Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1968

• Ken Ulman fired a 111 over 27 holes to nip Dick Davies by one stroke to win the annual American Legion golf tournament at Green Lea Golf Course.

• Minnesota Gophers football coach Murray Warmath welcomed 80 candidates for the 1968 Gophers football team. The squad featured 26 returning lettermen, including 14 regulars.

• Clinton Jones ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ 52-10 exhibition win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Joe Kapp connected on scoring passes to Gene  Washington and Bill Brown in the win.

 

25 years ago: 1993

• Tom Hestness of Albert Lea advanced to the final round at the Brainerd International Raceway driving a 1990 Dodge Dakota pickup.

• The Albert Lea girls’ tennis team dropped its season opener to Owatonna by a score of 7-0. The team was coached by Tom Dyrdal.

• The Albert Lea girls’ swim and dive team opened the season with a 96-87 victory over Owatonna. Seventh-grader Megan Broskoff won a pair of individual events, including the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle.

 

10 years ago: 2008

• The Albert Lea girls’ tennis team split a pair of matches, losing 5-2 to New Ulm and defeating Marshall 5-2. The No. 2 doubles team of Mikaela Pierson and Erika Blickenderfer won both matches on the day.

• The Albert Lea girls’ volleyball team opened the season with a 3-2 loss against Southland. Kelsey Stolt led the Tigers with 15 kills and Caylee Tennis added 31 assists.

• The Glenville-Emmons girls’ volleyball team opened its season, losing all three games to fourth-ranked Mabel-Canton. Jessie Nelson led the Wolverines with seven digs and Kailey Davis added five.