Sports Memories by Tom Jones

10 years

Tom Jones

• Albert Lea’s U12 girls’ traveling softball team captured its league title with a record of 24-2. The team was coached by Ray and Jered Talamantes.
• Ashley Holl of Albert Lea wanted to play volleyball at Waldorf College in Forest City, where she was recruited as a defensive specialist for the Warriors.
• In the Wedgewood Cove Golf Club Women’s City Tournament, Vonda Rocklin won the net prize, Jane Hansen won the gross prize, Jenny Heinrich took second place in gross prize, and Holly Herr took second place in net prize.
• The Minnesota Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers 20-6 at Target Field. Eduardo Escobar scored 5 of 6 runs and two RBIs, making him the Twins’ best player.

20 years

• The Albert Lea Colonels adult amateur baseball team’s season ended with a 4-3 loss to Faribault in a Southern Minny League playoff game. Jay Link and Zac Oquist hit 2 of 4 for the Colonels, who finished their season with a 5-17 record.
• The Albert Lea Union Center under-12 baseball team finished its season with a record of 35-5. The team was coached by Jack Rovang and assisted by Jack Kortan, Dave Klatt, Chuck Cooper and Jon Hansen.
• The Albert Lea Quarterback Club hosted a football game pre-game event at Hammer Field, serving brats, chips and drinks while players went over various defensive formations and run plays.
• Chris Baas won his fifth City Open Golf Championship with a 45-hole total of 180, played at Green Lea Golf Course. Val Nicolaus won the Ladies Championship.

50 years

• Mark Knutson finished 53rd out of 60 players at the sixth annual Insurance Youth Golf Classic in Cranston, Rhode Island, shooting a 79 on his second day of play with Larry Ziegler.
• In the 9- to 11-year-old division at the Albert Lea Country Club Family Golf Weekend, Jon Ulman took first place, John Quinlivan took second place and Bob Pitts took third place.
• Larry Baldwin, Gary Tavis, Jeff Elseth and Steve Hogan and their team “The Choppers” took first place in the Green Lea Golf Junior League.
• Minnesota Vikings President Max Winter announced that the team has named Mike Lynn as Assistant to the President.
• Dale Root, a new faculty member at Albert Lea High School, was on his way to Grand Forks, North Dakota, to compete in the Midwest Regional Tournament with the Minnesota Circle A fastpitch softball team. He had a record of 40-6 this season.
• The Minnesota Vikings held OJ Simpson to 18 yards on seven carries and defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-13 in an exhibition game at Metropolitan Stadium. Bob Berry threw for two touchdowns and 228 yards in the win.
• ABC announced that Keith Jackson will replace Chris Schenkel on its college football telecasts. College student Jim Lampley has also been hired as a feature reporter.
• The Albert Lea Tennis Association hosted a tournament on the Brookside, Morin and Southwest courts. In a match on the Southwest, Bill Buege and Wayne Dougherty competed against Jim Broberg and Dennis Bergstrom.

Alumni Update

Ashlyn Berven, a graduate of Albert Lea High School, is a member of the NIACC women’s golf team in Mason City. They open play on Sept. 9 at the Iowa Central Fall Invitational in Fort Dodge, Iowa.