Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• Jim Johnson tossed a one-hitter and tripled in two runs to lead the Albert Lea B squad baseball team to a 12-0 victory over Wells at Southwest Fields.

• Larry Brandt’s double that scored Dan Fahrman in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Albert Lea varsity baseball team a 3-2 victory over Wells. Brandt was also credited with the win in relief of starting pitcher Bill Nelson.

• After he was informed by manager Billy Martin 10 minutes before the start of the game that he would be starting, pitcher Tom Hall struck out nine batters in six innings to help the Minnesota Twins defeat the Seattle Pilots 6-4. Hall also collected his first two hits and first two runs scored of his career in the victory.

• Minnesota Vikings fullback Bill Brown officially became a free agent after playing out his option after taking a 10% paycut to play the previous season. He eventually re-signed and went on to play with the Vikings through the 1974 season.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• In a banquet at Union Center, Verne Hall, Davis Gilbertson, Lowell Doppelhammer, Ken Niebuhr, Ervin Torgerson and Charles Zoller were inducted into the Freeborn County Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame.

• The Albert Lea boys’ track and field team captured a triangular meet at Hammer Field with wins over Mankato West and Owatonna. Bennett Drenth, Adam Conn, Scott Conn, Nate Jenson and Aaron Larson all had first-place finishes for the Tigers.

• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Carrie Westland capped off a five-run rally with a line drive single that scored Jenny Frame in the Tigers’ 7-6 victory over Waseca in non-conference softball action played at Snyder Field.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• The Albert Lea girls’ golf team won a triangular against Mankato East and Winona that was played at Green Lea Golf Course. With the win, the Tigers improved to 7-0 on the year. Kelli Hanson shot a 79 with Megan Pulley carding an 86 to lead the Tigers.

• Spencer Niebuhr drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh to lead the Alden-Conger Knights to a 12-11 victory over Lyle-Pacelli. Niebuhr finished the day 4-5 with 5 RBIs.

• The Albert Lea boys’ baseball team only got two hits in an 8-3 loss to Rochester Mayo. Aaron Klatt, Connor Kortan and Jordan Mondeel knocked in runs for the Tigers, who fell to 9-4 on the season.

 

This year

• There will be plenty to do next weekend with the Governor’s Fishing Opener in town. Along with this, Albert Lea Youth Baseball will host its annual Slug Fest tournament at Snyder Fields. Albert Lea will be represented by teams in the 12A, 12AA, 13A, 13AA, 14AA and 14/15A divisions with games slated to start Friday evening and run through Sunday. Admission is free.