Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 8, 1955, Winnipeg, Manitoba Page is Winnipeg free press tuesday March 8, 1955 Forsyth wins first two in classic Regina special the Success of the 1955 Canadian Curling championship is already assured the Saskatchewan association has done such a remarkable Job of Selling books of tickets for the entire series that close to capacity crowds arc certain to be in attendance at nearly every draw. Up to Mon Day they had disposed of books which is the greatest Advance Sale in he history of the Competition. Opening Cere monies went off without a hitch. Officials had planned for the curlers to Start throwing rocks at 3 . The first Rock went Down the ire at 3.02 you can t adhere much closer to a schedule than that As you probably know experts have made the Camp Bell Brothers of Avonlea of the Host province favourites to capture the honors. The Saskatchewan Hoys certainly Jot Sway on the right foot when they trimmed Newfoundland but the 20-3 score indicates the lads from Newfie did t offer much opposition. Until we Jet a look at the famous under real fire we re going to Reserve judgment on their rink there was Only one unfortunate feature of the opening draw. The mild weather Here apparently caught the super visor of the ice Plant at the Regina stadium by Surprise with the result he did t have enough brine going through the consequently the Ico was heavy and swing talking to Forsyth after his win Over Quebec in his opening game. Roy said it was almost necessary to throw a runner to reach the House. Roy. By the Way said he was a lilt a nervous and glad to hurdle the Quebec obstacle. It s rather Odd that in 1951. When Forsyth carried Manitoba s colors at Halifax the first rink he met was also from Quebec. Roy won that game 10-9. It May also be recalled that in j950 at Vancouver Billy Mctavish of Elmwood Drew the pea province in the first round and was beaten by Bobby Cream 10-s when a Gowan lock won the Dominion Crown at Sudbury he had to dispose of Quebec in a play off for the Crown when the Campbell rink cracked a six in Der on Newfoundland it sent the boys running for the record books of course the largest end Ever scored in he Brier is a 7-Cndcr Jimmy Welsh of Deer Lodge did it at Saint John no while Bill Mctavish also came up with a seven under at Vancouver. The by Maurice Smith free press sports editor Regina sask. Special hoping to bring the Canadian Curling championship Back to i Manitoba for the 15th time in the 26-year history of the compete Forsyth and his Winni Peg Strathcona rink got away to a Good Start monday when they won their first two games in the 1955 classic. Keeping Pace with the Mani to bans however were the favored Campbell Brothers from Avonlea Saskatchewan Northern Ontario Ontario and British Columbia. The latter played Only one game having s Bye in the first round. Big Surprise o the Day was the double defeat of the Alberta rink from Claresholm skipped by the eleven skips Here Are the eleven skips of the rinks competing in the Canadian Curling championships which get under Way in Regina monday afternoon. Left to right Back Row Norman Rockwell Newfoundland Andy Grant Toronto Rudy Ste ski nor Thern Ontario Roy Forsyth Manitoba Garnet Camp Bell Saskatchewan Reg Stone British Columbia front Row Olivier Samson Quebec or. W. Macdon Ald Prince Edward Island Gerry Glim Nova Scotia Edgar St. Pierre new Brun Swick Hugh Brown Alberta. Hugh boys. Brown. The Claresholm who Are defending the mounties and bagpipes add highest score even recorded in the history of the Canadian play 1 i 9 i us Al to Downs is the 26-2 beating Ontario gave Nova Scotia away Back in 1934. But the Days when the cast coast province took Licking like that have Long gone. Curling Down there has improved to such an extent that Nova Scotia is now one of the provinces that a to be watched and watched closely. There Are four skips competing in the classic Wilh pre Vious experience in the All Canada show they ire Roy Forsyth Manitoba Gerry Glinz on Scotia tar. Wendall Macdonald Prince Edward Island and Reg Stone British Columbia. This is the fourth time for Stone. A trustee of the Brier Ross Harstone of Hamilton entertained members of the press and radio at dinner monday night prominent Curling figures were also on hand Manitoba has two big games coming up today. In the morning they go against Alberta while in the afternoon they tackle British Columbia. If they can get by these two they la be in Good shape. There will be no Curling tonight the annual Brier dinner will be held Well known Canadian author Hugh Mclennan will be guest speaker he is also professor of English Litera Ture at the University of Mcgill. Overall the results of the first Day s play were rather one sided. The Only close game was the 14-end Battle Between Ontario and new Brunswick Prince Edward Island gave Saskatchewan a big scare on the night draw but faltered badly on the eleventh end when the Saskatchewan got a six mainly through misses by every Man on the maritime rink biggest disappoint ment has been the Hugh Brown foursome from Claresholm Alberta they looked exceptionally weak in losing both their games and one wonders How i hey Ever managed to win provincial honors. But Peri maps they Are suffering from stage fright which can often happen in a championship series such j governor As the Curling classic. British Columbia played Only one game Scotty Harper Regina sask. Special it was a colourful Parade which sent the Dominion Curling Champion ship on its Way Here in Regina monday afternoon. Led by nine Royal Canadian mounted police with their rifles and the bag Pip ers 1 be curlers from the 31 rinks from Newfoundland to British Columbia drove in cars to the exhibition stadium. Each pro Vince was easily identified by Large streamers attached to the Grain Exchange club Forsyth is Curling Well Al though we Haven t seen the Strathcona skip display the Groat game he did in the Manitoba Nons Tel Muir Henu and Reid Are Buck intr up their Well with the first two Over the should do All right by themselves now they have prot their weight Clown if you