tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86711169240536200052024-03-18T19:56:00.699-07:00Curling in DetroitHistory of the sport of Curling in Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas.Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-34636251678007880072019-02-24T02:41:00.000-08:002019-02-24T02:41:12.928-08:00“New” Detroit Curling Club Pin<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A
“new” DCC pin has been discovered and acquired through eBay. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>This is the first and
only pin of its kind that I have seen or heard about. I am calling it the <i>FLAG</i> pin since its design
is based upon the flag of the city of Detroit.
The flag was originally designed in 1907, but was not adopted by the
city until 1948. A curious pin design
that (other than the wording “Detroit Curling Club”) does not include stone, a
broom, an event or a date.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv0cRP88nlG81Hscrs9LUWDQrMGjWukP8UGDPP7ZwYiPt_N-FV-yAQYI68Q3zBx0ADf4jrdvmSFG68drIcZZvP1zekudSDwLWuKXP9DjEttuZq0brkaHF45rApE45MgrFdSdN5tr1RxL_/s1600/Flag_of_Detroit_%25281948%25E2%2580%25931972%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="350" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv0cRP88nlG81Hscrs9LUWDQrMGjWukP8UGDPP7ZwYiPt_N-FV-yAQYI68Q3zBx0ADf4jrdvmSFG68drIcZZvP1zekudSDwLWuKXP9DjEttuZq0brkaHF45rApE45MgrFdSdN5tr1RxL_/s400/Flag_of_Detroit_%25281948%25E2%2580%25931972%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
and why was this pin produced? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I asked
the eBay seller how and where she acquired it and if she had any more
information about the pin.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">She told me
that she obtained it in a group of over 3 dozen pins from an estate sale in Florida.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Looking through the other pins, we discovered
that based upon their age it appeared the original owner built the collection
in the 1940s and 50s.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Secondly, there
were quite a few Scottish pins and most of the others were from clubs in the
eastern USA.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This flag pin and a DCC
club pin were the only ones from the Midwest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking
all of this into account, my guess is that the original owner visited Detroit
with the Scottish Tour Team in 1949.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assume
this was a limited production run and the pins were given as gifts to the
members of the Scots Team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would
not be the first time that The Club did this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1912 a special pin was produced and given to the Scottish curlers who
visited Detroit in the 1912 Tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
wrote about this 1912 pin previously and you can read that article <a href="http://detroitcurling.blogspot.com/2016/11/scottish-curlers-visit-club-part-ii-1912.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
is interesting that The Club produced these pins as gifts for our visitors, but
did not give or sell them to our members.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If they had distributed some to our members, you would think that we
would have seen more of them either within pin collections or on eBay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
now have another mystery of the Detroit Curling Club. If you have seen either of these pins, or if
you can offer any information to help solve this mystery, please contact me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Live
long and prosper,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angus
MacTavish</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-5598633297743478262018-04-11T04:28:00.000-07:002018-04-11T04:28:14.710-07:00“The Finest Consignment of Curling Stones Ever…”<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There should have been noise – lots of
noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, it was eerily silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything moved in slow motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the crates burst open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Red ones and blue ones toppled out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some rolled; some slid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally all movement ceased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two hundred seventy-eight came to rest on
the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean 200 miles off the coast of Ireland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only curlers would mourn their fate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SS
Athenia</i> had been sunk by a torpedo fired from U-30 – a German U-boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>World War II was only hours old.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">My involvement in this saga began
shortly after I joined the Detroit Curling Club in 1979, when I was told a
story that new curling stones ordered by the club in the 1940s had been lost at
sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sunk by a Bosch submarine in WWII.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story intrigued me and I wanted to
uncover the details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the
facts I found disproved the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
March 26, 2013, I wrote an article on (</span><a href="http://detroitcurling.blogspot.com/2013/03/even-james-cameron-could-not-find-them.html" target="_blank"><b>Click Here</b></a><b>) that
showed the timing of the club ordering the stones (June 1941), and receiving
the stones (December 1941), and the lack of ships sunk in this time-frame did
not match up to make the story viable.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That blog-posting led a member of the Wausau
(WI) Curling Club to write a comment on the blog about a similar story in his club’s
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That story was even easier to
debunk since they actually ordered and received their stones after the end of
WWII (same Blog:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://detroitcurling.blogspot.com/search?q=wausau" target="_blank">Click Here</a></span>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The North American Curling News article of
February 1, 1947, was the deciding proof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Wausau CC had ordered and received its stones after the end of the
war.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked U.S. Curling News columnist David
Garber to publish a request in the spring 2015 edition of the magazine asking
if other clubs have had similar rumors or stories floating around their membership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one replied.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story continued to attract my
curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How and why could a couple of
curling clubs have such similar stories of curling stones lost in WWII?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started reading the history Webpages at
various curling clubs throughout Ontario and the eastern USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found one article at Toronto’s High Park
Club: “… In 1939, 41 pairs of stones, weighing 41.5 lbs. each with black or
white handles, were purchased for $36 per pair. The first sets of stones were
lost when a German torpedo hit the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Athenia</i>,
the ship carrying them. New ones arrived in time for the following year.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We now had the name of a ship.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>SS Athenia</i>, a passenger ship, was built in 1922 for the Donaldson
Line of Glasgow. She was a 13,465 gross
ton ship, length 526 feet, beam 66 feet, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and
a service speed of 15 knots. On her
maiden voyage she sailed from Glasgow to Liverpool, Quebec and Montreal and
returned to Glasgow. This became her
normal route. In March 1927 she was
refitted to carry additional passengers.
The ship could now accommodate 314 cabin-, 310 tourist-, and 928 third-class
passengers. The cargo capacity was
1,000 tons.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>Athenia</i> returned to Glasgow from Canada on August 28, 1939. Over the next few days her cargo was unloaded. It was mostly foodstuffs (grain, butter, eggs),
but there was aluminum and copper as well, much needed for the manufacture of
aircraft and munitions. Approximately
880 tons were loaded to be transported to Canada. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the early morning hours of Friday,
September 1, 1939 German troops invade Poland.
At 12:05 p.m., the <i>Athenia</i> is
about to leave Glasgow. She is bound for
Belfast and Liverpool before crossing the Atlantic for Montreal. On board are 735 people including 315 crew. At 3:45, the United Kingdom sends “a severe
warning” to the German government to withdraw from Poland. The <i>Athenia</i>
weighs anchor and sets course from Glasgow to Liverpool. Another 136 passengers board at Belfast. In preparation for wartime, she has been
fitted with blackout curtains and low-wattage running lights.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout Saturday, September 2, 1939,
the UK and other countries try to persuade Germany to withdraw from
Poland. Italian dictator Mussolini
proposes a five-power conference to settle the crisis. At 4:30 p.m. the <i>Athenia</i> slips out of port at Liverpool and begins her 2,625-mile
voyage to Canada. She is now carrying a
total of 1,102 passengers and 315 crew.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying to locate a detailed manifest
of the cargo on the <i>Athenia</i> has been
quite difficult. Three history books (written
in 1959, 2009 and 2012) about the <i>Athenia</i>
have stated: “Her cargo amounted to 888 tons, of which 472 were simply
bricks. Among the odd items were 50
pairs of curling stones, and a collection of schoolbooks for Toronto
schoolchildren.” The two newer books
nearly quote verbatim the 1959 book. I
have never found a published cargo manifest.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Searching through newspaper archives,
I found this article published in The Ottawa Journal on September 8, 1939. A similar article appeared in the Toronto
Globe and Mail.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we know there were at least 50
stones on the Athenia, perhaps 50 pairs.
Maybe more, with the references to clubs in London and Toronto. I figured it was time for a shot-in-the-dark
– I sent an e-mail to the current offices of curling stone manufacturer Andrew
Kay & Co. asking if they knew of the loss of stones with the sinking of the
<i>Athenia</i>. I was fortunate to have piqued the interest
of James Wyllie, who – as I now understand – is secretary and a director of the
company. He told me that his father
would have been involved in shipments in 1939.
I also have learned that his grandfather had taken over stewardship of
the company from Thomas & Andrew Kay in the late 1800s.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Wyllie spent hours going through
old records. His findings have solved the
mystery with all the proof anyone could ask for.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had also sent e-mails to the Toronto
High Park Club, the Lindsay CC and the London CC to inquire what type of
information they have to back up claims that their ordered stones were lost. Their replies also helped to uncover the
truth.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Sunday, September 3, 1939, at 3:40
a.m. the <i>Athenia</i> passes Inishtrahull,
an island off the northwestern corner of Ireland. Poland has been under attack for over 48
hours. At 8 a.m. British Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain sends his ultimatum: Germany
must stop all aggressive action in Poland by 11 a.m. British Time. At 11:14, having received no word from
Germany, Chamberlain announces in a radio speech that France and the United
Kingdom are now at war with Germany. At
11:15 on the <i>Athenia</i>, Second Radio
Officer Donald McRae picks up news of the UK’s declaration of war from the
radio station at Valentia, Ireland. Captain
James Cook of the <i>Athenia</i> draws up a
notice to inform the passengers that war has been declared. The passengers crowd around the notice board
to read the announcement. The news is
greeted in silence. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, German Commodore Karl Dönitz
signals his U-boat crews: “U-boats to make war on merchant shipping in
accordance with operations order.” At 2
p.m. on the U-30, Oberleutnant<i> </i>Fritz-Julius
Lemp, 26-year-old commander of the 650-ton submarine, receives signal
confirmation that the UK has declared war on Germany. He gives orders for the U-boat to make for
its operational area.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 7 p.m., Lemp is on the submarine’s conning
tower as a Force 4 wind is whipping up the waves around U-30. He and his artillery officer see the
silhouette of an approaching big ship.
They wonder if it is one of the British armed merchant cruisers that
they have been warned to be on the lookout for.
On the <i>Athenia</i>, Captain Cook
joins the first-class passengers for dinner.
At 7:15 Lemp orders the submarine to dive, and the klaxon sounds ‘battle
stations’. He is still unsure of the
identity of the approaching ship but thinks it suspicious that she is showing
no lights even though dusk is now falling.
Lemp decides to attack.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the <i>Athenia’s</i> deck at 7:38, a group of children are singing that
summer’s big hit, “South of the Border, Down Mexico Way.” On the U-30 Lemp gives the order to fire the
torpedoes, 1,600 yards from the <i>Athenia.</i> Two torpedoes miss the <i>Athenia</i> completely. Another
is faulty and is stuck in its tube. The fourth finds its mark. It explodes in the <i>Athenia’s</i> No. 5 hold and against the engine-room bulkhead. Its impact claims the first victims of the
war in the West. Edith Lustig is blown
overboard by the force of the explosion.
She is never seen again.
Ten-year-old Margaret Hayworth is mortally wounded by a flying metal
splinter. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among the documents uncovered by Mr.
