Curling

The Most Notable Teams in Manitoba Curling History By Resby Coutts, Photos courtesy Curl Manitoba

Sports fans love to compare great players and great teams across generations.

What’s the greatest baseball team of all time? Babe Ruth’s ’27 Yankees? Joe Dimaggio’s ’39 Yankees? Johnny Bench’s ’75 Reds? The greatest hockey team of all time? One of the 70s LaFleur-Dryden Canadiens teams? An 80s Gretzky Oilers team? The ’67 Maple Leafs?

Now the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame and Museum (MCHoF&M) wants you to name the Most Notable Team in Manitoba Curling History.

How does Kerri Einarson’s 2020 team stack up against Connie Laliberte’s 1984 team? How do the Jeff Stoughton teams compare with the legendary Ab Gowanlock, Gordon Hudson or Howard Wood teams from a Century ago?

The MCHoF&M invites your participation in a People’s Choice vote comparing the best of every generation of Manitoba curling by picking the Most Notable Team in Manitoba Curling History.

Remember, it’s most notable and not the greatest team because the sport has changed so much in 100 years that it is nearly impossible to comprehend a game between Wood’s 1925 Manitoba champions, winners of the first official Manitoba Men’s championship, and Stoughton’s 2011 World Championship team. Or between Einarson and Lily Clark’s Portage team that won back-toback Manitoba Ladies titles in the 1950s.

However, it makes for a very interesting debate when one considers which accomplishment is Most Notable – the most interesting, most important chapter in Manitoba’s curling story.

Everyone will have their own definition of most notable and the MCHoF&M’s volunteers are intrigued to see which team will be the People’s Choice in its 2020 fund-raising initiative.

150 Notable Teams For MANITOBA 150

Inspired by Manitoba’s 150th anniversary, the MCHoF&M has undertaken the daunting task of identifying the most 16 sportslife

notable 150 teams in Manitoba Curling history - beginning with Sam Harstone’s 1889 Granite team, New York Life event winner in the first Manitoba bonspiel, making them the bonspiel champion and arguably the first Manitoba champion. It ends with Einarson’s Gimli team, the Canadian championship team which missed out on its world championship opportunity due to Covid-19.

In-between are 148 teams who helped write or enhance the world-wide reputation of Manitoba as a great curling province.

Teams included might be one-year teams like Terry Braunstein’s 1958 high-schoolers who shocked the curling world (and changed the rules) when they won Manitoba and went all the way to the Brier final.

Or they might be teams like Wood’s 1925 to 1933 team which won two Manitoba and one Canadian title. Brothers Howard, Victor and Lionel Wood teamed with Jim Congalton for one Manitoba Championship and with John Erzinger for the other. Many teams on the list are “evolving” teams like this, included together so long as there was only one change of personnel each year.

Although subjective criteria have occasionally been used, the general standard has been one of “at least two championships”. Most teams on the list have won a Manitoba and Canadian title in the same year or at least two Manitoba titles.

As the committee recognizes that there may be other deserving teams which have been missed, curling fans are invited to review of the list and to forward suggestions for possible inclusion.

The Manitoba Most Notable 150 Teams list is published on the CurlManitoba website (curlmanitoba.org). Contact the committee by email to mbcurlmuseum@gmail.com.

A Select 25 for Your Consideration

The 150 Manitoba Curling teams on the list have been published by eras, but the committee has selected its most notable 25 teams in Manitoba Curling history and invites public ranking of these 25 teams. Cast your vote by making a donation (suggested minimum $10 to automatically generate a charitable donation receipt) to support the MCHoF&M’s efforts to celebrate Manitoba’s curling heritage.

Your donation via canadahelps.org will add to the running tally of contributions in the name of your preferred team. The final total of donations will determine the “People’s Choice” ranking. If you don’t agree with the committee’s list of 25, there is also an opportunity to make a donation in the name of your wild card team.

The donation pages at canadahelps. org (search for Manitoba Curling Museum and follow the links) will be up by October 1 and available for voting until December 5. In mid-December, the People’s Choice Most Notable Team will be announced along with an ‘official’ ranking determined by an expanded committee of curlers, curling fans and media.

Here’s the committee’s list of 25 most notable teams in Manitoba curling history:

Howard Wood Team

HOWARD WOOD’S 1925-33 GRANITE TEAM: Wood teamed with his brothers Vic and Lionel and with John Erzinger to win the the first official Manitoba in

1925. Jim Congalton joined the Woods to win Manitoba and the Brier in 1930. The team won three MCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregates.

GORDON HUDSON’S 1928 & 1929

STRATHCONA TEAM: Gordon Hudson, Ron Singbush and Bill Grant teamed with Sam Penwarden in ’28 and Dan Rollo in ’29 to win Manitoba and Canadian Championships - the first back-to-back Brier wins. The feat was not repeated for nearly 30 years.

AB GOWANLOCK’S 1934-38 GLEN-

BORO TEAM: With E.C. Cartmell, Bill McKnight and Tom McKnight, the team won three MCA Grand Aggregates in four seasons and were the first rural Manitoba team to win Manitoba and the Brier.

