1961 Macdonald Brier
Host cityCalgary, Alberta
ArenaStampede Corral
DatesMarch 6–10
Attendance51,575
WinnerAlberta
Curling clubAlberta Avenue CC, Edmonton
SkipHec Gervais
ThirdRon Anton
SecondRay Werner
LeadWally Ursuliak
« 1960
1962 »

The 1961 Macdonald Brier, the Canadian men's national curling championship, was held from March 6 to 10, 1961 at the Stampede Corral in Calgary, Alberta. A total of 51,575 fans attended the event, which was only 150 fans short of the record set in 1955 Brier in Regina.[1] Due to issues during the 1960 Brier with brooms shredding causing numerous delays to clean the ice during games, curlers no longer could choose their own broom and instead could only use brooms provided by the Brier committee. Previously, the Brier committee had always supplied brooms, but curlers were permitted to use their own if desired.[2]

Team Alberta, who was skipped by Hec Gervais captured the Brier Tankard with a record of 9–1 in round robin play. This was the eighth time in which Alberta had captured the Brier championship and the first of two Briers in which Gervais won as a skip. At the age of 27 years and 4 months, Gervais would at the time become the youngest skip to win a Brier surpassing Matt Baldwin's record by six months when he won the 1954 Brier.[3]

Gervais' rink (with Vic Raymer in place of Ron Anton) would go on to complete in the 1961 Scotch Cup in Scotland and eventually capture Canada's third straight World Championship.

Event Summary

Heading into the Thursday evening draw (Draw 9), there were seven teams that were mathematically alive to win the 1961 Brier. Alberta was unbeaten with a 7–0 record and two games ahead of second place teams Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, who all tied with 5-2 records. Prince Edward Island was sitting at 5-3 while Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia were both 4–3. That evening, Northern Ontario beat Ontario 12–9, Manitoba would hold off Quebec 14–12, Saskatchewan eliminated Nova Scotia handily 11–3, and PEI handed Alberta their first loss of the tournament with an 11–7 victory. With Alberta's loss, the standings would tighten up heading into the final day of the Brier.

The Friday morning draw (Draw 10) saw Saskatchewan beat Ontario 9-5 and Manitoba beat Northern Ontario 6–5, thus eliminating both Ontario and Northern Ontario from championship contention. With Alberta's 12–4 victory over Nova Scotia, thus eliminating PEI who had drawn a bye. The final draw of the tournament on Friday afternoon would come down to Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan with the latter two playing each other. An Alberta loss to Ontario would force a tiebreaker against the winner of the Manitoba/Saskatchewan matchup.

In the game on Sheet B between Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan led 3-1 after the third end but Ontario would counter and score one in each of the next two ends to tie the game at 3. However, Saskatchewan would score three in the sixth to take a 6–3 lead halfway through the game. Manitoba would cut the lead to 6-5 after a score of two in the seventh, but Saskatchewan would put the game out of reach with three in the eighth and a steal of two in the ninth and eventually beat Manitoba 12–7. Meanwhile, on Sheet C, the Alberta and Ontario game was going in similar fashion as the game was tied 3-3 after four ends. To the delight of the Saskatchewan fans, Ontario would put up three in the fifth and a steal of two in the sixth to go up 8-3 after halfway and would lead 9-4 through eight ends. That delight would be short lived however as Alberta would rally back and tie the game at 9 with four in the eighth and a steal of one in the ninth. After a blank end in the eleventh, it would come down to the final end. With Alberta having the shot rock, it would come down to Ontario skip Thomas Caldwell's final rock. Caldwell threw an out-turn on his final stone, but the stone was too far outside and smashed against the Alberta guard giving Alberta a 10–9 victory for Gervais' first Brier and a spot in the 1961 Scotch Cup.[3]

Teams

The teams are listed as follows:[4]

Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick
Alberta Avenue CC, Edmonton

Skip: Hec Gervais
Third: Ron Anton
Second: Ray Werner
Lead: Wally Ursuliak

 Peace Arch CC, White Rock

Skip: Tony Folk
Third: James Kilburn
Second: George Klotz
Lead: Neil Eyben

 West Kildonan CC, Winnipeg

Skip: John-David Lyon
Third: Leroy Herman
Second: William Zaporzan
Lead: Leo Kelsch

 Campbellton CC, Campbellton

Skip: John MacDonald
Third: Jack Cummins
Second: Reginald Murphy
Lead: Guy Marcoux

Newfoundland Northern Ontario Nova Scotia Ontario
Blomidon CC, Corner Brook

Skip: Alexander Fisher
Third: Harry Stanley
Second: Reginald Goldburg
Lead: James Tulley

 Kirkland Lake CC, Kirkland Lake

Skip: Jack Polyblank
Third: Frank Macdonald
Second: Earl MacInnes
Lead: Murvin Smith

 Dartmouth CC, Dartmouth

Skip: James Florian
Third: Peter Hope
Second: Kenneth Bell
Lead: Donald Stanhope

 Champlain CC, Orillia

Skip: Thomas Caldwell
Third: Ross Coward
Second: J.A. Behan
Lead: Frank Milligan

Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan
Charlottetown CC, Charlottetown

Skip: Douglas Cameron
Third: George Dillon
Second: Allison Saunders
Lead: Arnold Llewellyn

 Whitlock G & CVC, Hudson

Skip: Tom Welch
Third: John Crombie
Second: Eugene Hodgson
Lead: Graham Perry

 Avonlea CC, Avonlea

Skip: John Keys
Third: Garnet Campbell
Second: Robert Pickering
Lead: Glen Campbell

