50 years ago: 1965

• Named to the 1965 Gopher League football team were Tom Misgen, Pat Phillips, Daryl Paulson, Bob Cook, Steve Mork and Barry Ribbe of Ellendale; Jeff Jessen and Mike Minske of New Richland; and Bob Tonolli, Dale Tollefson, Ken Esplan and Keith Ingvalson of Blooming Prairie.

• The Albert Lea wrestling team opened practice for the 1965-66 season with eight returning letter winners: Mark Allen, Chuck Jean, Ken Stencel, Bob Hatch, John Demo, Roger Klukow, Robert Severson and Jerry Lein.

• Coach Maynard Midtgaard of the Northwood basketball team greeted returning letter winners Gary Grundmeier, Bruce Helvick, Gary Christianson, Orville Hogen and Tom Nelson for the 1964-65 season.

• Winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award was Zoilo Versalles of the Minnesota Twins. Zoila had a .273 batting average with 45 doubles, 12 triples, 19 home runs, 77 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.

25 years ago: 1990

• Named to the Southern Minny All-Conference football team from South Central High School were Jon Goerish, Ryan Iverson, Eric Lee, Eric Trytten, David Halverson and Brian Malm. Receiving Southern Minny All-Conference honorable mention were Erik Oppedal, Keith Franks, Jeff Steele, Chris Jensen, Troy Boettcher and Doug Sander.

• The Albert Lea girls’ basketball team opened its season with a 42-36 victory over Fairmont. The Tigers were led by Pam Stoltz with 14 points and Lori Coughlin with 13.

10 years ago: 2005

• Lake Mills coach Jim Boehmer was named the Albert Lea Tribune All-Area volleyball Coach of the Year for the second straight year. His team recorded a 30-7 record and won the North Iowa Conference title for the second straight year.

• Lake Mills junior Megan Pederson was named the Albert Lea Tribune volleyball All-Area Player of the Year. Named to the first team were Alison Anderson, NRHEG; Megan Groskreutz, NRHEG; Dani Jensen, Alden-Conger; Kirsten Thisius, United South Central; Jennie Finer, Lake Mills; and Megan Pederson, Lake Mills.