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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

50 years ago

• Dick Nielsen’s Albert Lea boys’ basketball team fell 73-46 to Rochester John Marshall in a game played at Southwest gym. Mike Curry led the Tigers with 19 points. In the b-squad game, coach John Heidel’s Bengels defeated the Rockets 44-38. Steve Ladwig led the team in scoring with 15 points.
• The Minnesota Twins traded pitchers Wayne Granger and John Cumberland to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Larry Hisle. Cesar Tovar was also traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ken Sanders, Ken Reynolds and Joe Lis. 
• A new rule was put into place that was to allow checking all over the ice in Minnesota high school hockey games. Albert Lea coach Les Etienne stated he was personally against the new rule. 
• Wayne Olson and Bob Budach announced that all men in the Glenville area were invited to join a men’s basketball league that was to play games at Glenville High School. 

15 years ago

• The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling team opened their season with two wins at the Rochester Duals. The Tigers defeated Plainview-Elgin-Millville 34-34 on criteria and Chatfield 46-18.
• The Albert Lea Tigers dance team won first place in varsity jazz and second place in varsity high kick at the Rochester Mayo Dance Team Invitational.
• The Albert Lea boy’s hockey team defeated Austin 5-1 to raise their record to 2-0 on the year. Casey Woodside scored two goals for the Tigers with Tyler Distad picking up the shutout in the nets. 

10 years ago

• The Alden-Conger girls’ basketball team opened their season with a 65-36 win over Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial. Taylor Martin scored 17 points and added nine rebounds in the win. 
• An Albert Lea Tribune editorial was promoting the Minnesota Vikings to put Joe Webb as their starting quarterback in place of Christian Ponder. 
• Albert Lea running back Ethan Abben was named honorable mention on the Associated Press All-State Football Team. 
• After finishing their season 6-6, the Minnesota Gophers football team accepted an offer to play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston, Texas. The Gophers would go on to lose the game 34-31 to Texas Tech.