Wyllie we find a cablegram to Andrew Kay & Co. from the sales
representative in Toronto inquiring about the status of his upcoming shipments
of curling stones. On August 28, 1939,
the company replied via cablegram: “Mr. H.H. Chisholm: London, Toronto and Lindsay orders sailing <i>Athenia</i> Friday Insure War Risk.” On September 4, the company wrote a letter to
Mr. Chisholm that said in part: “… your orders for London, Toronto and Lindsay
went forward from here, after inspection by Mr. Faulds, for shipment on the
ill-fated <i>SS Athenia</i>… We now learn that the <i>Athenia </i>was this morning sunk off the coast of Scotland, and we
regret that the finest consignment of curling stones that have ever yet left
our factory has gone with it.” Mr.
Wyllie also found the three bills of lading:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">London Ontario CC £201/12/-
(old British money)</span></b></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 16
cases. Each case contained 3 pairs
Curling Stones<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 48
pairs Blue Hone Ailsa Curling Stones 40 lbs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 5-inch
cupping on both sides<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Countersinking
for square-headed bolts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• White
Metal Handles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Vulcanite
Handle Inserts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toronto High Park CC £172/40/- <o:p></o:p></span></b></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Cases
Nos. 1-13 contained 3 pairs Curling Stones<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Cases
No. 14 contained 2 pairs Curling Stones<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 41
pair Blue Hone Ailsa Curling Stones 40 lbs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 5-inch
cupping on both sides<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Countersinking
for square-headed bolts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• White
metal handles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Vulcanite
Handle Inserts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lindsay CC £210/-/-<o:p></o:p></span></b></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Cases
Nos. 1-16 contained 3 pairs Curling Stones<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Case
No. 17 contained 2 pairs Curling Stones<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 50
pair Red Hone Ailsa Curling Stones 40 lbs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• 5-inch
cupping on both sides<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Countersinking
for square-headed bolts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• White
metal handles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• Vulcanite
Handle Inserts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The total being: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .2in; margin-right: .2in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 278
Andrew Kay & Co. Excelsior Ailsa Curling Stones with handles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->47 cases.
Weighing nearly 12,000 lbs. or 6 tons. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->1939 Value – £585/12/- or approximately $2,550.00
USD ($23,740.00 today’s value). (This
does not take shipping or sales commissions into account).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the curling stone factory there
were at least two other orders that did not make it onto the <i>Athenia</i>.
The Hamilton Thistle Club had a 34-pair order and the Toronto CC had a 50-pair
order in process. These orders were
shipped in October and December 1939.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would like to point out that this
was a watershed moment in the evolution of the game. The Toronto Curling Club was the first club
in Ontario to provide matched club stones for its members in the 1937-38
season. These matched stones had 5-inch
cupping (the running surface) on both sides since they would be used on
refrigerated ice only. There was no longer a
need for one side of the stone to have a smaller running surface (3-1/2 to 4
inches) used for outdoor or natural ice which becomes “soft” or “heavy” in
warmer weather. Secondly, the
countersinking for square-headed bolts was new.
Previous bolts had round heads and were susceptible to loosening handles
during play. Interesting that today we have
switched back to the round-headed bolt.
Hmmm?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 7:45 p.m., the <i>Athenia</i>’s radio operator makes contact
with a Norwegian freighter which is only 40 miles away. The U-30 surfaces at 8:15. From the conning
tower the crew can easily see the stricken <i>Athenia</i>. With a jolt, Lemp realizes that instead of an
armed merchant cruiser, he has torpedoed an unarmed passenger liner. Lemp later claimed that the fact that the <i>Athenia</i> was steering a zigzag course
which seemed to be well off the normal shipping routes made him believe she was
either a troopship or an armed merchant cruiser, and when he realized his error,
he took the first steps to conceal the facts by omitting to make an entry in
the submarine's log, and swearing his crew to secrecy. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chief radio officer on the <i>Athenia</i> continues to send out SOS
messages. He makes contact with the
American freighter <i>City of Flint</i> and
a luxury yacht – both are on their way to help.
By 9:15, all but two of the lifeboats have been lowered. At 10 p.m., Captain Cook is informed that all
passengers are off the ship. The
wireless room sends out its last message that they are abandoning ship.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just after midnight the Norwegian
freighter arrives on the scene to help rescue survivors. Two Royal Navy destroyers have arrived at the
scene by 4:30 a.m. The <i>City of Flint</i> arrives in the early
morning hours. The <i>Athenia </i>stays afloat for 14 hours, slipping below the surface at
10:40 a.m.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjK-rhaTO73Zd0zjGpoozcEh6L92RuQ1aGPdeEK2Y3WSuugq-FR7gekyiG82JiafpwiqzmU7PpT1V9RLgmk2mDfXs2LnwC5oZTvyNF9BX9hlkJTfMs2G4PQA19BFsWTGF40bH1DWnRu5W/s1600/athenia+sinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1142" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjK-rhaTO73Zd0zjGpoozcEh6L92RuQ1aGPdeEK2Y3WSuugq-FR7gekyiG82JiafpwiqzmU7PpT1V9RLgmk2mDfXs2LnwC5oZTvyNF9BX9hlkJTfMs2G4PQA19BFsWTGF40bH1DWnRu5W/s400/athenia+sinking.jpg" width="400" /></span></b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The German government vehemently denied
sinking the <i>Athenia</i>. It blamed Winston Churchill, who was then the
First Lord of the Admiralty, for sinking the <i>Athenia</i> in order to draw the USA into the war. The truth did not emerge until January 1946
at the Nuremberg trials, during the case against Grand Admiral Erich Raeder,
when a statement by Dönitz was read in which he admitted that <i>Athenia</i> had been torpedoed by U-30 and
that every effort had been made to cover it up, including ordering Lemp to
alter his log book. Lemp died on May 9,
1941, when the U-boat he commanded was captured.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the weeks and months that
followed the sinking of the <i>Athenia</i>, many
newspapers from coast to coast reworded the original article about the lost
curling stones. It was used as
filler. Many of the papers were in
cities where the readership probably didn’t even know about the sport of
curling. Examples: Tucson, AZ; San Bernardino, CA; Brownsville,
TX; Shamokin, PA. Here is one from the
Marshall News Messenger in Marshall, Texas:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzbEpW3QUNLDfk0yfG2Sn864dCwbKE2TI6dA8d_hGin-YrhX9NSY8Q6E3dV8OFIj0_Oa2A2ilapArL1RJYHb-1ePQxhHL8phfFZdMiJYMThbDUgWUHG2ennrWNMiyM502_PmuCE_QiX0A/s1600/The_Marshall_News_Messenger_Thu__Sep_21__1939_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzbEpW3QUNLDfk0yfG2Sn864dCwbKE2TI6dA8d_hGin-YrhX9NSY8Q6E3dV8OFIj0_Oa2A2ilapArL1RJYHb-1ePQxhHL8phfFZdMiJYMThbDUgWUHG2ennrWNMiyM502_PmuCE_QiX0A/s320/The_Marshall_News_Messenger_Thu__Sep_21__1939_.jpg" width="320" /></span></b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On September 20, 1939, Andrew Kay
& Co. dispatched a letter to Mr. Chisholm in Toronto with the schedule on
how they planned to replace the stones lost at sea. The Lindsay CC order would ship in
mid-December 1939. The London CC stones
would ship three weeks later, and the Toronto High Park stones would ship in
another three weeks. This information matches the
High Park Club records, which state that the new stones were received in
February 1940. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the summer of 2017, Mr. David
Mearns, an experienced shipwreck hunter, announced he had found what he
believes to be the site of the <i>SS</i> <i>Athenia</i> in 650 feet of water. He said divers had not yet visited the site.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a big loss for curlers to
lose 278 curling stones, but we should never forget the 112 people who died
that day from the sinking of the <i>SS
Athenia</i> or the millions that died during the war years that followed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">©</span><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> 2018 Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-69277942615507343842018-03-14T04:06:00.000-07:002018-03-14T04:06:50.747-07:00When The Detroit Curling Club Hosted The Brier<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Detroit Curling Club has had a long and proud association
with the Ontario Curling Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three of the Club’s members have been past-presidents and at least two
DCC members were designated Life Members of the OCA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is common knowledge to our American and
Canadian friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, they probably do
not realize that the DCC played a role in the creation of the Canadian curling
championship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It dates to 1925 when the
MacDonald Brier Tankard was offered as an extra event to the annual Winnipeg
bonspiel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The company offered to present
a trophy and a prize which would include a trip to Toronto, Montreal and other
eastern points for the winning rink with the object of fostering the granite
game and inducing more frequent curling visits between eastern and western
Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The winning rink that first year arrived in Montreal on
February 23, 1925. They headed to
Quebec, Ottawa and Toronto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to
the report, the weather turned mild and ice conditions were poor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The report stated: “The ice for the Toronto
games was in very poor shape for curling owing to the mild weather, but play
took place at the Granite Club in the afternoon and evening.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Toronto organizers had planned on four
days of curling between Winnipeg, Toronto, and Hamilton rinks, but owing to
soft ice it was decided to pay Detroit a visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Detroit club was one of the few curling clubs which enjoyed
