Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• The Minnesota Pipers blew a 19-point lead en route to a 100-97 loss to the Miami Floridians in American Basketball Association action. Chico Vaughn’s 29 points led the Pipers.

• Former University of Minnesota All-American hockey player John Mayasich, who also competed on two Olympic teams for the United States, was named the head coach of the 1969 U.S. national hockey team that was to play in the World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. He was coach of the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the United States Hockey League at the time.

• After winning a gold medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics and signing a $500,000 professional contract, 19-year-old figure skater Peggy Fleming was named the Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• Scott Bruns scored 28 points to lead the Alden-Conger boys’ basketball team to a 73-66 victory over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton to give the Knights a season sweep over the Bulldogs.

• The Full Draw Archery Club was sponsoring a tournament with the proceeds to benefit multiple sclerosis.

• The Albert Lea Junior Gold hockey team picked up two wins with a 4-3 victory over Fairmont and a 4-2 win over Worthington. Its third game of the weekend against Windom was suspended after two periods with the Junior Gold trailing 3-1 when the ice broke up at City Arena.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• The Albert Lea High School dance team earned first place in the high kick competition at the Eden Prairie invitational.

• Tyler Prihoda’s four goals led the Albert Lea boys’ hockey team to a 10-2 victory over Mankato East at City Arena.

• Abbey Arends and Morgan Stadheim each scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Albert Lea girls’ basketball team defeated Winona 71-57.

 

This year

• Three-time state champion Garrett Aldrich, a 2017 graduate of Albert Lea High School, is a redshirt freshman for the St. Cloud State Huskies wrestling team. He has a 3-1 record, including two falls, for the Huskies, who stand 15-0 on the season.