Round-robin standings

Key
Brier Champion
Province Skip W L PF PA
AlbertaHec Gervais9111674
SaskatchewanJohn Keys8210665
 ManitobaJohn-David Lyon7310493
Northern OntarioJack Polyblank6410087
Prince Edward IslandDouglas Cameron649879
OntarioThomas Caldwell558687
 Nova ScotiaJames Florian5581100
 British ColumbiaTony Folk559183
 QuebecTom Welch2885119
 NewfoundlandAlexander Fisher1974121
New BrunswickJohn MacDonald1977110

Round-robin results

All draw times are listed in Mountain Time (UTC-07:00)[5]

Draw 1

Monday, March 6 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 3 2 1 0 0 12
Ontario (Caldwell) 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 0 4 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 11
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 5 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 2 0 1 0 0 9
 British Columbia (Folk) 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 10
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 6
 Quebec (Welch) 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 3 12
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 6
Alberta (Gervais) 0 3 0 1 1 0 4 0 1 1 0 1 12

Draw 2

Monday, March 6 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 0 3 0 2 1 2 0 1 0 3 0 12
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 9
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Gervais) 2 3 0 4 0 3 2 0 2 0 1 0 17
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 9
 Manitoba (Lyon) 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 10
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Ontario (Caldwell) 2 0 0 1 0 1 3 1 0 1 0 1 1 11
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 British Columbia (Folk) 1 0 2 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 9
Saskatchewan (Keys) 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 2 2 10

Draw 3

Tuesday, March 7 9:30 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 2 0 1 1 1 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 15
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 10
Alberta (Gervais) 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 11
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 6
Saskatchewan (Keys) 1 0 1 0 2 3 0 0 3 0 3 0 13
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 3 0 0 3 0 2 0 4 1 0 4 0 17
 Quebec (Welch) 0 4 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 11
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 2 1 2 0 2 0 2 1 2 0 1 0 13
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 6

Draw 4

Tuesday, March 7 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 4 0 3 4 0 4 2 0 1 0 0 2 20
 Quebec (Welch) 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 6
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 0 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 9
 British Columbia (Folk) 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 11
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 3 0 0 1 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 0 0 2 0 0 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 9
Ontario (Caldwell) 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 6
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 7
Alberta (Gervais) 0 2 0 3 3 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 13

Draw 5

Wednesday, March 8 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 5
Ontario (Caldwell) 2 0 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 9
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 7
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 0 3 0 11
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Welch) 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 7
Alberta (Gervais) 0 0 3 1 1 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 14
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 8
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 5
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 1 8
 British Columbia (Folk) 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 6

Draw 6

Wednesday, March 8 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Gervais) 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 4 2 13
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 5
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 1 11
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 8
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Ontario (Caldwell) 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 6
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 8
 Manitoba (Lyon) 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 4 0 2 0 3 13
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Welch) 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 4 11

Draw 7

Thursday, March 9 9:30 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 1 0 3 2 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 12
 Manitoba (Lyon) 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
 Quebec (Welch) 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 2 0 1 0 8
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 5 12
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Gervais) 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 7
Saskatchewan (Keys) 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 6
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Ontario (Caldwell) 4 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 4 0 13
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6

Draw 8

Thursday, March 9 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 8
Saskatchewan (Keys) 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 6
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
Ontario (Caldwell) 1 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 11
 Quebec (Welch) 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 2 1 0 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 1 0 3 0 1 1 3 0 4 3 0 1 17
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 10
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 8
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 1 2 0 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 4 13
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 8

Draw 9

Thursday, March 9 8:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 9
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 7
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 3 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 4 12
Ontario (Caldwell) 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 9
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 3 2 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 X X 11
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 X X 3
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 2 0 1 2 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 11
Alberta (Gervais) 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 3 0 0 0 0 5 0 3 1 0 2 0 14
 Quebec (Welch) 0 2 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 3 0 1 12

Draw 10

Friday, March 10 9:30 AM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4
Alberta (Gervais) 2 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 2 1 12
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Manitoba (Lyon) 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 6
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 5
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 2 0 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 8
 Quebec (Welch) 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Newfoundland (Fisher) 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 6
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 3 0 1 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 0 12
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 9
Ontario (Caldwell) 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 5

Draw 11

Friday, March 10 3:00 PM

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Quebec (Welch) 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 7
 British Columbia (Folk) 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 9
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Saskatchewan (Keys) 1 0 2 0 0 3 0 3 2 0 0 1 12
 Manitoba (Lyon) 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 7
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
Alberta (Gervais) 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 1 0 1 10
Ontario (Caldwell) 1 0 2 0 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
 Nova Scotia (Florian) 0 2 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 10
Prince Edward Island (Cameron) 1 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final
New Brunswick (MacDonald) 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 6
Northern Ontario (Polyblank) 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 2 0 1 10

References

  1. ↑ "EE22_BrierSouvenirProgramFinal.pdf" (PDF). Curling Canada. p. 59. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "Choice of Broom No Longer Curler's". Calgary Herald. newspapers.com. March 7, 1961. p. 7. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 Bilych, George; Scott, Dunc (March 11, 1961). "Thrilling Finish with Ontario". Calgary Herald. newspapers.com. p. 7. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  4. ↑ "1961 MacDonald Brier - Curling Canada Stats Archive". Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  5. ↑ "The Draw For The Week". Calgary Herald. newspapers.com. March 6, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
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