Podcast appearances and mentions of hector gervais

Larry McGrath rode horses to the curling club. His father would take him via horse and sleigh on Saturday mornings to practice on a sheet of natural ice in Dodsland, Saskatchewan. Larry honed his skills in local bonspiels as a teenager and eventually came up against the famous Richardsons, and won. He initially found success teaming with Darlene Hill, John Gunn and Marlene Dorsett to win back-to-back Canadian mixed championships in 1967 and '68. Another mixed title came in 1971 (with Marlene replaced by Audrey St. John) but a purple heart still evaded him. Larry would reach his only Brier in London in 1974, falling just one game short of a playoff with Alberta's Hector Gervais. Larry shares stories from his early days to the many events and carspiels (he won three), being a driver for Paul Gowsell (and his opponent in the famous "pizza" game) and dealing with Russ Howard's headsets as player representative for the CCA in the 1980s. Larry passed away on August 20, 2023.

Wally Ursuliak has had quite a life.  From Brier Champion with Hector Gervais, to corn broom salesman, camp instructor, then curling missionary in Japan to selling granite from Ailsa Craig, all while running an amusement ride business across Alberta.  We'll cover Wally's introduction to curling, and his relationship with Hector, Ray, Don and Herb Olson.  He shares stories of the big games and many characters of that era, before explaining why he left the competitive game to become a builder.  Wally explains why he, Ray and Don taught the flat foot (and not the tuck slide), and who created the no lift delivery that is prevalent today.  We'll find out how Japan started curling outdoors and you'll learn more about curling rocks than you possibly wanted to know.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Matt Baldwin, we'll cover the 1958 Brier in Victoria, where Alberta landed in a playoff against a young Braunstein rink from Manitoba.  Matt will share the disappointment of perhaps his best rink, when in 1960 he teamed with Hector Gervais, and didn't reach the Brier.  You'll hear about Hector, Garnett Campbell, Ernie Richardson, and Matt's confrontation with Paul Gowsell in the finals of the Vernon Carspiel.  Matt tells stories from the 1971 "Blizzard" Brier in Quebec City and explains how to throw a party at the Chateau Frontenac.  And you'll find out why Matt is the original "Hot Shot" of one-on-one curling.   Next Episode: Vera Pezer

Warren Hansen loves curling.  Growing up in Namao, Alberta, it was a passion rivaled only by football.  Warren played and coached for several years with the Edmonton Huskies of the Canadian Junior Football league, but eventually curling took centre stage.  It became more than just a seasonal endeavour as a player, it became a path for his life's purpose.  From Brier winner with Hector Gervais, to coaching, event management, media relations and Olympic training and development, Warren has covered it all.  Frustration with his experience at the 1974 World's along with a constant rejection of new ideas (such as pre-game practice, uniforms and officiating) drove him to help transform an eccentric winter pastime into an Olympic medal sport that could be respected and admired by a wider audience.    In Part 1, Warren shares his thoughts on Hector Gervais and the circumstances that moved him from a player to a builder.  He'll explain why, in the early days of teaching, flat foot was promoted over the tuck slide.  He'll provide an insiders view into the 1980 Labatt Brier and the transition from its original sponsor, the Macdonald Tobacco Company.   For more information on Warren Hansen,  "The Brier" by Bob Weeks is essential, along with  Jean Sonmor's "Burned by the Rock".  Warren authored his own book, "Curling: The History, The Players, The Game" in 1999.   You can also check out Warren's interview with Gerry Geurts from a few years back.

Ernie Richardson still lives in Saskatchewan, a province he represented at the Brier 5 times.  In 1959, Ernie and his family rink of brother Garnet "Sam" Richardson and cousins Arnold and Wes Richardson won their first Canadian Championship.  They were swiftly flown overseas to compete as Team Canada in the first ever World Championship (originally known as the Scotch Cup) against Willie Young of Scotland.  The Richardsons repeated as Brier champions in 1960 and '62.  Wes departed due to back troubles in 1963, but with Mel Perry as his replacement, they captured a fourth Brier and Scotch Cup.  In the 1964 Brier they fell 1 game short in the standings to winner Lyall Dagg from British Columbia. Ernie shares stories from his early days and the formation of the famous Richardson Rink, to their Brier triumphs and International experiences, including the startled reception to a blank end during the first Scotch Cup .  We'll hear about Ernie meeting John Wayne, his battles with Hector Gervais and learn how to succeed in a Calcutta (don't enter). For more information on Ernie "The King" Richardson, check out "The Stone Age" by Vera Pezer, "The Brier" by Bob Weeks, and "Tales of a Curling Hack" by Doug Maxwell.  There are also a number of older books Ernie helped author, including "Curling, an Authoritative Handbook of Techniques & Strategy of the Ancient Game" with Joyce McKee and Doug Maxwell and  "Curling: Techniques and Strategy" with Mark Mulvoy. You can watch coverage from the 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1964 Brier on YouTube.  Also on YouTube, Ernie appears as a contestant on "To Tell The Truth" and the Richardsons join Ron Northcott on stage during the World Mens Curling Championship in 2009 (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4).   You can also visit the Curling Richardsons web page, where you can order a copy of "Say It Again Sam" by Arnie Tiefenbach or if you're near Regina, drop by Richardson Lighting to say hello.

Le curling pourrait être considéré comme le sport national non officiel du Canada. Dans cet épisode, nous explorerons son évolution en tant que sport organisé et nous nous intéresserons au développement de la culture du curling au Canada. Nous discuterons également de la vaste collection de ressources de BAC témoignant de l’histoire et du développement du curling au Canada. Nous recevons Warren Hansen, qui est non seulement un historien expert en curling, mais aussi un champion canadien du curling masculin. Lui et son équipe d’Alberta, dirigée par Hector Gervais, ont remporté le Brier de 1974. Récemment retraité, il travaillait pour l’Association canadienne de curling depuis 1974.

Curling could be considered the unofficial national sport of Canada. In this episode, we will explore the game’s evolution, its development as an organized sport, and the creation of a Canadian curling culture. We will also let you know about the extensive collection of materials at Library and Archives Canada related to the history and the development of curling in Canada. Our guest for this episode is Warren Hansen. Warren is not only a curling historian and expert, but a Canadian men’s curling champion. He and his Alberta team, skipped by Hector Gervais, won the 1974 Brier. Recently retired, Warren had worked for the Canadian Curling Association since 1974.