KEN WATSON’S 1942-49 STRATHCONA

TEAM: Ken and Grant Watson, with Charlie Scrymgeour won six consecutive MCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregates from 1942 to 1946. With Jim Grant, they won the Manitoba and Canadian titles in 1942. Lyle Dyker replaced Grant in ’43 when they won Manitoba again (no Brier due to the War). Charlie Read replaced Scrymgeour and the team won the 1949 Brier.

BILLY WALSH’S 1952-1956 DEER

LODGE TEAM: Four years apart, in 1952 and 1956, the Walsh team won Manitoba and the Canadian Brier title. Walsh, Al Langlois and Andy McWilliams won with Cy White at second in 1952 and John Watson at lead four years later.

LILY CLARK’S 1953-57 PORTAGE

TEAM: Lily Clark skipped her team to two MLCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregates and two Manitoba Ladies titles in four seasons. Clark, Vic Painter, Helen Wishart and Diane Kitson were the first to win back-to-back Manitoba Women’s Championships - their highest possible level as there was no Canadian Championship.

TERRY BRAUNSTEIN’S 1958 GRANITE

TEAM: Braunstein’s high-school team of Ron Braunstein, Ray Turnbull and Jack Van Hellemond shocked Manitoba curling when they won the British Consols trophy and their appearance at the Brier forced a change of age-rules. They fell a game short, losing the Brier final to Alberta legend Matt Baldwin.

ERNIE BOUSHY’S 1964-67 HEATHER

TEAM: The first Manitoba and Canadian Mixed Championships were played in 1964. Ernie Boushy, Ina Light, Garry DeBlonde and Bea MacKenzie made instant Manitoba curling history as the champions. The team won three more Manitoba Mixed titles and the Canadian title again in 1966. Betty Hird replaced MacKenzie for the final two years. As Team Manitoba, with Mike Riley at second, they were Silver Medalists at the first Canada Winter Games in 1967.

JOAN INGRAM’S 1967-73 FORT GARRY

TEAM: Over seven seasons, Joan Ingram, Laurie Bradawaski and Dot Rose won three Manitoba Championships and one Canadian title. Ingram played third in 1967 when Betty Duguid skipped the team to a Canadian Championship and again in 1969 with Pat Brunsdon as skip. In 1973, Ingram was the skip with Jackie Tinney playing lead for their third Manitoba Championship.

DON DUGUID’S 1970-1971 GRANITE

TEAM: In 1970, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece and Bryan Wood recruited Duguid and from the springboard of an MCA Grand Aggregate win, they won Manitoba, Canada and World Championships. They repeated as World Champions in 1971. Undefeated at the worlds both years, they are still the only Manitoba team to defend a World title.

OREST MELESCHUK’S 1972 FORT

ROUGE TEAM: Manitoba Champions Meleschuk, Dave Romano, John Hanesiak and Pat Hailley had a tough act to follow in 1972. However, they won the Brier and a trip to the Worlds. Lost in the legend of the USA team’s tenth end kicked rock is the Meleschuk foursome’s steal on the extra end to win the World final. Their third consecutive men’s world title for Manitoba remains unique - no country and no Canadian province have won three in a row in the fifty men’s worlds since.

CHRIS PIDZARKO’S 1972-74

ROSSMERE TEAM: For three seasons, Chris and Cathy Pidzarko were unbeatable on the Manitoba Junior scene. Barb Rudolph was lead all three years. Beth Brunsdon was the second twice, replaced by Patti Vande the third year. The won back-to-backto-back Manitoba titles and Canadian Championships in 1972 and 1974.

LLOYD GUNNLAUGSON’S 1982-84

VALOUR ROAD TEAM: The only backto-backto-back Canadian Senior Men’s champions in the record book, Gunnlaugson, Toru Suzuki and Albert Olson won Manitoba and Canadian Championships teamed with Elgin Christianson in 1982 and 1984 and with Dennis Reid in 1983.

BOB URSEL’S 1983-1984 GRANITE

TEAM: Bob & Mike Ursel and Gerald Chick won back-to-back Manitoba Junior Men’s championships in 1983 & ’84. Scott Mendella played third in 1983, replaced by Brent Mendella in 1984 when they won the Canadian title and Manitoba’s firstever World Junior Championship.

CONNIE LALIBERTE’S 1984 FORT

ROUGE TEAM: Laliberte, Chris More, Corinne Peters and Janet Arnott won the Scott Tournament of Hearts and only the second World Women’s title for Canada. At the Worlds, their 10-1 record earned them Manitoba’s first Women’s World title.

VIC PETERS’ 1992-97 GRANITE TEAM: In 1992 and 1993, Vic Peters, Dan Carey, Chris Neufeld and Don Rudd became the first Manitoba Men`s repeat champion in more than thirty years. With Scott Grant at lead in 1997, they won Manitoba again. The Peters team finished first in the round robin in all three Brier appearances. They won Canada and a World Bronze medal in 1992. In `93 they won the MCA Bonspiel Grand Aggregate and their repeat Manitoba title. They were ranked #1 in the Brier round-robin but lost a controversial semi-final. In `97, undefeated into the final game, they missed a second trip to the worlds with a loss to Kevin Martin.

