Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago

• Joe Namath announced his retirement from pro football rather than bow to an order from Commissioner Pete Rozelle to sell his interest in a New York nightclub.

• Rex Garr of Albert Lea placed fifth in the point race of the modified stock car division at Chateau Speedway in Lansing.

• The Albert Lea Tigers baseball team earned a birth in the state tournament with a 7-4 victory over Red Wing at Marcusen Park in Austin. Gregg Sainsbury hit a three-run home run for Albert Lea. Ron Erickson got the win and also hit a home run for the Tigers, who were scheduled to play Greenway of Coleraine in the opening round of the state tournament to be played at St. Paul’s Midway Stadium

 

25 years ago

• Albert Lea junior Donna Boom won the Class AA state girls’ golf tournament played at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids. Her 78 the first day and 81 the second gave her the title by three strokes.

• The Albert Lea boys’ golf team took sixth place at the Class AA state tournament, also played at Bunker Hills. The Tigers’ team score of 643 was 31 strokes off the pace. Chris Baas shot a 151 to finish tied for seventh place among the individuals.

• The Albert Lea U-12 girls’ soccer team defeated Lakeville 3-2. Kristen Kyllo had two goals and Jenny Elseth added the third. Ann Gadbois and Elseth were in the nets for Albert Lea.

• The Albert Lea Colonels won their season opener 6-5 in 11 innings over Austin in Southern Minny League play. Bryon Carlson picked up the win with four innings of relief work after Mike Piechowski pitched the first seven. Derek Fleek went 3-for-5 for the Colonels.

 

10 years ago

• Both Chrissy Monson and Ethan Marquardt of the Albert Lea girls’ and boys’ track and field teams finished seventh in the 3,200 meters at the Class 2A state meet at Hamline University. Monson ran a personal best of 11.07.39, with Marquardt also having a personal best with 9.28.68

• The Glenville-Emmons American Legion team dropped a 7-0 game with Dodge Center. Garret Schumaker pitched a complete game in taking the loss.

• The Minnesota Twins drafted right-hander Kyle Gibson from the University of Missouri in the first round of the major league draft.

 

This year

• Tom Woodside, a 1979 graduate of Albert Lea High School, recently finished the season as the C-squad softball coach for Mankato West. He is along with the Scarlets varsity team this week at the state tournament at Caswell Park in Mankato. The Scarlets defeated Visitation and Clouqet and were scheduled to play Northfield in the championship game Friday afternoon. He resides in Madison Lake and works as speech and language pathologist in the Mankato school system.