Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• It was announced the Minnesota Vikings would have their first ticket price increase in their nine-year history. Reserve seats went from $5 to $6 and south stand seats went from $3 to $4 and were sold on a single-game basis only. Season tickets were selling for $54.

• The Albert Lea B-squad boys’ basketball team defeated Rochester Mayo 52-39. Steve LaVallie led the Tigers with 16 points, with Steve Sorgel and Greg Nelson adding 10.

• Rick Hanson’s free throw with four seconds remaining gave the Alden-Conger Blackhawks a 68-67 win over the Emmons Eagles in Border League action to give them a 7-0 record on the year. Keith VanDeer led Alden with 16 points.

• Jay Gustafson scored 36 points, including a jump shot with five seconds to go, to give the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team a 66-64 win over Rochester Mayo.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• The Albert Lea wrestling team placed fifth in the eight-team Monticello invitational. Sophomore Aron Atig was the lone champion for the Tigers at 140 pounds.

• Travis Weber recorded the shutout in the goal as the Albert Lea A Squirt hockey team got its third win of the season with a 3-0 victory over Farmington.

• The Albert Lea boys’ swim and dive team won the Mayo invitational. The Tigers, ranked third in the state in the Star Tribune coaches poll, took first place in nine of the 12 events. Tony Dahl and Nate Saul each took a pair of individual titles.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• Lauren Klick had the lone goal as the Albert Lea Tigers girls’ hockey team was defeated 5-1 by Rochester Mayo. With the loss, the Tigers were 6-11 on the year.

• Winners of the Albert Lea Knights of Columbus free throw competition were Curtis Dahl, Casie Gilster and Mackenzie LeCore. The trio advanced to the district competition that was held in Wells.

• Colby Strilaeff scored 16 points in the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team’s 76-66 loss to Rochester Century. Colton Zuniga added 12 and Sean Templeman 10.

 

This year

• Eric Nyquist, a 1990 graduate of Albert Lea High School and son of Gary and Kathy Nyquist of Albert Lea, is in his 15th year with the NASCAR organization. He is a senior vice president and chief communications officer, overseeing all strategic operations, media and communications across the sport. Nyquist lives in St. Mary, Florida, with his wife and three children. “The Great American Race” — the Daytona 500 — kicks off the NASCAR season Feb. 17.