Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

Editor’s note: Due to microfilm not being available, the 25 years ago segment has been replaced with 75 years for the month of September.

 

75 years ago: 1943

• The Wilson Packers, Albert Lea’s entry in the Southern Minny baseball league, defeated Austin 6-2 in a sudden-death game, which clinched their right to enter the state amateur baseball tournament in Owatonna. Gordy West hit one of two home runs for the Packers.

• It was announced the upcoming 1943 World Series would be filmed in a two-reel, 22-minute sound film for distribution to all foreign bases. Hillerich & Bradsby and A.G. Spalding & Bros. sponsored the production.

• Stan Musial of the Cardinals led the Nation League in hitting with a .354 average, Bill Nicholson of the Cubs led in home runs with 22 and Schoolboy Rowe of the Phillies led in wins with a 13-5 record.

 

50 years ago: 1968

• Glenville senior Clark Cipra took top honors in the first annual Arrowhead Country Club golf tournament.

• Rookie Craig Nettles of the Twins, who had just been added to the roster, hit four home runs in three days against the American League-leading Detroit Tigers.

• The Albert Lea cross country team, coached by Jerry Kaphers, placed eighth at the St. Olaf Invitational. Junior Tom Halverson led the Tigers with a time of 10:47.

 

10 years ago: 2008

• Chrissy Monson took second place for the Albert Lea girls’ cross country team at the Mayo Invitational with a time of 32.18. The Tigers finished 12th of 23 teams.

• The Albert Lea girls’ swim and dive team lost 98-83 to Rochester Mayo. Karli Kriewell took first in the diving competition with 159.4 points.

• The Albert Lea boys’ cross country team finished 12th at the Mayo Invitational. Ethan Marquardt led the Tigers with a fifth-place finish.

 

Going on now

• Cody Scherff, a 2014 graduate of Albert Lea High School and son of Duane Scherff and Sheri Jorgensen, is a redshirt senior tight end for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. In the Rebels opener Sept. 1, he caught one pass for three yards in a 42-21 loss to University Southern California in the Los Angeles Coliseum. He is the first Tiger to play Division I football since Dan Kapke at Wisconsin in 1990.