1956 Macdonald Brier
Host cityMoncton, New Brunswick
ArenaMoncton Stadium
DatesMarch 5–9
Attendance25,800
Winner Manitoba
Curling clubFort Rouge CC, Winnipeg
SkipBilly Walsh
ThirdAl Langlois
SecondCy White
LeadAndy McWilliams
FinalistOntario
« 1955
1957 »

The 1956 Macdonald Brier, the Canadian men's national curling championship, was held from March 5 to 9, 1956 at Moncton Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick. A total of 25,800 fans attended the event.[1]

Both Team Manitoba and Team Ontario finished tied for first in round robin play with 8-2 records, necessitating a tiebreaker playoff between the two teams. Manitoba, who was skipped by Billy Walsh defeated Ontario in the tiebreaker 8–7 in an extra end to capture the Brier Tankard in what is considered to be one of the greatest Brier finishes of all time. The game would come down to the last rock as Walsh delivered a perfect shot which snuck past the Ontario guard, then knocked the Ontario shot rock out of play while Walsh's rock managed to bite the 12 foot to capture the Brier championship. Walsh's winning shot was ranked 19th by TSN in their Top 50 Curling Shots of All Time segment.[2]

This was Manitoba's fifteenth Brier championship and the second won by Walsh as a skip, with his first being in 1952. This was the first time in which a championship tiebreaker would go to an extra end and only the second time in which any tiebreaker game would go to an extra end (the other was the second place tiebreaker in 1931).

Event Summary

Heading into the Thursday evening draw (Draw 9), Manitoba was unbeaten with a 7–0 record with Ontario right behind with a 6–1 record while Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan had an outside shot with 4-3 records. On the Thursday evening draw, Alberta would be eliminated with an 11–7 loss to Northern Ontario while Saskatchewan defeated Quebec 11–5. Nova Scotia would defeat previously unbeaten Manitoba 15–4. Ontario took advantage and beat Newfoundland 10–8 to tie Manitoba in the standings heading into the final day.

In the first matches on the final day, Ontario would lose to British Columbia 11-9 opening the door for Manitoba to be in the drivers seat heading into the final draw. Manitoba would do just that as they defeated Alberta 11-5 leaving Manitoba and Ontario as the only two teams that could win the Brier.

In the final draw in the afternoon, Manitoba was sitting with an 8–1 record while Ontario had a 7–2 record. A Manitoba win would have them clinch the Brier outright while Ontario needed a win against Nova Scotia and a Manitoba loss against Saskatchewan to force a tiebreaker playoff that evening. In the final draw, Ontario trailed 9–6 against Nova Scotia with two ends remaining, but Ontario would score five in the eleventh end then steal three in the last end to win 15–9. Saskatchewan handed Manitoba their second defeat of the Brier with a 12–10 win, which forced a tiebreaker playoff that evening between Manitoba and Ontario.

The tiebreaker game between Manitoba and Ontario would be an instant classic. After the first end was blanked, Ontario would strike first with two in the second but Manitoba would counter and tie the game at 2 after three ends. Both teams traded singles the next four ends, but Manitoba would take their first lead of the game at 5–4 with a steal of one in the eighth end. Ontario would tie the game with one in the ninth. Manitoba then scored one in the tenth and stole one in the eleventh to take a 7–5 lead heading into the final end. Ontario would score two in the last end to tie the game at 7. This meant for the first time ever that a tiebreaker playoff to decide a Brier would be decided in an extra end.

Manitoba would have the hammer in the extra end, which would come down to the final stone. With Ontario having shot rock within the four foot in addition of having a rock in front of the house guarding that rock, Billy Walsh would have his work cut out for him prior to his final stone. As he released the stone, it slid past the Ontario guard into the house. The rock then struck Ontario's shot stone, which would roll out of play. Walsh's stone would roll out and would stop just biting the 12 foot to score one and capture the Brier championship in one of the greatest Brier finishes of all time. Walsh's winning shot is still considered one of the top shots in Brier history.

Teams

The teams are listed as follows:[3]

Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick
Granite CC, Edmonton

Skip: Matt Baldwin
Third: Gordon Haynes
Second: Art Kleinmeyer
Lead: William Henning

 Kimberly CC, Kimberley

Skip: Harold Jordan
Third: James Livingstone
Second: William Moscovitz
Lead: Donald Beattie

 Fort Rouge CC, Winnipeg

Skip: Billy Walsh
Third: Al Langlois
Second: Cy White
Lead: Andy McWilliams

 Beaver CC, Moncton

Skip: Ralph Lister
Third: Horace Trites
Second: Jimmy Vance
Lead: Ralph Patterson

Newfoundland Northern Ontario[4] Nova Scotia Ontario
St. John's CC, St. John's

Skip: Robert Goudey
Third: Wesley Hermanson
Second: Norman Pounder
Lead: George Giannou

 Copper Cliff CC, Copper Cliff

Skip: Steve Kuzmaski
Third: Bill Hudgins
Second: Al Rodin
Lead: George Burns

 Truro CC, Truro

Skip: Gerald Glinz
Third: Avard Mann
Second: Frank Hoar
Lead: Edward Henry

 The Granite Club, Toronto

Skip: Alf Phillips Sr.
Third: Reginald Mooney
Second: Stanley Jones
Lead: William Leak

Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan
Charlottetown CC, Charlottetown

Skip: Wendell MacDonald
Third: John Squarebriggs
Second: Andrew Likely
Lead: Elmer MacDonald

