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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

10 years

• A grand slam in the seventh inning by Kassi Hardies and a solo home run by Haley Schroeder broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Albert Tigers softball team a 7-2 win over Owatonna in their season opener.
• The Albert Lea boys’ tennis team improved to 2-1 on the season under coach Tom Dyrdal with a 6-1 win over New Prague. Taylor Herfindahl, Cole Keyeski and Matt Carlson all won their singles matches for the Tigers.
• Union College of Schenectady New York captured the NCAA hockey championship with a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Gophers. Justin Kloos, Sam Warning, Taylor Cammarata and Hudson Fasching scored for the Gophers.
• Bryn Woodside took first place in the 400-meter dash and second in the 200 meter-dash to lead the Albert Lea girls’ track and field team to a second-place finish behind Owatonna in their only home meet of the season.

20 years

• The Albert Lea boys’ golf team under coach Matt Addington opened their season shooting a 308 to take first place in the eight-team New Prague Invitational. Ross Stadheim led the Tigers with a 1-over-par 72.
• The Albert Lea Tigers baseball team recorded their first win of the season with an 8-4 win over Faribault in the first game of a doubleheader at Hayek Field. Brandon Klukow pitched a complete game six-hitter to pick up the win.
• The Glenville-Emmons baseball team under coach Louie Toulouse improved to 3-0 on the season with a 5-4 non-conference win over Blooming Prairie. Michael Yocum’s single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Michael Greibrok with the game’s winning run.
• The Glenville-Emmons girls’ golf team went to 2-0 on the season with a 272-274 win over Lyle-Pacelli at the Northwood Country Club. Kara Honsey shot a 66 to lead the Wolverines.

50 years

• Star Music won the senior boys’ division at the Albert Lea City Bowling Tournament. Team members included Bob Marquardt, Scott Hogan, Mike Curry, Kevin Boyer and Al Brooks.
• In a non-conference opener at Hayek Park, the Austin Packers baseball team defeated the Tigers 10-6 in eight innings. Junior Dave Berg homered for the Tigers in the loss.
• Herb Brooks, who had just coached the University of Minnesota hockey team to an NCAA Championship was scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Albert Lea High School hockey banquet that was being held at the VFW. Steak dinner tickets for the event were $4 each.
• The Albert Lea High School tennis team was defeated by Blue Earth 5-0 in their season opener. The No. 1 doubles team of Steve Erickson and Dave Hanson fell 6-3 and 6-4 in their match.
• University of Minnesota football coach Cal Stoll was the featured speaker at the annual Alden-Conger High School athletic banquet. Tony Politz was awarded the Most Valuable Player in football and basketball.
• The Arrowhead Golf Course in Emmons was advertising annual green fees for a family of $135.75. A weekday round of golf on the nine-hole course was $2.75.
• The Dallas Cowboys lost quarterback Craig Morton when he announced he was signing with the Houston Texans of the World Football League. Calvin Hill also announced he was signing with the leagues’ Honolulu Hawaiians.
• The Albert Lea High School track team traveled to Winona and defeated the Winhawks 101-46. Rich Wendorff took first place in the mile with a time of 4:54.3.

A look back
In 1960, Albert Lea High School announced an expanded baseball program would hit the field with varsity and b-squad teams. In the previous year, Paul Ehrhardt had led a Tigers team into their first year of baseball in many years and ended with a record of 3-4 in the conference.