artificial (compressor made) ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
DCC extended a hearty invitation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arriving in Detroit, the champions received a very
enthusiastic greeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The visiting
teams found the local hosts on hand early at the new Book-Cadillac Hotel to
welcome them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DCC President Richard
Watson and J.M. Kerr gave the boys a ride all over the big city, which included
a visit to Belle Isle and the Ford Motor Works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lunch and dinner were served at the clubhouse where the Detroiters have
a splendid ice-making plant which was installed in 1924 at a cost of
$28,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The DCC members enjoyed curling
from December 1, 1924 until April 1, 1925.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The club reported much added interest in the game, especially compared
with the increased number of playing days possible after the artificial ice
plant was installed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afternoon and evening games were played by the Winnipeg
champions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was a win for the
Detroit’s Ontario Tankard rink, composed of F.W. Kerr, R. Kerr, J.M. Kerr and
Ben Guiney as skip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The evening game
resulted in a victory for the Winnipeg team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The MacDonald Brier Trophy winners the following year (1926) were
the last of the Manitoba champions to travel East before play for the MacDonald
Brier Tankard became the Canadian men’s championship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Detroit Curling Club was visited again this
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 1926 Brier Tankard champs
spent 24 hours in Detroit: curling, sightseeing and experiencing general
enjoyment.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1<sup>st</sup> MacDonald Brier Tankard as the Canadian
men’s national championship, was held March 1-3, 1927 at the Granite Club in
Toronto.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, now you know the rest of the story…The Detroit Curling
Club, the only USA curling club, hosted a portion of The MacDonald Brier <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Minus 2” </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Minus 1”</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m fair puckled!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angus MacTavish</span></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-77919711151568250002018-02-24T12:56:00.000-08:002018-02-24T12:56:02.843-08:00The Detroit Curling Club was once an Auto Plant<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 15, 1913. Studebaker
designates The Club as Plant #14. The
Studebaker Corporation has leased the Detroit Curling Club building on Forest
Avenue as a storage warehouse for radiators, coils, springs and other
supplies. This is the fourteenth
building that the Studebaker Corporation has acquired in the capital of
automobiledom.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmAkZg2u2myF2y7QJDRTlwzJUXJzMwGi-eDXKS4fs5RJeuQNnj2RT3lwLnFeSk9eX58nsWDp_dxyGNYxG_9H_SuWAXnl13mDoKHzJTlOZoqdZUq9TYVyWPmqsoXiHYciPpSRSsqbf_nLd/s1600/Studebaker-1913-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmAkZg2u2myF2y7QJDRTlwzJUXJzMwGi-eDXKS4fs5RJeuQNnj2RT3lwLnFeSk9eX58nsWDp_dxyGNYxG_9H_SuWAXnl13mDoKHzJTlOZoqdZUq9TYVyWPmqsoXiHYciPpSRSsqbf_nLd/s640/Studebaker-1913-2.jpg" width="486" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5g7mkCyWL4nX6BYvNhPeiXHu0EFC5nZOxBkQHKvoszFNPJjhCJvY69UXq5D0gJorSJNFqV4yDMOvA4kO23c5hMJxNdCJ-6dRuOfbBRST-NWtt8TMlw26-jyiuOwC_0HFyIirmD8uY7DF/s1600/1913Studebaker-1030x700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1030" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5g7mkCyWL4nX6BYvNhPeiXHu0EFC5nZOxBkQHKvoszFNPJjhCJvY69UXq5D0gJorSJNFqV4yDMOvA4kO23c5hMJxNdCJ-6dRuOfbBRST-NWtt8TMlw26-jyiuOwC_0HFyIirmD8uY7DF/s400/1913Studebaker-1030x700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This arrangement was only for the non-curling months, since
we know there was curling in the building in the winter of 1913-14.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neither rhyme nor reason.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-23925948247836286342018-02-17T09:20:00.002-08:002018-02-17T09:20:53.958-08:00How Corny is a Corn Broom?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no corn in a curling corn broom. The fibers in a corn broom are from a variety
of sorghum. This became such a popular
broom making material in the early 1800s that people started calling the
plant: <b><i>Broom-Corn</i></b>. The pictures below show a sorghum plant (about 10
feet tall); harvested fibers waiting to go into a broom and a finished curling
broom.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ-h1wpU51KC5stvy_1ABKps9QIbTMN-Jv8SuhpbkWR2cAVNAaOiOjPhTYSq-SOddNIHgJfmg1cIVAOOj-JeqFbnrr30qsu4rs7duDHV8Y_a3-bk3aLTm8YlFRx8lTlGTIuRaWDWP4Q4G/s1600/F_SorghumBroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ-h1wpU51KC5stvy_1ABKps9QIbTMN-Jv8SuhpbkWR2cAVNAaOiOjPhTYSq-SOddNIHgJfmg1cIVAOOj-JeqFbnrr30qsu4rs7duDHV8Y_a3-bk3aLTm8YlFRx8lTlGTIuRaWDWP4Q4G/s320/F_SorghumBroom.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYj89xWZk3gFqdNGs0FDR5SZrfE6vhMibVITcSObb2XlSmk-E3tCwzrp-HljtI62YZSTdBPPG8O9ohW_IboEwvPJr7GTN5zZPIOi_jk8cAIHTOhEiMFBA1MuHyWarQNx48kDa-3STLRot/s1600/broom+corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="482" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYj89xWZk3gFqdNGs0FDR5SZrfE6vhMibVITcSObb2XlSmk-E3tCwzrp-HljtI62YZSTdBPPG8O9ohW_IboEwvPJr7GTN5zZPIOi_jk8cAIHTOhEiMFBA1MuHyWarQNx48kDa-3STLRot/s200/broom+corn.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaedOEvNRRu2SGN_SaN98piM3xj04xcsbcl6yjLBuyO6vtX1KtojdY4Uak_chSfSlTUcqHOBJzj209XByNNOIqvVc0G0zKVTg7ZhH6zOiLluG2mZt5nnXK1A6ZiYmXZbEYX0cxANLO3da3/s1600/b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaedOEvNRRu2SGN_SaN98piM3xj04xcsbcl6yjLBuyO6vtX1KtojdY4Uak_chSfSlTUcqHOBJzj209XByNNOIqvVc0G0zKVTg7ZhH6zOiLluG2mZt5nnXK1A6ZiYmXZbEYX0cxANLO3da3/s400/b2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;">There were two basic styles of corn broom. The first has a skirt or apron of shorter
fibers. The apron serves two
purposes: 1) to keep the lower fibers
together during the power-stroke across the ice and 2) to act as a spring to
return the lower fibers to center before the next power-stroke on the ice</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;">(see photo).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGDyPNadJQmBLfRp-SyriIUAJkYthBMahaWS6X_93ypFCseDMjeGmLxu9ivzuW1Vq79po6bUPDXqhDS55MYv-H9by85PknxHD5M2ArxVJkCyws7qJjVIPmRoMz90aBejcYyGSh2GwHc8u/s1600/1960a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="254" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGDyPNadJQmBLfRp-SyriIUAJkYthBMahaWS6X_93ypFCseDMjeGmLxu9ivzuW1Vq79po6bUPDXqhDS55MYv-H9by85PknxHD5M2ArxVJkCyws7qJjVIPmRoMz90aBejcYyGSh2GwHc8u/s400/1960a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nDI1wrHzXdrGdOfcOQ3rN0fwz_dCO5F2P4alRPyNIkn4sb95sx3dOeMErsRS7YIlk5frDEp2Tg80ruwX9jre9-_D_HaVc-5_Tsa-801Zy78i3as9Lavegm2ocCVwPtsBPPsLCoLWJqnI/s1600/s-l1600+%25281%2529b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="401" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nDI1wrHzXdrGdOfcOQ3rN0fwz_dCO5F2P4alRPyNIkn4sb95sx3dOeMErsRS7YIlk5frDEp2Tg80ruwX9jre9-_D_HaVc-5_Tsa-801Zy78i3as9Lavegm2ocCVwPtsBPPsLCoLWJqnI/s320/s-l1600+%25281%2529b.jpg" width="180" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second type of corn broom did not have an apron but
rather a strap of leather or plastic inside the center of the bundle of
fibers. This center “spring” serves the
same functions as the skirt.
Additionally, a string or band surrounding the fibers also acts to keep
the entire bundle together during the sweeping process.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MwTOGG_Gr5-ricl-FgOzhz_8RzqaJ_5vZh9VczjnxjnKf7CkLjeu5npGlxRKlfaHUIH31zBkz8ui-Ke2YKjGo2JggChN2ozH892hc1QyFrAgsXD5UStQXNeagRXbTmkG_xHuXnxA7T6O/s1600/leather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MwTOGG_Gr5-ricl-FgOzhz_8RzqaJ_5vZh9VczjnxjnKf7CkLjeu5npGlxRKlfaHUIH31zBkz8ui-Ke2YKjGo2JggChN2ozH892hc1QyFrAgsXD5UStQXNeagRXbTmkG_xHuXnxA7T6O/s1600/leather.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sound made by these brooms was both musical and
magical. I am sorry that the <i>youngsters </i>learning the game today (and within
the last 20 years) will never experience an arena full of the sounds of straw
and leather slapping the ice or the poetry of seeing two sweepers in perfect
harmony. I found one video on YouTube
that has the sound of one broom – try to imagine 12 or more brooms banging away
at once. At YouTube you can search for <i>“The fine art of using a corn broom to curl”</i>
or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpBdIrUZyOg" target="_blank">Click-Here</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzDo2AxJ6HocHU3OciAJFu35fTwgLUE7weVX-t0aqhB6vv4HAOXXi3baxdlTUFjZa0txbGGtdtoCFbvEAo6_R0hEtCN_5YILvai_vgjwqQM9RR5fptwHTZg9L8UDW8S9VLgfipWyHI_YB/s1600/IMG_20171209_072831823_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzDo2AxJ6HocHU3OciAJFu35fTwgLUE7weVX-t0aqhB6vv4HAOXXi3baxdlTUFjZa0txbGGtdtoCFbvEAo6_R0hEtCN_5YILvai_vgjwqQM9RR5fptwHTZg9L8UDW8S9VLgfipWyHI_YB/s400/IMG_20171209_072831823_HDR.jpg" width="115" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the 1960s and 70s The Club purchased corn brooms to be used by guests and new members. As these brooms aged, one by one they found their way out of The Club and into the trunk of many a member’s car – they were handy for clearing the snow off the car! I know the location of only one of these brooms, but I would bet that there are a few more out there.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hurry Hard!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knight of The Royal
Order of The Broom</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-20141464346980755572018-02-08T01:11:00.000-08:002018-02-08T01:11:12.912-08:00Can Curling Help! The Beatles<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Almost fifty-three
years ago (1965), the Beatles’ movie <i>Help!</i> was released. It was a whacking film
about?… about?… well, I don’t really know. It starred the Beatles and it was sure to be
a box office success. The important portion of the movie to us is the curling scene. More
accurately, the Beatles goof around with curling stones and brooms. George slides a curling stone towards John
and Ringo who comically chase after it and sweep. Paul meanwhile appears to be more interested
tidying up the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuxU29-cColvgNqOqpGPmW4IqqIv-luDa31-YGO1rI-eHAM74tVEPzOFuzi_s8SuDKSf6NIXQox18X5tWI_8hCo9mXlrSCyI4xUgP4b-gHDYbJqtgOnGVNETP_2md2mKvCa2CrDoAkA3E/s1600/gcurling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="334" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuxU29-cColvgNqOqpGPmW4IqqIv-luDa31-YGO1rI-eHAM74tVEPzOFuzi_s8SuDKSf6NIXQox18X5tWI_8hCo9mXlrSCyI4xUgP4b-gHDYbJqtgOnGVNETP_2md2mKvCa2CrDoAkA3E/s320/gcurling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nearby, a mad
scientist is preparing a bomb inside a curling stone and sets a timer. He offers the ticking and smoking curling
stone to George who delivers it toward Ringo.