take away the Manitoba and new Brunswick game up to the half Way Mark and the Prince Edward islanders Battle of Campbell., of Avonlea the Saskatchewan foursome who Are Given the nod to win the championship there was very Little to get excited about the islanders slipped badly on it. Was one of the Host shows in the history o the Brier said senator John t. Hals and Ross their strategy on that fatal Lith radio there la with the score All Square the Campbells had two end 5-5 biters away Back on the 12-foot ring and or. Wendell Macdon All s second Man should have taken a flier at them and punched be the out he Likely tried to play a quiet shot up to these two rocks and was Light and it was then the Campbells started piling rocks in the House i Saskatchewan Hoys were the lying the opening ceremonies were j. W. Patterson and mayor Les lie Hammond welcomed the curlers on behalf of the pro Vince and City while senator Haig and Harstone spoke for the Brier trustees. The senator paid tribute to the City and the curlers of Saskatchewan for the wonderful show. Monday but they certainly looked Good in doing it. In fact we feel you be got to give Reg Stone and company a Good Chance. Swe Cpin to take it All. Northern Ontario also looked pretty Sharp and i do very will Bear watching skip Rudy Ste ski showed himself to be a pretty fair sort of a shot maker. Saskatchewan is celebrating us 50th year As a province. Art Conde of Montreal presided Al the opening ceremonies. Lieut. Patterson threw the with senator Haig be Broom and David of Montreal doing the four and or. , in try ing to Dodge past hit a guard and All Garnel Campbell had to do was draw in for six the Campbells did t look any too hot monday our Good Friend Ross har Slone had As guests for dinner monday night Between draws the members of the Dominion Curling association and the press and speeches said or. Harstone and then proceeded to introduce the gents at the head among the guests table were Andy Grant and his Ontario rink from Toronto Walter Derrett is throwing third Rock for the boys from the Royal Canadian club and brother Al of the Granite club is Here giving his kid brother plenty of support met Rev. Harry a. Mutchmore. The chaplain of the d.c.a., and j he tells me he curled with Clar ence Korr of Neepawa in Manitoba Bonspiel that of course was some years smiled or. Mutchmore Rich Ard a. Donahue mayor of Hali fax whom we had the pleasure of meeting last year in Edmon ton is taking a keen interest in the championship Crown won last year by the Matt Baldwin rink of Edmonton first dropped a 10-6 decision to Nova Scotia and then took a 13-5 trim Ming from Ontario. While Roy Forsyth Vived the opening Day s play the Manitoba rink Hud its moments but flashed Strong finishes in both games. Against Quebec in his opening match Forsyth finished on the Long end of an count. He then came Hack with n Triumph Over new Brunswick. While Manitoba was never be Hind against Quebec they held Only a 5-4 Lead after seven ends and were out in front Only 7-5 after nine. On the 10th. It looked As if Quebec was going to tie it up but then Forsyth no self came through with the shot that won the game. Quebec was lying two Roy went to shoot his final Stone and both counters were Well guarded. There was Only one thing the Strathcona skip could do and that was throw tee weight to the four foot. He proceeded to do just that laying Down a perfect Stone. Instead of the being squared at seven All Mani Toba was out in front 8-5. When the Strathcona rink came Back Wilh a big three on the Lith it was All Over. In their Naglit came with new Brunswick things looked bad for Manitoba when they were trailing 7-3 after five ends with the Eastern rink cracking n four on the second and three More on the fifth. However Forsyth got Back in the game when he counted three on the sixth to he Down Only 8-6. The turning Point came the eighth. Here the new Brunt Wick rink mined badly the Manitoba had shots scattered around the taking an 11-8 Lead at that Point Manitoba never looked Back. Forsyth made two Fine shots on the eighth. With his first Stone he look out the Only new Brunswick Rock ii the House. It was a difficult shot As the East Ern Stone was Frozen to a Mani Toba Rock. Then after skip Edgar St. Pierre blew his final Stone Roy Drew to the pot to count his big five. Forsyth then came right Back with a three and wound up with singles on the last three ends to win going away. Saskatchewan tier having an easy time with Newfoundland the baby of the Brier in its opening game found much stiffer com petition in Macdonald let Prince Edward Island ii ise second round. After 10 ends the score was deadlocked at five All Nei her rink. Scoring More than a single Point on any one end. Then came the Hirr Borcuk for Saskatchewan As they counted a six on the Lith to put the the Prince. Island rink which Hud. Cit Pleil brilliantly up to the Lith could do no thing right on fatal end every Man on the rink mis sing badly. All the. Campbell boys had to do was put their rocks in the rings and they did that without any trouble. Northern Ontario skipped by Rudy Sleski showed a lot of Power in taking the measure of Prince Edward Island 12-3 and Quebec 15-8. In fact apart from the British Columbia rink which showed Fine form in winning its Only game of the Day 19-3 from Nova Scotia the North Bay four some turned in the steadies curl ing of the Day. After beating new Brunswick 14-12 in the first 14-end game in the history of the Canadian championships the Ontario rink from Toronto skipped by Andy Grant had no trouble in taking Alberta into Camp in their Sec Onri game winning 13-5. Standings results draws standings Weston clips Barons Sawchuk dramatic goal gives monarchs Victory Manitoba. Saskatchewan Northern Ontario 2 Ontario 2 British Columbia 1 Nova Scotia j Newfoundland 0 Alberta n Quebec n Prince Edward Island n new Brunswick 0 r i. 2 0 0 0 0 0 first Gerry Sawchuk team Hughes Wilh two and a half min men Short scored a goal with a minute and 47 seconds remaining last night at the olympic rink stays two Points ahead keep rocket can disputed assist Montreal ;