The 1953 Macdonald Brier, the Canadian men's national curling championship, was held from March 2 to 7, 1953 at Sudbury Arena in Sudbury, Ontario. A total of 12,500 fans attended the event.[1]

1953 Macdonald Brier
Host citySudbury, Ontario
ArenaSudbury Arena
DatesMarch 2–7
Attendance12,500
Winner Manitoba
Curling clubDauphin CC, Dauphin
SkipAb Gowanlock
ThirdJim Williams
SecondArt Pollon
LeadRuss Jackman
Finalist Quebec
« 1952
1954 »

Both Team Manitoba and Team Quebec finished round robin play tied with 8-2 records, necessitating a tiebreaker playoff to determine the Brier championship. Manitoba, who was skipped by Ab Gowanlock defeated Quebec in the playoff 8–6 to capture the Brier Tankard. This was Manitoba's fourteenth Brier championship and Gowanlock's second title as a skip with his other title coming in 1938.

The 15 years between Brier championships by Gowanlock set a record for the longest gap between Brier championships by a skip, which to date is still a record. The title gap is also still a record by any player (since equaled by Steve Gould in 1996 and 2011 as a lead[a]). At 52 years of age, Gowanlock is to date the oldest Brier winning skip in history.

Event Summary edit

Heading into the final draw, Quebec was sitting at 8–1 with Saskatchewan still left to play. Manitoba had already completed their round robin portion with an 8–2 record, thus drawing a bye in the final draw. All Quebec needed was a victory over Saskatchewan to capture their first Brier championship while Manitoba needed a Quebec loss to force a tiebreaker to decide the Brier championship.

In the final draw, Quebec led 3-1 after four ends, but Saskatchewan would score three in the fifth end and go on to steal three more in the next two ends and eventually won 9–5 to force a tiebreaker between Manitoba and Quebec for the Brier championship.

In the tiebreaker, Quebec led Manitoba 2-1 after four ends. Manitoba then scored one in the fifth end to tie the game and steal one in the sixth and two in the seventh to take a 5–2 lead. Quebec responded with three in the eighth and a steal of one in the ninth to take a 6–5 lead. Manitoba tied the game in the tenth and took a 7–6 lead after a steal of one in the eleventh. Even though Quebec had shot rock in the last end, Manitoba would go onto steal one more and win 8–6 to capture their fourteenth Brier championship and the second for Gowanlock as skip.

Teams edit

The teams are listed as follows:[3]

Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick
The Glencoe Club, Calgary

Skip: Leonard Haw
Third: Frederick Agnew
Second: David Haggarty
Lead: Edward Miller

Trail CC, Trail

Skip: Reg Stone
Third: Roy Stone
Second: Douglas McGibney
Lead: Hunt McKay

Dauphin CC, Dauphin

Skip: Ab Gowanlock
Third: Jim Williams
Second: Art Pollon
Lead: Russ Jackman

Beaver CC, Moncton

Skip: Ralph Noble
Third: Horace Trites
Second: Albert Eagles
Lead: Harris Mitton

Newfoundland Northern Ontario Nova Scotia Ontario
St. John's CC, St. John's

Skip: Norman Rockwell
Third: Lewis Ayre
Second: Jack Stoneman
Lead: Wilbert Howell

Port Arthur CC, Thunder Bay

Skip: Grant Watson
Third: Don McEwen
Second: Frank Sargent
Lead: Archibald Grant

Bridgewater CC, Bridgewater

Skip: Bernard Haines
Third: Ralph Simmons
Second: Pennell Richardson
Lead: Lee Rhodenizer

Chatham Granite Club, Chatham

Skip: Peter Gilbert
Third: Gord Gilbert
Second: Robert Gilbert
Lead: James Harrington

Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan
Charlottetown CC, Charlottetown

Skip: Frank Acorn
Third: Stewart Moore
Second: Charles Kydd
Lead: James Campbell

St. George CC, Westmount

Skip: Kenneth Weldon
Third: Ches McCance
Second: William Isaac
Lead: James Turney

Delisle CC, Delisle

Skip: James Hill
Third: John Bentley
Second: Harold Worth Jr.
Lead: Elmer MacNevin

Round robin standings edit

Key
Teams to Tiebreaker Playoff
Province Skip W L PF PA
  Quebec Kenneth Weldon 8 2 99 74
  Manitoba Ab Gowanlock 8 2 121 80
Saskatchewan James Hill 7 3 114 83
British Columbia Reg Stone 7 3 127 91
Northern Ontario Grant Watson 7 3 111 87
Alberta Leonard Haw 6 4 111 84
  Nova Scotia Bernard Haines 5 5 100 95
Ontario Peter Gilbert 4 6 91 97
New Brunswick Ralph Noble 2 8 71 118
Prince Edward Island Frank Acorn 1 9 77 127
  Newfoundland Norman Rockwell 0 10 70 156