As Ringo sweeps, George realizes it’s a bomb – “A fiendish thingy!” He, John and Paul drag Ringo away from the
bomb and run. The bomb explodes leaving
a gaping hole in the ice and a swimmer appears – asking for directions to the White
Cliffs of Dover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It doesn’t connect at
the dots…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just a little confused, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Angus MacT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-27668008117671772102017-12-19T09:53:00.000-08:002017-12-19T09:53:05.970-08:00Overheard at the Old Rookery One Night<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>One of the etiquette rules of curling essentially states “if
you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all”. I
remember a night, a long time ago, when the keen but cranky old skip, Cameron
McManus, a true son of The Land of Cakes, lost a game owing to the bad play of one
member of his rink.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">McManus turning on the under-performing player with a
sardonic grin, the Scotchman remarked: </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Eh, mon, you’ll ne’er mak’ a curler in this world and you’ll
ne’er see ice in the next”.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Old nimble-chops,<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Angus MacTavish</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-1523143615744643172017-12-12T06:22:00.000-08:002017-12-12T06:22:28.573-08:00Under The Lights<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did
you curl one night this past week? Were
you warm enough? Could you see the
entire rink with ease? One-hundred
thirty-one years ago, the members of The Club had it a little more difficult.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tuesday December 21, 1886.
The evening was a chilly 30 degrees</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">; winds out of the NW with light snow falling. DCC members were preparing for the first game
of curling ever played in Detroit under electric light.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The City of Detroit had contracted the Brush Electric Light
Company to build 122 electric light towers to illuminate Detroit. These towers were 150 feet high with a ring of
electric arc lights at the top. Their
lights were as bright as the moon; sometimes called "moonlight
towers." One of these towers was
located at a corner of the Athletic Field near Woodward Avenue and Canfield
Street. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: right;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Moonlight
Tower circa 1900</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Detroit –
Old City Hall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This night it was a hotly contested battle. To those who are initiated into the spirit of
the royal old Scotch sport, it was an intensely interesting spectacle. The play of rink No. 1 was directed by John
Williamson, while his son, Robert Williamson, called the shots for rink No.
2. The former’s men were C.T. Cole, J.H Kenn and
A.W. Baxter; while the latter’s were J. Feuder, George O. Begg and T.
Williamson. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rink <b>No. 1</b> found
itself entitled to that designation by defeating No. 2 by a score of 16 to 13,
the game lasting three hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, to bed,
perchance to dream,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: right;"> </span></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-29493160719764303912017-11-30T12:13:00.000-08:002017-11-30T12:13:08.444-08:00When They Played Polo at The Curling Club<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Polo matches were the
rage from about 1884 through 1915 throughout Detroit and around the state. On a good weekend, you could find three or
four games being played somewhere in the city.
The players did not ride ponies, but rather skates – roller skates. The game was similar to ice hockey. It was played by twelve men, six on each
side, though it could be played by ten on a side. One player on each team guards the goal. A referee governs the contest. He calls “play” and “time” when the game is
begun or suspended. The referee also
decides what constitutes foul play.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>During November 1890,
The Detroit Curling Club had installed a level wooden floor over the ground in
order to make ice with less water and easier to freeze. The floor was 85 feet wide by 160 long. At the time the members of the Detroit
Skating & Curling Club hoped that the new flat and level floor would
attract roller skaters. It did – Polo
Players. The Club boasted at least two
teams that played at Forest Avenue and toured around the state. The Detroit Free Press reported on February
7, 1892: “An exciting game of polo was played by well-matched teams of The
Detroit Skating & Curling Club. A
victory was gained by the Reds over the Blues by a score of 7 to 0.” <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cU1PR101Q0u6X1F51wfmkYLJ3Q1Bqe2ZqDStPjXAAioUfikXYmjTjSrWVfOQcVUYpKJKsfr5Yct99AL0UpdRohwofzSTgBgk4f1buIb4Ip9dBZwI0qDGOi7wLNcirOU3DS-vTytRRJg4/s1600/polo+rink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cU1PR101Q0u6X1F51wfmkYLJ3Q1Bqe2ZqDStPjXAAioUfikXYmjTjSrWVfOQcVUYpKJKsfr5Yct99AL0UpdRohwofzSTgBgk4f1buIb4Ip9dBZwI0qDGOi7wLNcirOU3DS-vTytRRJg4/s400/polo+rink.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Roller Polo
Facts: </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>* The first game was played in
1878 in London, England. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>* The US National Polo League was formed in Dayton,
Ohio in 1882. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>* Roller Hockey (what the game is called today)
was an exhibition sport in the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in <u>1992</u>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Locally, the game is
played in Shelby Township. If you are
interested checkout the <i>Little Caesars
Roller Hockey League</i> at the Joe Dumars Field House. </span><a href="http://www.lcrh.info/"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.lcrh.info</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Can “Polo Night in
America” on NBCSN be far behind?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>What fools these
mortals be…<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Angus MacTavish</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-70638390479497456512017-11-01T18:00:00.003-07:002017-11-01T18:00:55.883-07:00The Color of Curling Stone Handles<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Club member asked: "Have the handles on the curling stones always been red and yellow?" Secondly: "Why are they red and yellow?"</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red and White handles were the most popular. I am told that someone somewhere did a study to
determine which colors people were able to distinguish at a distance. Red & White were predominant. White has been replaced by Yellow (or Maize)
because it shows up better on TV coverage against the white ice background. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full Lexan (plastic) handles have been around since the mid-1970s. Prior handles were chrome plated iron. They had the capability to change a plastic
colored insert to a variety of colors.
Secondly the leather or plastic washer between the handle and the stone
could be a different color.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl_6bwEXdzvJO7ikJqpxiTMc4i18RbKCcqYcy_yalnm0H0buyZcXAUvXqoKx_EApI8qCHMXtLBrjTJmlOyJvPuVf5RIKb5NKIe33L5MIptdNeZxEqJgDpVJR8j3oljJiILF9lYwTPeKkN/s1600/blue+disc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl_6bwEXdzvJO7ikJqpxiTMc4i18RbKCcqYcy_yalnm0H0buyZcXAUvXqoKx_EApI8qCHMXtLBrjTJmlOyJvPuVf5RIKb5NKIe33L5MIptdNeZxEqJgDpVJR8j3oljJiILF9lYwTPeKkN/s200/blue+disc.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJRjl13JTyIwgA0tPMeH04IuhcSQeEfw0SuHScM6l68zGerVBv2Tcv_2AP0xB1ISMDLDVoXpkacQLtuzK5o9YLgJo-bGLuT5SKZzKWXPR3gM1D2i6BAwMsPz5I3856YMTHkNAiKQtZiaY/s1600/red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="665" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJRjl13JTyIwgA0tPMeH04IuhcSQeEfw0SuHScM6l68zGerVBv2Tcv_2AP0xB1ISMDLDVoXpkacQLtuzK5o9YLgJo-bGLuT5SKZzKWXPR3gM1D2i6BAwMsPz5I3856YMTHkNAiKQtZiaY/s200/red.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISULIUpie2CLarEc_hv6UUy5aMRVJInfLQwwD_Q-Zt3yDdwM3gHLNhP03cpf2JrRqy_MvkH0zwHnMgB0ze8g7pVwmkVRa54oXUv-IuhpPAz7_qqu3lU-zKJob8rVWC6riEL02XF9q8i5n/s1600/maize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1150" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISULIUpie2CLarEc_hv6UUy5aMRVJInfLQwwD_Q-Zt3yDdwM3gHLNhP03cpf2JrRqy_MvkH0zwHnMgB0ze8g7pVwmkVRa54oXUv-IuhpPAz7_qqu3lU-zKJob8rVWC6riEL02XF9q8i5n/s320/maize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let us not forget that prior to the 1940s most people owned their own
pair of stones. Identification could be
engraved wooden hands; decals on the rock or something homemade - like the deer
antler handle below.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSrTcoGxJ350xX6jch_dsdzLW08_p84rjMq-KR9xozfRZPlD273zTslnxC0U7vxq-qAqU1gl7njmSb8pjZuUxz0f_zpkHJiBuHlA8yyQidE3us3CBILk79q_HFwuIhSeuS-kosQ9rEKaE/s1600/wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1347" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSrTcoGxJ350xX6jch_dsdzLW08_p84rjMq-KR9xozfRZPlD273zTslnxC0U7vxq-qAqU1gl7njmSb8pjZuUxz0f_zpkHJiBuHlA8yyQidE3us3CBILk79q_HFwuIhSeuS-kosQ9rEKaE/s200/wood.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5s0e1VZ-AmA3Jjj0JGZF9_nRJSpB5zIzzlQRC5L6T8WhFSz_zSGnm1g8fkQ19bFOyaF1i2alShVJkZfyMGUx4ljvgB31u20OJgNPYHvp6ID5Zj1ZRU3aEQlm37xDSHuUWz4hXRv3XfACq/s1600/decal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="934" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5s0e1VZ-AmA3Jjj0JGZF9_nRJSpB5zIzzlQRC5L6T8WhFSz_zSGnm1g8fkQ19bFOyaF1i2alShVJkZfyMGUx4ljvgB31u20OJgNPYHvp6ID5Zj1ZRU3aEQlm37xDSHuUWz4hXRv3XfACq/s200/decal.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSw8JhdCr8K1YlWDElZWvevfZax85JUUz2dCUl_QEaWCIlz1ZxfrFcGlVZsEWCUXWM64RioyulOdivh8r9j34EdbQdWpaUpzz3DThx2QVdKE0h2RGMdQFsaJHpQ6pz1L29hyphenhyphenyId08T3IA/s1600/deer+antler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1600" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSw8JhdCr8K1YlWDElZWvevfZax85JUUz2dCUl_QEaWCIlz1ZxfrFcGlVZsEWCUXWM64RioyulOdivh8r9j34EdbQdWpaUpzz3DThx2QVdKE0h2RGMdQFsaJHpQ6pz1L29hyphenhyphenyId08T3IA/s320/deer+antler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we go back further in time, we find that brass handles had little
means of identification. Though at in
this time-frame ‘my pair’ probably differed quite a bit from ‘your pair’. Iron stones have the advantage that they can
be repainted from time to time.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviiiZS_2RYCvEOkxfHBBd6Pq_k3ghf7NIQrq6r7rEoi4c6njLqjg1DKdVIJpxpW8uVTYP6aW3olzlGpfaiaeDxqeGd0Cxhyv04B_dPDDoLP2fo_P8Mt4bZDZzar3Xl0TELOZAU_kwKAG_/s1600/brass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1600" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviiiZS_2RYCvEOkxfHBBd6Pq_k3ghf7NIQrq6r7rEoi4c6njLqjg1DKdVIJpxpW8uVTYP6aW3olzlGpfaiaeDxqeGd0Cxhyv04B_dPDDoLP2fo_P8Mt4bZDZzar3Xl0TELOZAU_kwKAG_/s200/brass.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92RRwB9m08PSCVyBkxqGkmGAdL19WunNfnRZ59fw1HobIbhGLBCbkHu9h_acF1JjJw4EOlfFNjZv-z7fIeJO7n7-e_YQDKRr1fxmLqgIo4R_2TULvtp2gd_leGPWIYh47mFeOmAduHIv0/s1600/wood3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1403" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92RRwB9m08PSCVyBkxqGkmGAdL19WunNfnRZ59fw1HobIbhGLBCbkHu9h_acF1JjJw4EOlfFNjZv-z7fIeJO7n7-e_YQDKRr1fxmLqgIo4R_2TULvtp2gd_leGPWIYh47mFeOmAduHIv0/s200/wood3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQAGhaRjwIODTNhvW3Dyti4MV5YW2dN8ZsrZFJa058A3sxeS0zwCSShsbuOnRrkkLU4VtfORZKHCLhbQO-FChDUZEnQFqOOVo4eq0ElGRlZW0iViKQwpG-o9b14gu5Aelv5rtJDLZU4gw/s1600/paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1206" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQAGhaRjwIODTNhvW3Dyti4MV5YW2dN8ZsrZFJa058A3sxeS0zwCSShsbuOnRrkkLU4VtfORZKHCLhbQO-FChDUZEnQFqOOVo4eq0ElGRlZW0iViKQwpG-o9b14gu5Aelv5rtJDLZU4gw/s200/paint.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The oldest stones were handmade. You could just chisel your name or initials
into the rock.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxIrKI4XAr-XOGsO6CiG6fmmTHgBY0YmUFnvsfKHtaWk76TUkKZ3jVKWZV4FnckQuNqEDI_OKh-L8d5_gNqFLDE-kTDqVIqXIutrKvkq5GM8rcKhHKDVly7M86AmmLwGioyZe9rCpAsf4/s1600/mstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxIrKI4XAr-XOGsO6CiG6fmmTHgBY0YmUFnvsfKHtaWk76TUkKZ3jVKWZV4FnckQuNqEDI_OKh-L8d5_gNqFLDE-kTDqVIqXIutrKvkq5GM8rcKhHKDVly7M86AmmLwGioyZe9rCpAsf4/s200/mstone.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another means to individuality, is to
tie a ribbon or a bow on the handle.