CONNIE LALIBERTE’S 1992-95 FORT

ROUGE TEAM: In 1992, Connie Laliberte began a string of five consecutive national Scotties appearances. Laliberte, Laurie Allen, Cathy Gauthier, and Janet Arnott, won the Manitoba and Canadian titles. Karen Purdy replaced Allen in 1994 as they won Manitoba and again in 1995 when their Canadian Championship earned them the chance to compete at Brandon`s worlds. Cathy Overton-Clapham replaced Purdy due to an injury and they earned a 1995 World Silver Medal.

KELLY MACKENZIE’S 1995 DEER

LODGE TEAM: After losing the 1994 Manitoba Junior Women’s final, MacKenzie, Joanne Fillion, Sasha Bergner and Carlene Muth won the 1995 Christmas bonspiel, the Manitoba and Canadian Juniors, and the World Junior title. It was the first World Junior Women’s Championship to be won by a Manitoba team.

KERRY BURTNYK’S 1995-2002

ASSINIBOINE MEMORIAL TEAM: Kerry Burtnyk had won Manitoba in 1981 and 1988 so there was an expectation seven years later he would win again in 1995. Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin and Keith Fenton did win Manitoba and posted a 10-1 record to win the Brier. They went undefeated to win the Worlds in Brandon becoming the only Manitoba team to win a world championship at home in Manitoba. The team qualified for the 1997 Trials as well as the 2001 Trials where they came within a game of earning the trip to the Olympics.

JEFF STOUGHTON’S 1999-2006

CHARLESWOOD TEAM: The first of two Jeff Stoughton teams on the list is the 1999 Canadian champion team of Stoughton, Jon Mead, Garry Vandenberghe and Doug Armstrong. They won Manitoba again in 2000 and qualified for the ‘01 Trials. With Jim Spencer at lead in 2001, they won the Grand Slam’s Players’ Championship. Steve Gould re-joined the team at lead the next year. The team won two more Grand Slams, lost the ’05 Trials final, and won Manitoba in 2006.

JEFF STOUGHTON’S 2011-2014

CHARLESWOOD TEAM: The second Stoughton team brought Reid Carruthers to join Stoughton, Mead and Gould with instant success – winning Manitoba, Canada and World Championships in 2011. Gould retired to be replaced by Mark Nicholls. They won the 2013 Manitoba championship and the Grand Slam’s National and qualified for the 2013 Trials. They won Manitoba again in 2014 – their third Manitoba title in four years.

MIKE MCEWEN’S 2011-2018 FORT

Matt Wozniak, and Denni Neufeld posted a record of excellence over more than a decade with an unchanged lineup. After joining forces for the 2007-08 season, they reached their first provincial final and won their first Grand Slam in 2010. Over their 11 seasons together, they played in eight provincial finals – winning in 2016 and again in 2017. In 2015 they were ranked #1 in the world for the first time. Between 2011 and 2018 they won four more Grand Slam titles, qualified for the 2013 and 2017 Canadian Curling Trials, and won the 2014 Canada Cup.

BRADEN CALVERT’S 2014-2015 DEER

LODGE TEAMS: Part of four consecutive Canadian Junior Men’s titles for Manitoba, Calvert, Kyle Kurz, Lucas Van Den Bosch, and Rob Gordon won back-toback in 2014 and 2015. They lost in the world semi-final in 2014 but went back in ’15 to post a 10-1 record and win their

ROUGE TEAM: McEwen, B.J. Neufeld, Gold Medal.

JENNIFER JONES’ 2005-2020 St. VITAL

TEAM: In a decade and a half, beginning in the 200405 season, Jennifer Jones’ team won seven Manitoba titles, six Canadians, and two Worlds. They played in the ‘05, ‘09, and 2013 Trials which they won enroute to an undefeated Olympic Gold Medal. The team has posted 15 Grand Slam wins and four Canada Cups victories. The evolving team included Cathy Gauthier, Georgina Wheatcroft, and Janet Arnott at lead before Dawn Askin/McEwen joined in the 2007-08

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season; Cathy Overton-Clapham at third until replaced by Kaitlyn Lawes for the 2010-11 season; and Jill Officer at second for over a decade, replaced in 2018-19 by Jocelyn Peterman.

KERRI EINARSON’S 2020 GIMLI TEAM: Einarson’s team missed their opportunity to win Manitoba’s fourth World gold medal of the year due to the pandemic. However, they earned the final spot on the list by winning Manitoba and Canada – a feat many claimed couldn’t happen with four talented skips on one team. Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, and Brianne Meilleur proved them wrong.

Is one of these 25 Manitoba’s Most Notable Curling Team? Or is it a different team completely? Make your choice with a donation in support of the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame & Museum’s efforts to celebrate Manitoba’s curling heritage. Total donations in the name of each team will determine the People’s Choice most notable team.

Donate on-line at canadahelps.org beginning October 1, 2020. (or by cheque c/o CurlManitoba, 145 Pacific Avenue, Winnipeg, R3B 2Z6.

The People’s Choice ranking will be announced in mid-December. l