Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1968

• Undefeated Detroit University and its 1968 Olympic gold medalist Spencer Haywood were preparing to face the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team in a game slated to be played at Williams Arena.

• Joe Namath and the New York Jets won their first American Football League championship by defeating the Oakland Raiders 27-23. The Jets were headed to Miami to face the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl.

• In a game played at Met Center, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota North Stars 5-2. J.P. Parise and Wayne Connelly scored for the North Stars, who fell to 9-20-6 with the loss.

 

25 years ago: 1993

• The Albert Lea Bantam hockey team was preparing to head to Canada to participate in the four-day Kinsmen LSMHA “AA” Christmas hockey tournament near Winnipeg. The team was coached by Tom Larson.

• Three Albert Lea teams were preparing for opening round games in holiday tournaments. The boys’ basketball team was facing Bloomington Kennedy in the Burnsville Invitational. The girls’ basketball team was playing White Bear Lake in the White Bear Lake Invitational and the boys’ hockey team was playing St. Louis Park in the fifth annual Bob Nelson Holiday classic, hosted by Blake Academy.

 

10 years ago: 2008

• The Albert Lea Tigers boys’ hockey team opened the Rochester Invitational with a 3-0 win over Holy Family. Tyler Prihoda, Jordan Prescher-Smerud and Blake Adams scored for the Tigers. With the win, the Tigers were 6-1 on the season.

• The Albert Lea Tigers boys’ basketball team opened the four-team Albert Lea Tigers Classic with an 87-66 loss to North Branch. Sean Templeman led the Tigers with 15 points, with Alik Smed adding 12.

• The Albert Lea Tigers girls’ basketball team opened the Albert Lea Tigers Classic with a 57-48 loss to Cannon Falls. Abbey Arends had 18 points for the Tigers, with Alyssa Sager adding 12.

 

This year

• Left-hander Dylan Hoffman, who pitched for the 2018 Albert Lea Lakers, has transferred from Hope University in Fullerton, California, to Waldorf University in Forest City for his senior season. He is the son of former major leaguer infielder Glen Hoffman. The Warriors open their home schedule with a game against Graceland University on March 14 in Forest City.