This was very popular at ladies’ and mixed bonspiels in the 1950s thru
the 1980s.</span></b></div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But wait! The only reason stones are identified is for
the spectators. The skips can tell which
is which and whose is whose. The person
delivering the next rock doesn’t really need to know. The skip says: “Take this out”; “Tap this stone”; “Come
around this one”. As the thrower I
shouldn’t care whose stone it is. I
should just do what the all wise and powerful skip tells me to do.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-35900418521281219362017-10-16T01:53:00.000-07:002017-10-16T01:53:16.310-07:00Something I Found While Looking for Something Else<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Absolutely
nothing to do with curling…<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Canadian officials in the Ottawa Finance Department
admitted that the picture on the face of the new Canadian four-dollar bill is
that of the American “Soo” lock. The Finance
Department sent a request to Montreal for a picture of the Canadian lock at the
Sault. In reply they received a picture
of the American lock and used it. The
officials say they were misled by noticing the Canadian Pacific steamer <i>Athabasca</i> in the lock and <i>assumed</i> in consequence that the picture
was all right. The department of
railways and canals was not consulted in the matter.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuo9yeYQyT8v7Hfg1-Y8sH59gmwRTurdaOM14EdZ-tW9bfU72ZIBG3TQU0TU49RzWgGzhs89ovt37lgLKFZgxv20o1G_lhBIGKfZsUshOo8wgizlyb9-P44p5r0sin6ymsViUtSgV8Ko_b/s1600/Dominion+of+Canada+4+Dollar+Bill+1902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuo9yeYQyT8v7Hfg1-Y8sH59gmwRTurdaOM14EdZ-tW9bfU72ZIBG3TQU0TU49RzWgGzhs89ovt37lgLKFZgxv20o1G_lhBIGKfZsUshOo8wgizlyb9-P44p5r0sin6ymsViUtSgV8Ko_b/s400/Dominion+of+Canada+4+Dollar+Bill+1902.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">The 1902 Canadian $4
bill with King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Good Curling,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>BTW – Does anyone know of another word for
Thesaurus?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-56623462474591098252017-07-23T19:24:00.001-07:002017-07-23T19:24:56.598-07:00I’ll have Chicken Mulligatawny <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are a
Detroiter, you know about Sander’s Hot Fudge and other Sander’s candies, but
you must be of a certain age to remember the Sander’s Lunch counters. At one point, there were over 100 stores
throughout metro Detroit most of them with Lunch counters. The menu was also your place-mat and they
printed a new one each weekday. </span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGPB6ffW1izPJDoMwJcyJvW5uAxcp5bn0IsyMHqIDuYhU6b8gLBHiOKD4wctF8oTeC4bW-GoHCUwyrTlQb9lNhuzMSkvAuCEdMzFNcenjrk7Ih-MhxbVbYoCSkd1IBz2YVo5rRokuGGO6/s1600/dhs_2013_041_872_verso_sf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGPB6ffW1izPJDoMwJcyJvW5uAxcp5bn0IsyMHqIDuYhU6b8gLBHiOKD4wctF8oTeC4bW-GoHCUwyrTlQb9lNhuzMSkvAuCEdMzFNcenjrk7Ih-MhxbVbYoCSkd1IBz2YVo5rRokuGGO6/s640/dhs_2013_041_872_verso_sf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>On the back of the
menu different articles were printed. On
this January 31, 1946 menu was an article about The Detroit Curling Club: </b></span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“<u>Curling
is a Friendly Game</u> - For three
quarters of a century, the fine old Scottish game of curling has had its
devoted circle of enthusiasts in Detroit.
For sixty years, they have had a club of their own, often the scene of
jolly Bon Spiels [sic] as the members entertain clubs from neighboring Canadian
cities.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>“The Detroit Curling Club on West Forest Avenue is affiliated
with the Ontario Curling Association, with whose members it visits back and
forth for friendly games throughout the season.
Its rink is made of artificial ice and carefully maintained so that the
game can be played all winter long.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>“While not a fast game to watch, curling holds a fascinating
lure for players. In contrast with other
winter sports, it does not depend upon power and speed, but rather upon
accurate judgment of distances and exact control. Every throw of the stone is a precision
operation.” <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Interesting how you can find things about the history of our
Club in the most unusual sources.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lifeisoneendlesssheetofice,<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus MacTavish</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-14439286428529522302017-04-03T04:03:00.000-07:002017-04-03T04:03:01.114-07:00‘RINK’ – Such A Common Word Today<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ask
anyone on the street: What is a
“rink”? They will describe an ice
skating rink or perhaps roller skating, but the word actually originated from
the sport of Curling.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Webster’s Dictionary in 1895 did not contain the word “rink”. The Webster’s 1905 edition does contain the
word “rink”, but it redirects you: “Rink
see Ring”. Under “ring” we find: “Ring - a circle, circular line or anything
in the form of a hoop; an inclosure [sic] for games … Rink, n Origin: course for the game of curling; a covered
sheet of ice …”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
the 18th century the meaning of "rink" was "a space of ice
marked out for a curling match.” By the mid-19th
century, "rink" had acquired its modern day association with ice- or
roller-skating. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
roots of "rink" are a bit tangled, but its closest relative is
probably the Middle English "renc," meaning "racecourse,"
derived from the Old French "renc," meaning "line, row or
rank." (The related Old French word "ranc" gave us our modern
English "rank"). It is also
probable that both "rink" and "rank" go back to the
Germanic root that produced the English word "ring" meaning
"circle."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How
did “rink” also become a word to describe a curling <i><u>team</u></i> is something we will discuss in a future article.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
shall see my rank rink at the round rink,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jocko
MacTartan</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-42645482045028316312017-03-02T05:30:00.000-08:002017-03-02T05:30:03.071-08:00The Curling Delivery "Stick"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Is the curling delivery “stick” a
relatively new invention? Nope. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpPlTSDGYWGGSaaWRIdY-zrikco9IsQcXI1lamCKUDg88m1RccBaKLCr1K0ri-HgmF2JA13k23ABxv7Rn1rwyx7x8SDjDGGQplu8Heb_Q7LEBDl4X7fGMFTnzv_iWQq85D8zhpre2ELzM/s1600/gc4081-10-saber-delaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpPlTSDGYWGGSaaWRIdY-zrikco9IsQcXI1lamCKUDg88m1RccBaKLCr1K0ri-HgmF2JA13k23ABxv7Rn1rwyx7x8SDjDGGQplu8Heb_Q7LEBDl4X7fGMFTnzv_iWQq85D8zhpre2ELzM/s400/gc4081-10-saber-delaid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The idea of curling on skates appears to be the height of
absurdity to curlers, but do not be amazed when I tell you it once was
seriously proposed to play the game on skates.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>In the late 1700’s the idea of curling on ice skates was
presented by the Duke of Athole (excuse me?).
He proposed using a long cue or pole to hold the handle of the curling
stone. The player on skates would
back-up 10 to 12 yards behind the Tee, “then advancing rapidly, with an eye on
the object to be accomplished, and when reaching the tee giving the stone the
requisite impulse – imitating, after a fashion, the push shot in the game of
billiards.” When the game is played in
this method it was said to be exciting and invigorating.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Fortunately, </span>Tcurling on skates was not pursued for long, but
“the long cue or pole” did return to curling to allow people unable to get into
the hack the ability to deliver a stone.</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hey – I do
not make this stuff up!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Toodle-oo,<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus MacTavish</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-11109612726764999442017-02-22T07:53:00.000-08:002017-02-22T07:53:12.211-08:00Let’s Twist Again<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Every curler has been asked: “Why is the game called <i>Curling</i>?”
and we all answer: “When you deliver the stone you put a slight turn on the
stone so it “curls” as it goes down the ice”.
