Page 3 - Brandon Sun - Tim Hortons - Brier 2019

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019 • BRIER’S BACK IN BRANDON • THE BRANDON SUN 3
Hackner broke through to win his first crown

Continued from Page 2 “Part of it was the fact that
our lead and/or second just
“That was what I’d say was couldn’t peel. So sometimes
the biggest disadvantage of even if we were up, if they threw
playing at home, because a guard we just drew around it,
everybody wants a piece of because that was the shot we
you,” Logan said. “Everybody knew we were going to make.
wants you to be at their func- We stayed with our strength. As
tion, because they’re going to long as we get ahead and the
honour you one way or another. other team throws a guard,
At the same time, they expect away we go.”
you to go out on the ice and curl Away Hackner went to the
100 per cent. final, against a B.C. squad that
“It’s nice to be hosted, but it’s had his number earlier in the
not great for your curling.” week. Of course, he rebounded
On the other hand, the ban- and repeated his string of three
quets kept Manitoba away from single-point steals en route to a
its sponsor gifts in the hotel. La- 7-3 victory.
batt, then the title sponsor, “We came to play them in the
handed out cases of beer for all final and they weren’t as sharp.
the athletes, and some certainly A ABOVE:BOVE:Al Hackner, from right, Rick Lang, We were, and that’s how you
took advantage of it more than Bob Nichol and Bruce Kennedy hoist the win,” Hackner said. “Because of
others. Tankard after winning the 1982 Brier at the experience of having been
“Christ, by the end of the the Keystone Centre. through the semis and the final
week there wasn’t even a dozen RIGHT:Fans, including this Mel Logan sup- the last two years, that really
RIGHT:
beer drank from one 24,” Logan porter, were passionate and packed the helped.”
said. “We made a mistake. Every Keystone Centre during the 1982 Brier. Hackner went on to win his
day we should have put a 24 in Brandon’s event was the first men’s na- first world championship in
the trunk of our car, because tional curling championship to have a Germany three weeks later.
they’d keep replenishing it.” total attendance greater than 100,000 After not reaching the Brier the
When it came to the games and the crowd made the bonspiel memo- next two years, he replicated his
themselves, Manitoba fared rable for the curlers. run to world gold in Scotland in
well. For a team not expected to (Brandon Sun files) 1985.
reach the Brier, Logan managed That Brier final, he made the
to battle all the way to a playoff ‘Al Hackner Double,’ a ridicu-
spot. Finishing in a three-way ‘Maybe you should sweep lously skinny double-takeout to
tie for third at 6-5 — only three that.’” score two and force an extra
teams made the playoffs back Added Armour: “It was al- end, when he stole to defeat Pat
then — Manitoba beat New most like it went down a little Ryan. It’s a shot the Northern
Brunswick in the second hill from the four-foot back and Ontario Curling Association
tiebreaker to make the semifi- it slid too far.” named the greatest moment in
nal. So Logan had to face Hackner Northern Ontario curling his-
“It was kind of up and down. in the semifinal. The ‘Iceman’ tory.
The stupid part: Two shots of stormed onto the national He set a record with his sev-
mine would have put us at 8-3,” scene with his first Brier in enth Brier appearance in 1992,
Logan said of games against 1980, and reached the final in and finished with nine, before
Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner his first two appearances. claiming a senior men’s na-
and B.C.’s Brent Giles. “We His bid to reach a third final tional gold and world silver in
would have beaten B.C., and wasn’t much of a game. Hack- 2007.
been in first place. ner stole three singles in a row A Curling Canada Hall of
“It had come into the house to lead 6-1. Logan snagged a Fame member, Hackner made
and was almost stopped. Some late three to make the final a his breakthrough in Brandon,
of the B.C. rink were sticking somewhat more respectable 8- with veteran third Rick Lang
out their hands to shake hands, 5. be good. We always respect our ner said, adding his team often alongside for most of the jour-
and I think it was Giles that “Obviously to win Manitoba opposition, but we just had to played aggressively without the ney.
yelled at (Brent) Monkman, you don’t just fluke it, you got to go out and play better,” Hack- hammer. » See ‘Patch’ — Page 4