:Icehockeystats

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