Wrong answer. The game was played
for over 200 years and the players did not purposely put a turn on the stone.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Many years ago, I was able to conduct an experiment on a
natural ice pond with 3 different types of curling stones: wooden; flat-soled and an early concave
stone. When trying to deliver a stone on
natural ice (meaning: there are cracks, biases, other imperfections <i>and no pebble</i>) the first thing you find
is that it is very difficult to throw the stone with any distance. If you get the chance, try to deliver a stone
after a fresh flooding or after a major Ice-King scraping before the pebble is
applied.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The second thing you notice is the lack of “curl”. Without the pebble the stone does not ‘bend’
in any repeatable fashion. Moreover, the
imperfections in a natural ice surface can change or increase the ‘bend’
remarkably and unexpectedly. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>In the early-1800’s many groups were taking credit for
inventing the <i>Twist.</i> There was the
Fenwick Twist, the Canadian Twist, the Kilmarnock Twist, the Timothy Twist and
others. The earliest record we found of
curlers using the Twist comes from Mr. John Fulton of Fenwick, Scotland: “If I
recall aright the first year of the century [1800] was the year of its
birth. That year was memorable for the
length and severity of its winter… It
was told, that day after day a few of the Fenwick players were never absent
from a small loch in the parish. Here
they met and amused themselves as best they could, playing every imaginable
shot. While thus engaged, they observed
the effect of the rotary motion on a stone…so they set themselves up to give
the stone one or the other twist.” The
Fenwick curlers went on to defeat their opposition repeatedly with their
new-found skill and passed that knowledge to the neighboring parishes.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Kilmarnock Treatise on Curling
(1828) offers these definitions:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><u>Outside Twist</u></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – Lift the
stone…swing it towards the side, outward and forward, making it describe a
semicircle.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is done with the
shoulder and elbow joints, without turning the wrist much.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><u>Inside
Twist</u></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – Lift the stone as before; and as the swing forward is given,
bring the elbow close to the body, turning the wrist fully in delivery.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 264.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Later the Twist was called the
Out-Sweep and the In-Sweep. Today we
call it the Out-Turn and the In-Turn.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So, how did the game get its name? The oldest books and modern day books we have
researched seem to agree that the word <i>Curl</i> is from the German word <i>Kurzweil</i>: an amusement; a game. The word <i>Curling</i> from <i>Kurzweillen</i>: to play for amusement.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gute Kurzweillen,<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus VonTavish<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-16656500930905304522017-02-19T00:25:00.000-08:002017-02-19T00:25:14.429-08:00Curling Stones<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The
earliest stones, known as 'loofies', were light in weight, ranging from about
15 to 25 pounds and had no handles, instead there were hollows or niches for
the fingers and thumbs and the stone was presumably meant to be thrown. Early stones were probably in use between
1500 and 1650.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sometime
in the 17th century the channel stone appeared.
A rough boulder, often taken from the channels or beds of rivers, was
fitted with a handle, making it easier to throw. With the assistance of the handle, a greater
weight of stone could be used. Some
channel stones were enormous, weighing up to 183 pounds, although 35 to 45 were
more normal. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It
was part of the strategy of the game to use large unwieldy stones to knock out
the opponent’s stones. By the mid-18th
century however, an attempt to standardize the game led to the introduction of
the circular stone. The earliest dated
circular stone is from 1772. The single
sole or running surface was highly polished.
These stones had fixed iron handles, or occasionally brass handles. Later, removable handles were developed to
reduce damage during storage and prevent unauthorized use. </b></span></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf5EpoW4u-xaA7kHdV9T_ezSkLQ4DhnQ4EkOyW0D48JKSUPP_AYacUoBRXmb3wBo8nxtKO1WOMJQZVB5gfIixaTiWluapXHYyK7RtY4LzJpK7km8Vq9fVnn3GnPtDVxkKmzwkCXCBXl8Z/s1600/channel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf5EpoW4u-xaA7kHdV9T_ezSkLQ4DhnQ4EkOyW0D48JKSUPP_AYacUoBRXmb3wBo8nxtKO1WOMJQZVB5gfIixaTiWluapXHYyK7RtY4LzJpK7km8Vq9fVnn3GnPtDVxkKmzwkCXCBXl8Z/s200/channel.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHno__sDAT-YKLhxIIwd8x5xCsYaa1x_GHRY481712vmH2oxJHDvzpITtbOS6xW30D8SyGXXLfpJXxqWxp9nTPw9FuYIGi1OC5658KdElorqaqZx2bhkrUfgSAmbMNBByiYSDUooXh1xBs/s1600/flat+sole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHno__sDAT-YKLhxIIwd8x5xCsYaa1x_GHRY481712vmH2oxJHDvzpITtbOS6xW30D8SyGXXLfpJXxqWxp9nTPw9FuYIGi1OC5658KdElorqaqZx2bhkrUfgSAmbMNBByiYSDUooXh1xBs/s200/flat+sole.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Channel Stone on the left. Single Sole - Highly polished on the right.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Where
suitable raw materials were available, there were masons who specialized in
making curling stones. By the mid-19th
century mechanization was producing the highly polished circular stone familiar
to the modern curler. At the same time
attempts were made to produce a running surface to cope adequately with both
'keen' and 'dull' ice. In 1879 J.S.
Russell of the Toronto Club introduced a double-soled stone to cope with this
problem. Today hundreds of identical
stones are produced, accurate to half an ounce and polished to a splendid
uniformity. Few players now have their
own stones, most using those supplied by the ice rinks. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The
most famous source of raw material for stones is Ailsa Craig, a towering
volcanic plug in the Clyde off the Ayrshire coast. It produced Common Ailsa, Blue Hone Ailsa and
Red Hone Ailsa stone. From the late 19th
century until 1952 quarrymen lived on the island during the summer months,
producing between 1000 and 1400 rough blocks per year for shipment to the
mainland. Quarrying ceased temporarily
in 1952. In 1961 the Ailsa Quarrying Co.
Ltd. resumed production. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>At
The Club, above the bulletin board, we have a series of photographs showing
Ailsa Craig the birthplace of many of the world’s curling stones. These were taken by DCC member Dr. James V.
Lammy during the 1952 American Curlers’ trip to Scotland.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>A curling we will go,<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus MacT.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-55926109368476819032017-02-04T04:02:00.001-08:002017-02-04T04:02:33.863-08:00Charles Lindbergh Coulda’ Been A Curler<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It was 115 years ago, this month,
that celebrated aviator Charles Lindbergh was born. Did Mr. Lindbergh ever set foot on the ice to
throw a stone? He did have enough
opportunities.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The record-setting pioneer was
born Feb. 4, 1902, to Charles and Evangeline Lodge Lindbergh. He was born at
his uncle Edwin’s house at 1220 W. Forest Ave., just a stone’s throw from The
Detroit Curling Club (1236 W. Forest Ave.).
He grew up in Little Falls, Minnesota – less than a mile from the Little
Falls CC.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Another connection to curling is
that his great-uncle, John C. Lodge, was an avid curler and Life Member of The
DCC (1909-1950). Among his many
accomplishments, Mr. Lodge served three terms as Mayor of Detroit. Yes, he is the guy they named the expressway
after.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 127.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Like The DCC, the “Lindbergh
house” was torn down, a victim of urban renewal. An Associated Press story at
the time says the Detroit City Planning Commission ruled that the famed aviator's
birthplace was "undistinguished." A housing development sits on the site today.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMB6n6IvlUDZNVMsbC6qfJQQV3d_WSeo2gKDf9ZHsqO0ByudmZ5BYiSkKbnGp39X3J_cYu3qgropoiJNfIcf7a5bJyFAehi97j0MmYI4C8nlBlMWkpNW2mREK8_nYRsdjxS6_4CWm2NSrL/s1600/forest+ave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMB6n6IvlUDZNVMsbC6qfJQQV3d_WSeo2gKDf9ZHsqO0ByudmZ5BYiSkKbnGp39X3J_cYu3qgropoiJNfIcf7a5bJyFAehi97j0MmYI4C8nlBlMWkpNW2mREK8_nYRsdjxS6_4CWm2NSrL/s400/forest+ave.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The building shown above is between the “Lindbergh House”
and The DCC (note the sign above the firetruck). (Thanks to Dallas Schneider for the photo).<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yours, &c.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus MacTavish<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-58549763893286039122017-02-01T03:16:00.000-08:002017-02-01T03:17:29.721-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part VIII<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>1987</u> The Royal Caledonian Curling Club 1987 visit to the
United States made its stop at The Detroit Curling Club in West Bloomfield on
January 21<sup>st</sup>. Games were at
11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Detroit came out victorious
64 to 43.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>1997</u> The Scots Tour did not come to Detroit in 1997 due
again to the hectic times. Members were
busy planning to sell the West Bloomfield facility and relocate The Club.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>2007</u> The Scottish team arrived at Detroit Metro Airport on
Sunday morning January 28<sup>th</sup>.
Mr. Paul Badgero met them at the airport and corralled them onto the
bus. They drove straight to The Club
(now in Ferndale) and were met by President Mike Grudzinski - “resplendent in
tartan jacket”. Dave Nelsen was MC for
the afternoon’s games. Lunch was served
before the games. The Scots won 31 –
24. The visitors were introduced to the
‘Royal Order of Sinners’ and they were all indoctrinated into the Order. After a few songs the Scots boarded their bus
for the ride to Bowling Green.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We apologize that the details of these last
three visits are skimpy – our research material was limited.<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>2017</u> - The Detroit Curling Club is proud to once again
host the touring Scots in January.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Detroit Curlers Visit Scotland<o:p></o:p></b></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1921 – Dr. F.W. Robbins on
the Canadian Tour to Scotland<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1952 – The 1<sup>st</sup> USA
Tour to Scotland<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Dr. James Lammy<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->John McKinlay<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->A.J. Dalton<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Paul Moreland<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1962 – Samuel M. Renfrew<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1972 – Nelson (Nels) Brown<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1992 – Dave Nelsen<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2002 – Harry Wylie<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2012 – Paul Badgero<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And on the distaff side<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1996 – Linda Handyside<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2006 – Dawn Zak-Brauninger<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2016 – Maryanne Wessels<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lang may yur lum reek,<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Angus MacTavish</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-43062182768805430162017-01-28T23:20:00.000-08:002017-01-28T23:20:26.069-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part VII <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
Royal Caledonian Curling Club team arrived on the evening of Saturday January
28, 1967 at Willow Run Airport in a fierce snowstorm. The worst part of the storm hit Lansing,
Flint and northward with over 20 inches of snow. Eventually they deplaned and were met by Nels
Brown and they were taken to the Pick-Fort Shelby Hotel for a dinner reception
and a good night’s rest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday
morning started with a bang. The team
was invited to join the Sinners Club for breakfast at The Club. Scottish curler David Duncan described it
like this: “This was a regular Sunday
morning ritual when the men all turn up. Cook the breakfast, make a draw, curl,
stack brooms and sometimes curl again before lunch.” We can only imagine the goings-on <i>that</i> Sunday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
games played Sunday were won by the Scots:
61 – 46. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dinner
Sunday evening was at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. Each member of the team was presented with a
magnificent trophy - a silver figure of a curler in action - by courtesy of
Samuel M. Renfrew (Sam was a member of the 1962 US team to tour Scotland).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Monday
morning games saw the Detroiters victorious:
53 – 50. Lunch was served at The
Club followed by a trip to Windsor to tour the Hiram Walker Plant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">No
curling on Tuesday. The visitors were
taken to Dearborn for a tour of the Ford Motor Company and lunch at the
Dearborn Inn. At 6:00 p.m. they all
headed to the airport for a flight to Cleveland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
Scottish Curlers Visit to the USA in 1977 did not stop at The Detroit Curling
Club. The 1976-77 curling season on
Forest Ave was rather hectic. The
members had accepted an offer from the city of Detroit to buy the
property. Many people were quite busy
looking for a new location for The Club and making plans for the move. Secondly, Detroit was to host the 1977 Junior
US Curling Nationals in February. This
event also involved the time and effort of many of the members and the dates
conflicted with the Scots Tour. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlocUjis-00bpTm1YGY7nz1aRVaONdfOZHyG1cdO6rKyHhdcHSqrhsgw80dagOFDnEuPFxGM7gPty16O-GsM9lRZKK2cw1iC_uCZiuSTr52BP-YpkJGSBlAEVBWXFzkoJmn5moecvplyq/s1600/1967+Pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlocUjis-00bpTm1YGY7nz1aRVaONdfOZHyG1cdO6rKyHhdcHSqrhsgw80dagOFDnEuPFxGM7gPty16O-GsM9lRZKK2cw1iC_uCZiuSTr52BP-YpkJGSBlAEVBWXFzkoJmn5moecvplyq/s1600/1967+Pin.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Haste
Ye Back,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Angus
MacT.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-71204554321532958052017-01-04T04:18:00.000-08:002017-01-04T04:18:38.123-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part VI 1955<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1955
marked the first RCCC Tour exclusively to the United States. In 1952 a group of American curlers toured
Scotland.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twenty
Scottish curlers arrived on Sunday January 30, 1955 at Willow Run airport from
Chicago at 7 p.m. They were immediately
whisked away to Olympia Stadium to watch the Red Wings give the Montreal
Canadiens a shellacking 7-1 before the largest crowd to date at the “Old Red
Barn”. Then onto the Hotel Fort Shelby.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr71Qu9P2jZCGkt1MnhnrWJLyiB69FFk4GM-CSDOdaqkx__NkZMUtSZl1xfpSFDBDk7IDxrnP2B3pD_HHkAm2c5iZQeyePkPzHHEdFt6aAj5G0sE3kCB7Zxt3WvVeu_hCfxQ6ttzdE7nV/s1600/1955+pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr71Qu9P2jZCGkt1MnhnrWJLyiB69FFk4GM-CSDOdaqkx__NkZMUtSZl1xfpSFDBDk7IDxrnP2B3pD_HHkAm2c5iZQeyePkPzHHEdFt6aAj5G0sE3kCB7Zxt3WvVeu_hCfxQ6ttzdE7nV/s200/1955+pin.jpg" width="173" /></a><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday
morning five 8-end games were played at The Club on Forest Ave. The visitors won 50 to 48. After the games they went to lunch at the
Dearborn Inn followed by tours of the Ford plant, the Rotunda and Greenfield
Village. By 4 pm back to the hotel. But, not for long - 6 p.m. dinner at the
curling club followed by 8:30 curling. The evening games were also won by the
Scots: 90 – 78.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tuesday
morning and afternoon saw more games at the Detroit Curling Club followed by a
dinner banquet at the Fort Shelby Hotel.
