When “car spiels” ruled the bonspiel circuit

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/03/2017 (3468 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the days before cash bonspiels, the biggest prize available to curlers was a car. Nipawin, Sask., hosted the first car bonspiel in 1947 with brand new Hudsons, valued at $2,400, awarded to the winners.

In the final, Howard Wood Sr. and his Winnipeg Granite team of Al Derrett, Howard Jr. and Robby McFarlane beat Dalt Henderson of Saskatoon in 13 ends.  

In Winnipeg, the Charleswood Curling Club hosted its first car spiel in 1960. Held in March, the event often was called the “little car bonspiel” as winners took home a small car, such as a Datsun. Each team had to have at least one female player. Charleswood Collegiate teacher Norm Houck and his Strathcona team of Jim Ursel, Ross Murdoch and Doreen Matheson beat Stan Topolniski from Transcona in the final. At the time Matheson didn’t have a driver’s licence, let alone own a car.

Teams from the Strathcona dominated the first few years, with Bruce Hudson winning in 1961, Lloyd Orris (with Harvey Mazinke throwing skip’s rocks) in 1962, and Bobby Goodwin with Matheson at lead in 1965. Buck McKennitt of Morden beat Dave Reid from Strathcona in 1963. Playing out of Elmwood with a new team of Barry Effler, Al Macatavish and Jan Russell, Houck won his second car in 1964 over “old garbage mitts” Bill Sharpe of Manitou. Rinks were required to break up after they won the bonspiel.

The elite of Manitoba curling almost always drove away with the cars from Charleswood. Terry Braunstein with Don Duguid at third won in 1966. Duguid won again the next year with Barry Fry. In 1968, the Winston Warren team, with Barry Hallick throwing skip’s rocks, topped the spiel. Orest Meleschuk, who won the world championship in 1972, beat reigning Manitoba school champion Bill Henry in the 1969 final. Houck threw skip’s rocks for the losers.     

Future Manitoba Curling Association and Manitoba Golf Association president Al Macatavish won his second car in 1970 with Ed Tipping from Elmwood. Hallick won his second the next year curling with Hal Tanasichuk from the Civic Caledonian. Bill Walsh Jr. of Fort Rouge, who had four-time Manitoba amateur golf champion Tannys Aspevig at lead, beat Gary Ross in the 1972 final.

With mixed curling very popular, the rules were changed so each team had to have a female at third and lead. Bob Jones, always a strong skip out of the Grain Exchange, led his team of Marnie McNiven, Russ Huston and Gayle Turner to the 1973 championship. Fry with Peggy Casselman, Gord Sparkes and Val Taylor captured his second car spiel in 1974, beating Clare DeBlonde of the Heather. DeBlonde with Ina Light, his brother Gary and Betty Hird beat Fry the following year. Rather than a car, first prize now was the choice of $1,500 or a rental car for a year.

Memories of Sport appears every second week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. Kent Morgan can be contacted at 204-489-6641 or email: sportsmemories@canstarnews.com