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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

50 years ago

• Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson died of a heart attack at age 53. 
• Mankato defeated the Albert Lea Tigers football team 14-12 on parent’s night. With the loss, the Tigers finished 4-4 on the season. Mike Curry ran the ball 24 times for 122 yards with Jim Pappas chipping in 117 yards on 13 carries. 
• Bob Mathiason’s three touchdowns led the Alden Blackhawks to a 22-0 win over Frost. 
• Former Albert Lea Tiger Mike Veldman got off punts of 47 and 57 yards to lead St. Olaf over Carleton in collegiate football play.
• Dave Long scored the only touchdown as the Rams defeated the Jets to claim the Albert Lea YMCA flag football championship. 
• The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers 27-13 to go 3-4 on the year. Ed Marinaro carried the ball 19 times for 80 yards with John Gilliam catching five passes for 106 yards to lead the Vikings.

15 years ago

• Minnesota Twins centerfielder Torii Hunter and pitcher Carlos Silva filed for free agency. Hunter would end up signing with the Los Angeles Angels and Silva with the Seattle Mariners. 
• The Albert Lea Tigers football season came to an end as they were defeated 34-0 by Northfield in the section semi-finals. They ended their season with a 3-7 record. 
• The Albert Lea girls’ swimming and diving team placed ninth at the Big Nine Conference meet. Gracie Thomas finished fifth for the 
• Tigers in the breaststroke with a time of 1:12.44. 

10 years ago

• The sixth-seeded Albert Lea Tigers football team was defeated 43-14 by top seed Northfield in section football play. Ethan Abben led the Tigers, rushing for 132 yards on 25 carries. 
• Linda Distad and Sue Brown retired from line judging games for the Albert Lea Tigers volleyball team after 20 years. 
• Emily Mantor placed first and Hannah Goemann fifth for the USC Rebels girls’ cross country team at the Section 2A cross country meet held at Riverside Golf Course near Blue Earth. They both advanced to the state meet being held at St. Olaf College.