At 9:30 pm they were at Central Station boarding a private train car for
Utica.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whew! Busy schedule.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj765VpFjXeUdtU8arWghf22R4dxn3AWb0F2BZcMHvOQpgWIVIRYr67Ql_2aZ1_E-PyKuoy0QU61Bxu2ymdAmoPkhoSMlWVjnNcuaK2FKYQWPEDOpURp2kCqdM8nmimsZ9Oiio8P7jh5EmF/s1600/scotsvisit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj765VpFjXeUdtU8arWghf22R4dxn3AWb0F2BZcMHvOQpgWIVIRYr67Ql_2aZ1_E-PyKuoy0QU61Bxu2ymdAmoPkhoSMlWVjnNcuaK2FKYQWPEDOpURp2kCqdM8nmimsZ9Oiio8P7jh5EmF/s640/scotsvisit2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">The
Scots brought along their old brooms explaining that, “although a brush sweeps
clean, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">mony a mickle maks a muckle</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">”.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
in Detroit the Scottish curling team was introduced to some of the DCC members
who were to oppose them. Chairman John <i>McKinlay</i> introduced them to Ken <i>McLeod</i>, Ian <i>MacDonald</i>, Stewart <i>MacLaren</i>,
John <i>MacFarlane,</i> Mac <i>MacGlashan</i>, and A.<i> MacTavish</i>. John Watson,
captain of the Scottish visitors grinned:
“You have more Scots here in Detroit than we have in All of
Scotland”. He didn’t know then that he
was also to compete against a <i>Speerschneider</i>,
a <i>L’Heurex</i>, a <i>Sweeney</i>, a<i> Slyziuk </i>and a
conglomeration of other names not quite so Scottish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Failin’
means yur playin’,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angus
MacTavish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-61884521745820520682016-12-25T17:28:00.000-08:002016-12-25T17:28:18.733-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part V 1949<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
RCCC curlers arrived in Detroit from Chicago at the Brush Street Train Station
at 7:50 a.m. Saturday January 29, 1949.
They were immediately escorted to the Statler Hotel for breakfast. Saturday morning games were played against
Chatham, Forrest, Thedford, Petrolia and Sarnia. The Scots were defeated by the Ontario teams
51-50. Saturday evening all the games
featured Detroit curlers against the Scots. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5emUSrVmXmbHkc8SXfTmRojSlMxTsWMwG2NYLk-d1cnTCYpizMrAgkW1WccABlpVP9_n-SfXrjXRYuT3_rpVe97lHt7ceFBCgKccC6P0i0HOjc-9ADvFsHXZgvLvHwmijzJkkSm0c7P1x/s1600/skip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5emUSrVmXmbHkc8SXfTmRojSlMxTsWMwG2NYLk-d1cnTCYpizMrAgkW1WccABlpVP9_n-SfXrjXRYuT3_rpVe97lHt7ceFBCgKccC6P0i0HOjc-9ADvFsHXZgvLvHwmijzJkkSm0c7P1x/s400/skip.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinweBWbG62E5ZcE-rIezavsQcO_Ep3aVy-hwhyuKCtfQK55Uhd_yGqFhFl-9ZJMTLNeGHBCVMW4QrNN96qWyYHSstoLh25Q2OlpSzhJXRcezzVtF2Gn8wOalcPiSgKmNIBHannTF3aErQG/s1600/clubhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinweBWbG62E5ZcE-rIezavsQcO_Ep3aVy-hwhyuKCtfQK55Uhd_yGqFhFl-9ZJMTLNeGHBCVMW4QrNN96qWyYHSstoLh25Q2OlpSzhJXRcezzVtF2Gn8wOalcPiSgKmNIBHannTF3aErQG/s200/clubhouse.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerqbrwOHBXoDn8T0XM_BvXwZoEO6hkzVjY_sTq3sqP6kt-klS0O-ASQ9nVKZNYEtI-T3PpfEbjRcH5KkHJPPkRRtVDhK6P3ZpQIRJ2cYFo7wOGapi3bIcpKSOqbN3adrEB_6sTGpH-Zc1/s1600/brushes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerqbrwOHBXoDn8T0XM_BvXwZoEO6hkzVjY_sTq3sqP6kt-klS0O-ASQ9nVKZNYEtI-T3PpfEbjRcH5KkHJPPkRRtVDhK6P3ZpQIRJ2cYFo7wOGapi3bIcpKSOqbN3adrEB_6sTGpH-Zc1/s200/brushes.jpg" width="153" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1acHfKE8lGAvZQ-H2KcONSowJLxz3vxhrRFQe5pA0IhSDZS3O21wqCv97rkM02GYo7YVj6H9ArKZmJKwXwZzc1S4vf2IcHfoVpGGojd_3ea0pyWfHfeZJuuhUg9qCj8oTAIenobHl874/s1600/broooms2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1acHfKE8lGAvZQ-H2KcONSowJLxz3vxhrRFQe5pA0IhSDZS3O21wqCv97rkM02GYo7YVj6H9ArKZmJKwXwZzc1S4vf2IcHfoVpGGojd_3ea0pyWfHfeZJuuhUg9qCj8oTAIenobHl874/s200/broooms2.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The
Team was honored Sunday at the Detroit Athletic Club. After the luncheon their departure was Sunday
afternoon at 4:15 p.m. bound for Toronto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">As
seen in the pictures above, the entire Scottish team used the curling
brush. The width of the brush is less
than a foot; the brush itself is made of coconut fiber. In some parts of Scotland at this time the
brush was made of hair. They agreed that
either fiber or hair serves the same purpose for sweeping the ice, better than <i>Canadian</i> brooms, “which lose their
straws and last nowhere nearly as long as ours”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This
was not the first appearance of the brush.
In <b><i>Part III – 1923</i></b> we reported that a few players used the
brush. In <b><i>Part IV – 1938</i></b> we
reported that the entire team used the brush.
But, this visit in 1949 set off a chain reaction in the newspapers –
especially the U.S. papers. Here are
some of the quotes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… similar to a
broom used by office building janitors<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… a
short-bristled affair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… brush-type
house broom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… a garage
push-broom<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… deck brush
scrubbing away<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">… long-handled
brush-broom</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;">The
surprise in the U.S. is understandable - the previous Tour did not visit any
U.S. clubs other than Detroit.</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Even
though some brushes were used in 1923 we have to assume that it was not many since
they made no impact on the press writers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The
Scottish curlers maintained “that the brooms used this side of the Atlantic are
apt to shed a straw now and then and slow up an already delinquent stone
instead of adding distance.” It seems to
me that the brush did not become widely used in North America until the 1980s and
for the same reasons that were stated nearly 60 years earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Ma heid’s mince,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Angus MacTavish</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-33476910894591535922016-12-16T07:54:00.000-08:002016-12-16T07:55:18.802-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit the Club – Part IV 1938<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
Detroit Curling Club was the only U.S. stop on the Scots tour in 1938. Detroit’s long time membership and
participation in the Ontario Curling Association was the reason.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">This
was the first Scottish Tour that the team did not travel with their own curling
stones. Interestingly not much was
written about the inconvenience of traveling with 48 curling stones on the
previous tours. Once again they did
bring their push-brooms - this time the entire team used them – they claimed
that this style of broom was better on artificial ice. Speaking of which: This was the first visit when most (if not
all) of the curling clubs had artificial or compressor made ice rinks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Saturday
January 22</span><sup style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> the Royal Caledonian Curling Club’s Team arrived in
Detroit from Kitchener, Ontario. They
immediately had morning games against Detroit, Sarnia, Chatham and London. The Scots met defeat with an aggregate score
of 52 – 37 even though the Scots won 3 of the five games. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lunch
was served at The Club. During the
afternoon the visitors were taken on a tour of Ford Motor Co. and Greenfield
Village.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After
a dinner at The Club the evening matches saw 5 Detroit teams defeat the
visitors with a score of 57 to 38. It
was estimated that 300 Detroiters were in attendance at the old club on Forest
that night.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW8CXOjeUbMgWta4aFBEqmvQxF0y1sTdac2uCvbGzCdWLCf2NEL5EgIzlAPtv8jgxTEDp4AiIhVtwMYyR14D23J_dyiS0Ye0VmetJ9oRkFP4qbtZTunEzajZhAYxsgtEQse0Pe3OWOdrv/s1600/burns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW8CXOjeUbMgWta4aFBEqmvQxF0y1sTdac2uCvbGzCdWLCf2NEL5EgIzlAPtv8jgxTEDp4AiIhVtwMYyR14D23J_dyiS0Ye0VmetJ9oRkFP4qbtZTunEzajZhAYxsgtEQse0Pe3OWOdrv/s400/burns.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunday
morning the team attended services at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church. They laid a wreath at the foot of the Robert
Burns statue in Cass Park. The upcoming Tuesday
would mark the anniversary of Burns’ birth.
