Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

A couple of weeks ago, my cell phone rang and it was Tribune Managing Editor Sarah Stultz informing me that longtime Sports Memories writer Chuck Anderson was retiring from his weekly column. She was wondering if I would be interested in writing it.

I was in the middle of preparation for the Albert Lea High School Athletic Hall of Fame banquet, and told her I would get back to her. It only took me a couple days to think this would be a fun opportunity for me to share my love of sports history and writing with the readers of the Tribune.

I never thought when I left the advertising department of the Tribune in February 1997 that I would be back doing some work there in one way or another. People still ask me if I work at the Tribune, so now I can say “yes, as a sports columnist.” I still occasionally have dreams of selling advertising, so newspapers must be in my blood. I used to be well-known for pushing deadlines at the paper, but I promise the current staff I will be more efficient.

I am truly looking forward to researching the past 50 years of sports in our area and state. The names I write about are people I have known, competed against, cheered for, did commentary for on KATE and probably coached. It should be tons of fun and I hope you enjoy the column.