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Stan Nelson ’43 to receive Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan Award

Legendary Minnesota athlete and coach Stan Nelson ’43 will add another honor to his career, having earned the Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan Award  from the National Football Foundation. The award, named after the former Minnesota Vikings coach, will be given at the ninth Minnesota Football Honors event April 17.

Nelson had a successful athletic career at Augsburg College, having earned letters in football, golf, baseball, and basketball. In 1942, he served as the football team captain and was named all-MIAC. After graduating from Augsburg, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and began a career as a coach. He held coaching positions in Zumbrota, Farmington, and Anoka, where he coached for 26 years.

Read Award in honor of Bud Grant to go to Anoka legendary coach on the ABC Newspapers site.

Hall of Fame inductee Bob Lockwood’s famous friends

Bob Lockwood ’56 was a star athlete during his time at Augsburg College; he lettered 11 times and was inducted into the Augsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, but his history with athletic greatness did not end with the conclusion of his career as a player. A recent article by Arizona newspaper Your West Valley tells of the many friendships and interactions Lockwood has had with famous professional athletes.

In the article, Lockwood, a former coach in the Golden Valley and Hopkins school districts, tells of meeting legendary baseball player Rod Carew through one of his players. “My player used to cut Rod Carew’s grass when Rod lived in Golden Valley,” he said. “So I went over to the house and introduced myself. Pretty soon, Rod would come out to our practices and give the kids tips.”

The article also includes the stories of Lockwood’s run-ins with Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway and baseball great Sammy Sosa.