A dinner was held at the Detroit Athletic Club and the team departed at
4:45 p.m. for Toronto.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 51.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Y’r
ob’dn’t s’vn’t,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Angus MacTavish</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-14771706656725350472016-12-06T23:36:00.000-08:002016-12-06T23:36:33.601-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part III 1923<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The
Scottish Curlers were met at the railway station in Durand, MI at 9 a.m.
Saturday February 17, 1923. Two DCC
members, D.B. Duffield & A.B.D VanZandt, had arranged breakfast at the
station. Since the train was over two
hours late, the first item on the Detroit agenda had to be cancelled – a trip
across the Detroit River and a tour of the Hiram Walker & Son’s Distillery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">At
the Detroit station a large contingent of DCC members met The Team and escorted
them to the Hotel Wolverine. A luncheon
was held at The Detroit Athletic Club.
During their stay the Scots were declared Honorary members of the DAC. Then off to the curling club for six <u>12-end</u>
games against Detroit curlers. The Scots
won 58 to 56.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Dinner
was served at The Club and the six evening games were won by Detroit 69 to
56. During these evening games the
weather turned extremely cold and many of the motor cars outside would not
start so taxis were called to transport the visitors to the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Sunday
morning February 18, 1923 was a much appreciated rest time for the
Scotchmen. Some toured sites in the city
on their own. In the afternoon the team
was taken to Lake St. Clair to see ice-yachting as the 1912 Team had visited
this spectacle as well. Many were taken
for rides. The remaining portion of the
day and evening was dedicated to rest and relaxation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Monday
morning the Scots were taken to Dearborn to see “the immense works of Henry
Ford”. They toured the car assembly
line. They drove back to Detroit for
lunch at The Detroit Public Library. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The
afternoon saw games against the Ontario clubs of Sarnia, Petrolia and
Chatham. The Canadians won by a narrow
margin 63 to 60. An informal dinner was
held at The Club. It was reported that
over 200 local curlers were present at The Club. Six evening games were played against Detroit
with the Scots winning 86 to 41.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">After
the games The Team was driven to the railway station for an 11:25 p.m. train to
Niagara Falls, Ontario. On this 1923
team were seven members who had been on the 1912 team and one member who had
been on the 1903 and 1912 teams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Trivia: Many of the Scottish curlers used brushes or
push-brooms. This may have been the
first time the brush was used in Canada and/or the U.S. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-54241574746741408102016-12-01T08:20:00.003-08:002016-12-01T08:20:35.424-08:00Where to Curl in Detroit and Michigan - UPDATE<b>This is an updated list of the places where curlers met in the Metro Detroit area. The original article was posted on January 9, 2013. <a href="http://detroitcurling.blogspot.com/2013/01/where-to-curl-in-detroit.html" target="_blank">click here</a> The added places are marked with an *</b><br />
<br />
<b>It all depends on WHEN...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1832</b> – Pine Lake &
Orchard Lake: <i>Orchard Lake Curling Club</i> (wooden ‘stones’)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1843</b> – Detroit River: <i>Detroit
Curling Club</i> (iron ‘stones’)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1845</b> – Milwaukee Junction (near East Grand Blvd & St.
Aubin): Detroit & Mackinac Railway employees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1860s </b>– In The Detroit Dry Dock Company dry dock – Orleans St. and
Atwater St.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1862</b> - On the Detroit River “above
the city” (FREEP 13 Feb 1862). Clubs
unnamed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1863 –</b> Woodward Avenue Skating Park. Detroit (City) Curling Club. New park old
Fair Grounds on Woodward.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1864</b> – Woodward Avenue Skating Rink: two unnamed <i>Curling Clubs</i> (iron ‘stones’)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1864 – </b>Union Skating Park.– Feb 8: “The old
Granite club was organized”. Freep 1900
Feb 04, “The games this year were played on a sheet of ice in the Detroit &
Milwaukee yards”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1867 – </b>Jefferson Avenue Skating Rink.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1868 </b>– Feb 28<sup>th</sup> Whiting’s Park: Thistle Club (at the end of the Jefferson
Ave. Railroad Freep 11 Dec 1866)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1868</b> – Woodward Skating
Rink: <i>Granite CC</i> (covered building) – On Erskine St. & Woodward. Erected a building furnishing two rinks and a
waiting room.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1868</b> – Jefferson Avenue
Skating Park (Whiting’s): <i>Thistle CC</i>
(granite stones from Waterloo, Ont. replaced irons)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<b>1870</b> – Woodward
Skating Rink hosted <i>The Western National
Curling Tournament</i>: Milwaukee City
Club, Buffalo Queen City Club,
Detroit Thistle CC, Buffalo Caledonia CC, Orchard Lake CC, Detroit Granite CC, Cleveland CC, and Hamilton CC.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<b>*1872 </b>– Detroit River near the dry
docks. Granite vs Cleveland.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<b>*1873 </b>– Detroit River near Brooks & Adams’
saw mills – 471 Woodbridge St (now Jefferson) near 14<sup>th</sup> Street – now
a RR Yard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<b>1875</b> – Peninsular
Cricket Club (Woodward Ave original site of the Detroit Athletic Club): <i>Granite
CC</i> (covered building 160 x 35 feet)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1884</b> – Detroit Zoo (Michigan
Ave. Corktown): <i>Granite CC, Thistle CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>*1884 - </b>Recreation Park: Granite CC and The St. Andrew’s Club<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>1885</b> - The Granite
Rink: <i>Granite CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in;">
<i>(NOTE:
Freep 13 Dec 1886: “For many
winters, the Granite, St. Andrews, Orchard Lake, Burns, St. George and Detroit Curling Clubs being prominent clubs
of the past.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1887</b> – Detroit Athletic Club
(Woodward Ave.): <i>Detroit Curling Club<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1887 – </b>Ice Rink on
Alexandrine Ave btw 2<sup>nd</sup> & 3<sup>rd</sup>. Almost rented or bought by DCC in 1887.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1888</b> – Forest & Gold: <i>Detroit
CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>*1893 – </b>Bay City CC, Covered Rink built August 1893 on Tenth Street <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1895</b> - Forest & Fourth
Ave: <i>Detroit
CC</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1898</b> – Belle Isle: <i>Detroit
CC</i> (International Bonspiel)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1898 - </b>Pontiac (not sure
where): <i>Pontiac Curling Club</i> formed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1902 - </b> Detroit East
Woodbridge St: <i>Detroit Racquet & Curling Club<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1916 - </b>Grosse Pointe at the
home of Horace E. Dodge on Lake St. Clair:
<i>Detroit CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1941 - </b>Ann Arbor (U of M
Coliseum Ice Arena): <i>University of Michigan<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1958 </b>- East Lansing: <i>Michigan
State University</i> (42 DCC members attended)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1970s</b> – Birmingham Skating Rink:
<i>Birmingham CC</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1970s</b> – Southfield (Beechwood Ice Arena): unknown if a club existed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1980s</b> – West Bloomfield (Drake Rd.): <i>Detroit
CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>1980s - </b>Jackson: <i>Cascades
CC<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b>Present </b>– Ferndale: <i>Detroit CC</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Outside the greater Detroit area
curling clubs have been or still are in:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Toledo
(Freep 19 Feb 1896, 13 Mar 1897), Lansing, Flint, Midland, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lewiston, Sault Ste. Marie, Port Huron, Bay City (Freep 09 Jul 1893,
19 Feb 1896)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Can you name another place or two? Please send us a message.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8671116924053620005.post-79702427660201927892016-11-30T12:34:00.003-08:002016-11-30T12:34:48.977-08:00Scottish Curlers Visit The Club – Part II 1912<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">“Clansman,
we gie ye the best o’ a’ Hielan’ welcome” said Detroit Mayor William Thompson
to the arriving Royal Caledonian Curlers at the Canadian Pacific railway
station on Friday February 2, 1912. A parade
was formed headed by a pipe band and a march made to city hall and then to St.
Andrew’s Hall on Congress Street. After
a few speeches (none more than 3 minutes in length) and refreshments the parade
reformed and the pipers led the Highlanders to the Hotel Cadillac where dinner
was served.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Later
at The Detroit Curling Club the visitors played six games (16 ends per game)
against Detroit curlers. Detroit was
victorious with a total score of 89 to 85. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Saturday
morning the visitors were taken on a trolley ride along the banks of the
Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. Upon
arrival at the lake, ice boats were waiting and curlers given rides over the
ice. Then the group headed back to The
Detroit Curling Club on Forest Avenue where curlers from Grand Rapids, Toledo,
Petrolia, Sarnia, Chatham and Windsor were waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">It
took the Scottish visitors some time to become accustomed to Detroit’s climate
and ice conditions, but when they got the hang of it, they proved to be masters
on the ice. They played six matches and
won with a total score of 84 to 58. After an evening banquet the visitors returned
to the train station for a night train to Chicago. One of the visitors declared that “Detroit
leads the World for hospitality and good fellowship. We did not have a dull moment from first to
last and that the entertainment was delightfully informal”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The
commemorative pin shown above was given to each of the visiting Scots. I do not believe that any pins were given to
the local curlers. This is the only
example that I have seen (either in person or online). It was acquired on eBay from a pin collector
in Japan – go figure. The Detroit
Curling Club’s pin used during this time period displayed the city of Detroit
seal. This commemorative pin displays
the Coat of Arms of the State of Michigan.
Both were designed by DCC member John Kay and manufactured by Wright-Kay
Jewelers. The slogan “In Detroit Life Is
Worth Living” is from a poem written in 1908 by Edgar A. Guest, Poet Laureate
of Detroit. The poem was used by the
Detroit Convention and Tourist Bureau in 1911 for a visitors’ brochure promoting
the city of Detroit. The slogan was used
on buttons and other souvenirs. It has
also been copied and reworded by countless cities, counties and states
throughout the years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Good Curling,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Angus</span></div>
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Angus MacTavishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03744854673407174633noreply@blogger.com0