Page 11 - Brandon Sun - Tim Hortons - Brier 2019

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019 • BRIER’S BACK IN BRANDON • THE BRANDON SUN 11
Edwards soaked in every moment at nationals

Continued from Page 10 in the A-final. I really miss him.”
Edwards’ team was probably
Looking back at what the good enough to spend a few
event has become, Fowler has a more years on the circuit, but it
tough time deciding which Brier was the moments after a cash
he took part in is more memo- bonspiel in Virden that had the
rable. skip re-evaluating his life.
“The big thrill is to win Mani- “I phoned home and said we’d
toba and go to the Brier,” Fowler won, and my wife shared with
said. “To go as the coach, coach me that my son had scored his
my son’s team was very special. first (hockey) goal, and it just
For him to be able to win (Mani- kicked the legs out from under
toba) and follow in dad’s foot- me.” he said. “I just thought, ‘I’m
steps, that was special.” missing too much.’”
Between the two Fowler runs Edwards has been away from
came a team just about no one the game for 12 years now — his
expected to wear the Buffalo. 63-year-old knees don’t take well
Duane Edwards of Deloraine to curling anymore. He might
shocked the Manitoba curling make a comeback with a stick,
scene, beating by Burtnyk — however, as he tried it at the
who went on to win the 1995 grand opening of Deloraine’s
world championship in Brandon new curling facility and enjoyed
— in the A-side final at provin- it more than he expected to.
cials in 1990. Duane Edwards and his team from Deloraine of Kelly McMechan (from left), Don Williams, Jack Edwards and Phil Edwards shocked While those are Westman’s
“Low and behold, we were many when they won Manitoba in 1990 and competed in the Brier in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. The squad missed the playoffs after three most recent teams to play
lucky enough to beat him,” Ed- posting a 4-7 record. (Submitted) at a Brier, the region’s history
wards said. “Just some key shots, and it’s tough to say whether that driver came and said, ‘I have no have been a 7-4 team with just a dates back to 1935, when Killar-
some key misses on their part, resulted in their 4-7 record, or if problem taking us wherever you break or two. ney’s Roy Pritchard represented
and I remember saying after that it was the other way around. got to go, but we got to stick to- “I was really soaking up the ex- Manitoba. Three years later,
game, ‘What have we gotten our- The team’s friends and family gether. I can’t go picking one guy perience and the nerves get to Glenboro’s Albert Gowanlock
selves into?’ Now we’re in the certainly took advantage of the up and 4:30 a.m., then take the you.” went 9-0 to win the 1938 event,
final, no matter what we do on sponsor gifts. team at 7 a.m.” Team Edwards was a one-hit and returned out of Dauphin in
the B-side.” “(The organizers) likely Beyond late-night excursions, wonder at Manitoba provincials, 1953 to go 8-2 and beat Quebec
Edwards beat John Bubbs in thought we were consuming it the team was busy enough with but stuck around for a decent in a tiebreaker to win his second
an extra end in the final, etching because we had a 4-7 record,” all the functions. It was at the run on the tour. Edwards curled Brier crown.
his name in history along with Edwards said of the packs of 24 banquets that Edwards noticed a against the best in the country in Dauphin’s S. Bert Parker fin-
Kelly McMechan, Donald beer that were in each players’ key difference between the vet- various cash bonspiels. Being ished 4-6 in 1968, and Glenboro’s
Williams, Jack Edwards and fifth hotel room. “But truth be known, erans and those who were clearly farmers, the team took every op- Donald G. Barr took the provin-
Phil Edwards. it was just a bunch of tight farm- there for the first time. The best portunity to check out machin- cial title in 1974, before Mel
“Here was this little farm team ers down there that saw an op- teams only showed up when ery dealerships in cities and Logan and his team out of Souris
that hadn’t had a whole lot of big- portunity to get some cheap they absolutely had to. That was towns across Canada, something finished third in 1982.
league curling,” Duane Edwards beer. They took a case or two OK for Team Manitoba. The guys Edwards assumes isn’t the norm Former Brandonite Nolan
said. “We found ourselves going each and we were down to split- wanted to soak it all in. on the tour today. Thiessen also hoisted the
to the Brier, with all the acco- ting one between the five of us. “Getting announced, being in His favourite memories came Tankard on three occasions
lades and recognition that come “We tried to restock again and the limelight there, that was all from the people he got to play while throwing lead stones for
along with it. It was a pretty cool they said, ‘Here’s one.’ We were new for us. We were only there against, and a few stood out. The Kevin Koe and Pat Simmons.
thing for four farm boys. through about 10 or 11 cases so for a week, but it was pretty spe- one he’ll never forget? People from the region haven’t
“There was a lot of jubilation. they must have known.” cial. Having 5,000 people watch- “I got to play people like Vic been at the Brier every year, but
A lot of nerves that all of the sud- One thing’s for sure: Edwards ing you, seeing a guy with a Peters, meet him and his team, they’ve made an impact, and will
den were released, and we did a took it at least a little bit more se- Manitoba Buffalo flag romp and what a great guy,” Edwards continue to do so. In addition to
lot of jumping.” riously than some of his team- around the arena with it, the said of the late three-time Brier Samagalski on Team Manitoba
These guys had as much fun mates. Brier’s a pretty neat deal,” Ed- competitor. “He didn’t know me in this year’s event, former Bran-
as they possibly could with their “I’m more level-headed, but wards said. “Our record could from Adam but he sat down and donite Mike McEwen will serve
week in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Ed- my brother Jack and fifth Philip, have been a little better. We had talked to me, congratulated me as skip in his fourth Brier.
wards figures they went to the they would lead the team astray,” four extra-end games, came up and tried to tell me I was in a » tfriesen@brandonsun.com
Patch more than most teams, Edwards said with a laugh. “My short on three of them. We could great spot (at provincials), curling » Twitter: @thomasmfriesen