Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago

• Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall was selected with 15 other professional football players to tour Vietnam and the Pacific. They were to visit American serviceman who were hospitalized in that area.

• The Albert Lea B-squad wrestling team defeated Faribault 39-5. Picking up wins for Albert Lea were Steve Tuveson, Jody Doly, Chris Richgels, Bob Behrends, Rick Brua, Steve Botten, Rick Nelson, Bob Pratt, Jim Pappas, John Ruud and Neal Barton.

• The Albert Lea boys’ hockey team was scheduled to play its alumni in a game at the fairgrounds arena. Members of the alumni team included Doyle Freemyer, Gary Hillman, Tom Tideman, Dick Humphrey, Mark and Paul Jacobson, Mike Dorman, Rod Sorenson and Chuck Wayne.

 

25 years ago

• Linda Hanna rolled games of 235, 236 and 235 for a 706 series in the Keglerettes League at Holiday Lanes. It was the second 700 series for Hanna, who had rolled the only other 700 series in the Albert Lea Women’s Bowling Association’s history.

• In the third-place game at the Austin Holiday Tournament, the Albert Lea junior varsity boys’ basketball team defeated Cambridge 52-46. Adam Conn and Jason Thompson led the Tigers with 13 points each.

• The Albert Lea hockey team defeated Farmington 4-1 in non-conference action at Albert Lea City Arena. Chris Baas scored twice for the Tigers, with Jeff Hagedorn and Adam Kunutson each scoring once. With the win, the Tigers were 6-3 on the year.

 

10 years ago

• Quarterback Adam Weber threw for 261 yards, but it wasn’t enough, as the Minnesota Gophers football team fell 14-13 to Iowa State in the Insight Bowl played in Tempe, Arizona. It was the third loss for the Gophers at the Insight Bowl.

• Tanner Wichmann, Megan Kortan and Toni Chicos were winners in the annual Albert Lea Knights of Columbus free throw competition.

• Albert Lea boys’ hockey coach Roy Nystrom was preparing his team for a trip north to Minnesota’s Iron Range, where the Tigers were slated to play Hibbing and Virginia.

 

This year

• It was nice to hear from 1976 Albert Lea High School graduate Dwight Gingerich, who I featured in the 25 years segment last week. After coaching wrestling at Rochester Mayo, he led the Pine Island program for four years and is currently a volunteer coach with Mayo.