 Thetford Mines CC, Thetford Mines

Skip: Walter Smith
Third: Edwin Whitham
Second: Henry Foster
Lead: Royce Little

 Delisle CC, Delisle

Skip: James Hill
Third: Harold Worth Jr.
Second: Elmer MacNevin
Lead: Donald Morris

Round-robin standings

Key
Teams to Tiebreaker Playoff
Province Skip W L PF PA
 ManitobaBilly Walsh8210678
OntarioAlf Phillips Sr.8210579
SaskatchewanJames Hill7312481
 Nova ScotiaGerald Glinz6411198
AlbertaMatt Baldwin558790
 QuebecWalter Smith558795
British ColumbiaHarold Jordan4698105
Northern OntarioSteve Kuzmaski469392
Prince Edward IslandWendell MacDonald4689102
New BrunswickRalph Lister3789115
 NewfoundlandRobert Goudey1973127

Round-robin results

All draw times are listed in Atlantic Time (UTC-04:00)[5]

Draw 1

Monday, March 5 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 2 0 3 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 1 12
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 2 3 0 1 3 0 1 0 3 0 3 16
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 12
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 0 3 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 12
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 0 2 0 2 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 10
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 3 0 3 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 12
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 9
Alberta (Baldwin) 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4

Draw 2

Monday, March 5 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 8
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 2 1 0 2 0 2 0 4 0 1 0 2 14
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Baldwin) 2 1 0 0 1 3 1 1 3 0 0 0 12
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 2 11
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 7
 Manitoba (Walsh) 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 6
 Quebec (Smith) 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 8
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 12
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 8

Draw 3

Tuesday, March 6 9:00 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Baldwin) 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 3 0 3 1 0 12
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 7
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 1 0 3 0 3 0 2 0 4 0 1 0 14
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 4 2 0 0 1 15
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 2 0 6
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 3 8
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 3 4 2 1 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 15
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 9
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 8

Draw 4

Tuesday, March 6 2:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 6
Alberta (Baldwin) 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 0 11
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 6
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 1 1 0 1 0 3 2 1 2 0 4 1 16
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 4 0 1 4 2 1 0 2 1 0 4 3 22
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 4
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 1 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 10
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 2 1 0 1 0 3 13

Draw 5

Wednesday, March 7 2:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 10
Alberta (Baldwin) 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 9
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 3 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 12
Ontario (Phillips) 1 0 2 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 3 0 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 3 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 3 1 13
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 7
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 7
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 9

Draw 6

Wednesday, March 7 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 5
 Manitoba (Walsh) 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 2 0 11
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 0 3 0 0 2 0 3 0 2 1 0 1 12
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 6
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 2 0 1 0 3 1 3 0 0 5 1 2 18
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 5 0 2 2 0 2 1 3 0 0 15
British Columbia (Jordan) 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 8
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (Lister) 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 8
Ontario (Phillips) 0 0 0 1 3 0 3 3 0 1 0 2 13

Draw 7

Thursday, March 8 9:00 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 9
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 0 9
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 6
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 8
 Quebec (Smith) 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 2 10
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 2 0 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 12
Alberta (Baldwin) 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 11
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 1 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 10

Draw 8

Thursday, March 8 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 8
 Manitoba (Walsh) 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 2 11
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 6
New Brunswick (Lister) 4 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 3 0 0 13
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 8
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 6
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Baldwin) 1 0 2 1 1 0 3 3 0 1 0 1 13
 Quebec (Smith) 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 5
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 7
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5

Draw 9

Thursday, March 8 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 5
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 0 3 1 1 1 0 5 0 1 0 2 0 14
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 1 3 3 1 3 0 3 0 4 0 19
New Brunswick (Lister) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 7
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 2 0 2 1 0 3 1 0 2 0 1 12
 Quebec (Smith) 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Phillips) 2 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 10
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 8
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 1 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 2 11
Alberta (Baldwin) 0 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 7

Draw 10

Friday, March 9 9:30 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 3 0 0 11
Alberta (Baldwin) 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 5
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 2 10
 Newfoundland (Goudey) 1 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 8
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Hill) 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 11
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 2 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 3 0 12
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 0 2 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 3 11
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
British Columbia (Jordan) 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 2 11
Ontario (Phillips) 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 1 2 0 9

Draw 11

Friday, March 9 2:30 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 10
Saskatchewan (Hill) 1 0 3 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 2 0 12
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (Lister) 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 8
Alberta (Baldwin) 2 1 1 0 3 1 0 4 0 0 2 0 14
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (MacDonald) 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 10
British Columbia (Jordan) 0 1 0 4 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Smith) 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 9
Northern Ontario (Kuzmaski) 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Glinz) 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 0 9
Ontario (Phillips) 0 0 2 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 5 3 15

Playoff

Friday, March 9

Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
 Manitoba (Walsh) 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 8
Ontario (Phillips) 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 7

References

  1. ↑ "EE22_BrierSouvenirProgramFinal.pdf" (PDF). Curling Canada. p. 59. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. ↑ TSN (August 29, 2020). "Top 50 Greatest Curling Shots & Moments". YouTube. Sports Complex. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "1956 MacDonald Brier - Curling Canada Stats Archive". Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  4. ↑ "Belec's Rink Bows Out In NOCA Curling Finals; Copper Cliff Wins 9-8". Sault Star. January 30, 1956. p. 12. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Canadian bonspiel". The Regina Leader-Post. March 5, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
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