The Hastings Gazette, April 11, 1963

Coach Buzz Ronstad explains some batting fundamentals to squad members. Front row, left to right, Jerry Peine, Fran Hale, Bruce Tjomsland, Tom Langenfeld, and Dale Hamilton; back row, Harold Robinson, Ron Driscoll, Jim Molitor, Jack Stern, Don Latch, Tom Holmes, Ron Bathrick and Connie Fuchs.

Off to their earliest outdoor start in about a decade, the Hastings High baseball squad which greeted coach Buzz Ronstad last week numbered 20.

Among the group are three lettermen back from  last season, two veterans of the previous season who were unable to compete last year, and six sophomores who are among the top contenders for several of the positions that remain.

The lettermen back from last season are seniors Bruce Tjomsland, pitcher, and Don Latch, first baseman, and junior Tom Langenfeld, shortstop.

Left-fielder Fran Hale, another senior, led the team in hitting two seasons ago, but broke a finger in the first game last spring and was unable to play the rest of the season. Senior Tom Holmes also played two years ago, but was unable to go out for baseball last year. Now he’s being counted on as the team’s second pitcher, otherwise playing an outfield position.

The scramble for other positions in mainly among sophs who competed last year on the “B” team.

Rongstad says sophomore Ed Kranz, back in school after a lengthy illness, appears certain in the catcher’s spot. Second base is being battled for by a pair of sophs, Ron Bathrick and Dale Hamilton, and third base is sought by sophs Ron Driscoll and John Bahls and junior Connie Fuchs. Jerry Peine, a junior is probable starter in center field, with Jack Stern, another junior, likely to share right field with alternating pitchersTjomsland and Holmes.

The Hastings Star Gazette, April 1, 1982

Three sets of brothers were among the baseball players who participated during Hastings state tournament years. Pictured from left to right are Mike Hartung, Mitch Hartung, Pete Majeski, Mike Majeski, Dan Carey and Dave Carey.

The year was 1966. The coach was Gil Rynda. The team was well-rounded with a record of 23-1 for the season and had the prospects for professional baseball legends. Despite the overall talent that was touted in sports articles of the time, the team lost in a close game between Bloomington Kennedy, 2-0 in the state tournament that year.

The individual talent of two or three players was emphasized even more. Mike Hartung and Dan Carey were named to the all-tournament baseball team in 1967. Dave later played for the University of Minnestoa and went on to play professional baseball in the minor leagues as well as a short stint on the Expos big league roster. Dan signed with the New York Mets after high school. He assured that playing for a living in the minor leagues was more pressure and less fun than competing for a state title.

August 8, 1963

McNamara’s Band was judged the best-costumed group during the Crazy Day promotion in Hastings last Friday. The women, from the Mode O’ Day store were Mrs. Clayt McNamara, Mrs. Francis McCoy, Mrs. Don McHale, and Miss Alice Neilson. The price for the best individual costume went to Lee Anderson of Hastings Paint and Wallpaper, dressed as one of the “Men from Moore’s”. Other prize winners were: best boy’s costume Gary Hughes whose own mother didn’t recognize him in a dress and wig; and best girl’s costume shared by sisters Rebecca and Suzette Rotty. The girls came to town as a sailor and a sea bag. Each individual or group receives from the Greater Hastings Association a $5 merchandise certificate good at any GHA-member store.

Mr. and Mrs. John Hurly struck a happy pose in apparent oblivious of the fact that something was definitely missing. Mrs. Hurley is believed to have been the only woman in Hastings who smoked a cigar, publicly at least on Friday.

Flinestones characters were impersonated on Cracy Day by Mr. and Mrs. Don Rehkamp and son David. The costumes were fashioned by Mrs. Rehkamp herself, who confessed that most of her time was spent lining the gunny-sack garments so they could endure them for an entire day.

A variety of costumes greeted shoppers at many places on the Crazy Day. Above, from left, Chuch Busch, Dick Bye and Bob Niederkorn.

January 14, 1938

All due honor will be accorded the Hastings High School football team champions of the Mississippi Valley League the past season, at a big banquet and program to be staged at the Memorial Auditorium at the high school. Preparations now complete include a banquet followed by a speaker’s program and the showing of movies of the Big Ten football games played by Minnesota. Parents and friends of the squad may also attend the event by purchasing tickets in advance. A. R. Graf is Blue and Gold coach, who whipped the team into championship calibre and carried them through a heavy schedule to be crowned Mississippi Valley all conference champions. Lin H. Hildebrand is the Assistant coach, responsible for much of the drill work and coaching fundamentals that helped the team to greater laurels.

May 27, 1982

Ricky Carlson, a third grader at Kennedy Elementary School in Hastings, was recently named one of 31 winners in the Multiple Sclerosis READ-a-thon Creative Writing Contest. His winning mystery story, “The Old Woman,” will be included in a book of the winning stories, published by B. Dalton Booksellers.

His story was about a little old lady who lived on a hill. She was frightened one day by a dart that flew across her room. Her screams were answered by a neighbor who hear her cries of distress while mowing his lawn. The story tells of the investigation to determine who shot the dart. 

The mystery is finally solved by a child who said he had written a similar story for the READ-a-thon. The neighbor had to be the one who shot the dart. The neighbor had to be the one who shot the dart. If he had not been the one who shot the dart, he would not have heard her screams. The noise of his lawnmower would have locked out any other sounds.