Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• Ron Erickson, Larry Brandt, Bill Nelson and Rick Esse combined for a 5-0 shutout in the Albert Lea Tigers baseball season opener at Fairmont.

• Chuck Jean placed second in the National AAU wrestling tournament in Waterloo. He was defeated in the championship by Leonard Kaufman of the U.S. Army.

• Lea College opened its second season of baseball, dropping a doubleheader to Upper Iowa University. Third baseman Dan Goerdt collected three hits on the day for the Lancers, who were coached by Al Arends.

• John Willmert, Ron Matthews and Dick Hromadko were elected to the Albert Lea Softball Rules and Protest Committee in a meeting of slowpitch, fastpitch and church league managers.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• Anne Chicos of NRHEG was named the Albert Lea Tribune’s girls’ Basketball Player of the Year after leading the Panthers to an 18-8 record.

• The Albert Lea softball team opened its season with a 3-0 loss at Mankato West. Jesse Diaz pitched a complete game for the Tigers, who were coached by Jane Hanson.

• The Glenville-Emmons softball team saw its season record fall to 1-1 on the year when they were defeated 11-1 by Medford. Stephanie Hanson went 2 for 2 with a double for the Wolverines.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• The Albert Lea Tigers softball team fell to 0-3 on the year when it was defeated 5-4 by Rochester Mayo in 10 innings. Jenna Christensen and Lauren Klick each had two hits for the Tigers.

• Albert Lea’s Ben Woodside played three games in the Portsmouth Invitational in Virginia. He was one of 64 of the country’s best senior basketball players selected to play in the tournament.

• The Albert Lea girls’ golf team placed fourth of nine teams at the Benilde-St. Margaret Invitational in Buffalo. Kelly Hansen led the Tigers with an 86 and finished third in the tournament. Megan Pulley shot a 92 to place second for the Tigers.

 

This year

• The eighth annual Border League reunion will be April 20 at Double Play Sports Bar in Blue Earth beginning at 2 p.m. All players, directors, administrators, coaches, officials and fans that participated in the league from 1946 to 1989 are invited to attend the event. Members of all the Bricelyn football teams that played in the league will be honored.