Christopher Gates has been the lead writer at The Daily Norseman since the site launched in July of 2006, covering the Minnesota Vikings day in and day out.
With the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special being aired this evening, it’s time to take a look back at when a member of the Minnesota Vikings became a part of that show’s long and illustrious history.
The date was 29 January 1977, and SNL was still in its infancy. On that date, Fran Tarkenton, Sir Francis of Bloomington, blessed be his name, became the first professional athlete to ever host the show, along with musical guest Leo Sayer.