Round robin results edit

Draw 1 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 3 7
Saskatchewan (Hill) 3 1 1 1 1 4 0 0 3 3 1 0 18
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 9
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 8
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 6
Alberta (Haw) 1 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 4 0 1 1 13
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 5
Northern Ontario (Watson) 1 2 3 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 14
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Stone) 1 0 5 0 0 2 1 0 2 1 0 2 14
  Quebec (Weldon) 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 5

Draw 2 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 X X 5
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 2 0 1 2 2 1 0 6 1 X X 15
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 8
British Columbia (Stone) 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 3 0 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 10
Alberta (Haw) 3 3 0 1 2 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 14
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 3 9
  Quebec (Weldon) 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 11
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 1 2 0 2 1 0 4 1 0 2 1 0 14
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 6

Draw 3 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 0 2 2 0 2 1 0 2 3 3 0 15
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 6
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 5
Alberta (Haw) 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 2 0 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 1 1 4 0 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 14
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 2 1 0 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 2 0 3 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 11
New Brunswick (Noble) 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 2 1 11
British Columbia (Stone) 3 3 0 3 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 14

Draw 4 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 2 2 2 0 1 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 15
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 3 0 1 0 2 12
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 1 0 3 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 3 0 0 0 5 1 1 0 0 3 0 1 14
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Haw) 1 0 1 0 2 1 3 0 2 0 0 1 11
British Columbia (Stone) 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 0 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 5 0 0 0 14
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 1 0 0 6

Draw 5 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 5
  Quebec (Weldon) 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 1 0 3 0 1 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 10
British Columbia (Stone) 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 1 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 1 1 0 1 2 10
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 8
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 0 1 1 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 4 11
Saskatchewan (Hill) 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Gilbert) 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 10
Alberta (Haw) 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 8

Draw 6 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 1 3 1 3 1 0 2 4 0 0 1 0 16
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 6 10
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 2 0 1 0 6 2 1 2 0 3 0 0 17
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 6
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 2 0 1 0 2 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 12
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 2 0 10
Alberta (Haw) 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 9
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
British Columbia (Stone) 2 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 9
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 0 8

Draw 7 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Stone) 0 2 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 3 0 12
New Brunswick (Noble) 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 5
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Haw) 3 2 2 0 1 2 3 2 0 0 2 0 17
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 7
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 0 0 3 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 9
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 8
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 5
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 8
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 7

Draw 8 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Stone) 0 3 4 1 1 5 4 2 1 4 0 0 25
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 0 0 2 1 3 2 0 2 1 0 1 2 14
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 7
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 0 3 1 0 2 4 0 5 2 0 4 1 22
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 8
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 1 9
Alberta (Haw) 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 8

Draw 9 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 2 1 4 4 0 2 1 0 3 3 0 0 20
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 2 8
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 1 1 0 3 0 4 0 2 2 1 0 0 14
New Brunswick (Noble) 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 6
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Gilbert) 2 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 11
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 2 0 2 0 4 3 0 3 0 0 1 3 18
British Columbia (Stone) 0 3 0 2 0 0 3 0 1 2 0 0 11
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 4 0 0 3 2 0 0 1 0 2 2 14
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 2 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 9

Draw 10 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Quebec (Weldon) 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 10
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 6
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 0 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 10
Alberta (Haw) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 6
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 2 1 0 4 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 11
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 1 8
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 10
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 9
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (Noble) 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 0 0 2 2 14
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 9

Draw 11 edit

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Watson) 0 1 0 2 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 2 12
New Brunswick (Noble) 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 4
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Stone) 3 1 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 3 0 1 14
Ontario (Gilbert) 0 0 4 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 8
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 0 1 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 9
  Quebec (Weldon) 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Haw) 0 2 2 2 0 2 0 0 1 2 4 0 15
  Nova Scotia (Haines) 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Acorn) 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 10
  Newfoundland (Rockwell) 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 1 0 0 8

Playoff edit

Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
  Manitoba (Gowanlock) 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 8
  Quebec (Weldon) 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 6

Notes edit

  1. ^ Gould was an alternate for Jeff Stoughton's championship rink in 1999, but did not play any games during that Brier. Curling Canada excludes alternates from their records, therefore Gould also had 15 years between Brier championships instead of 12.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "EE22_BrierSouvenirProgramFinal.pdf" (PDF). Curling Canada. p. 59. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. ^ "EE22_BrierSouvenirProgramFinal.pdf" (PDF). Curling Canada. pp. 54–57. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  3. ^ "1953 MacDonald Brier - Curling Canada Stats Archive". Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2022-05-02.

External links edit