Buried Curling Treasure: St. John’s 1972 Brier

ST. JOHN’S, NL – Buried Treasure looks back at past curling events using articles and images from the archives of our very own The Curling News (formerly Canadian Curling News).

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is hosting the 2026 Montana’s Brier for the third time. Before looking at Brad Gushue’s first Brier victory in 2017, let’s go back to The Canadian Curling News March edition of 1972 and its preview of the Brier held at St. John’s Memorial Stadium. 

The April issue follows with reports from the Air Canada Silver Broom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the infamous Labonte “boot.”

What was happening in the world in 1972?

• Canadian Neil Young released “Harvest” and it became the highest-selling album of the year.

• The 1972 Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo, Japan, from February 3-13. Curling is not yet included so ratings are lower than they will be when the games return to Japan in 1998.

• John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted the Mike Douglas Show for a week in February. “Daytime Revolution” is a 2024 documentary about this moment when youth counterculture was broadcast into the homes of middle America. A month later, John and Yoko are served with deportation papers by the U.S. Immigration Department.

• The Godfather premiers on March 15. It suggests that “Tessio was always smarter” except that his betrayal is uncovered by the Corleone family and he’s whacked, proving perhaps that Clemenza was smarter all along.

• On March 22, the U.S. Congress approves the Equal Rights Amendment. As of 2026 it is still not ratified. Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms was ratified in 1982.

• The famous ’72 Summit Super Series between U.S.S.R. and Team Canada, comprised of NHL players, began on September 2. Paul Henderson scored the game-winning goal in each of the final three games.

• Vera Pezer defeated Orest Meleschuk in curling’s first “Battle of the Sexes” in November of 1972. Pezer stole the final end for a 4-3 victory in Orest’s hometown of Winnipeg.

The Canadian Curling News

Vol. 16, No. 2

BRIER, 1972

CCN puts Ernie Richardson on the cover. Ernie hasn’t won the event in nine years, hasn’t appeared in a Brier since 1964 and is not competing in St. John’s. This would be like putting a photo of Kevin Martin in our 2026 Brier preview story.

Pages 4 and 5 include pre-event picks from the leading scribes of the day. Orest Meleschuk is the favourite, with Calgary’s Larry Wood choosing him over Alberta’s Mel Watchorn. Don “Buckets” Fleming of Edmonton is less convinced, suggesting the “Big O” ranks fifth and that Matty’s (Jack Matheson) endorsement kills him. 

Some other notable quips:

“Firemen and farmers have more leisure curling time than most guys, if that means anything” – Larry Wood on Saskatchewan and Alberta chances

“Sounds like the big ‘O’ and I have something in common – holubtsi” – Ted Thonger 

“The year of the perogie” – Jack Matheson on Orest

The rest of the issue is filled with previews for each province at the Brier, written by local sportswriters.

Here’s “Matty” on eventual winner Orest Meleschuk (episode 78 of the Curling Legends Podcast) of Manitoba…

Ed Clark on Bernie Sparkes’ (CLP episode 58) first appearance at the Brier out of British Columbia.

His team includes the young Giles brothers, Brent, Brock and Brad.

Eventual runner-up Bill Kent is profiled on page 10 by Russ Griffith. It’s the second Brier appearance for Bill, third Art Lobel and second Don Aitken. Art and Don would go on to win the 1977 Brier with Jim Ursel, the first-ever for Quebec. 

This page also includes the short bio for Team Newfoundland, skipped by Fred Durant with the front end of Carl Strong and Bob Rowe. A young Jack MacDuff (21 years old, CLP episode 19) is at third and playing in his first Brier.

Jack will skip Newfoundland to its first Brier victory in 1976.

The last page includes an article by Bruce Boreham on the history of the Brier, including attendance numbers from 1946 through 1971.

The Canadian Curling News

Vol. 16, No. 3

APRIL, 1972

The April issue of The (Canadian) Curling News comes after the historic Labonte “boot” at the 1972 men’s world championship, then known as the Air Canada Silver Broom.

Another odd choice for the cover photo; showing an unorthodox delivery by Swiss skip Peter Attinger rather than a photo from the famous final game.

The opening sentence by George Bilych “One has to fill a big pair of boots to beat Canada on the world curling level.” It’s fair to assume this is the first of too many “boot” references included in this issue.

Ted Thonger, the founder of TCN/CCN, provides a recap of the Brier in St. John’s.

Ted notes the stones were used by a local curling club because the association stones where thrown “out of kilter” by an itinerant rock sharpener. I suspect he is referring to Herb Olson. 

In episode 32 of the Curling Legends Podcasts, Bob Cole explains what led to using local stones. Someone had suggested after the Brier in 1971 he should take the DCA (Dominion Curling Association) stones, sail them out at sea and then sink the boat. 

Russ Griffith provides his thoughts on Quebec’s success and strides the sport is making in the province.

Jack Matheson on Orest Meleschuk. He acknowledges the Big “O” is rough around the edges but in his defence of his wins in 1972, which included a controversial burnt stone at the Brier along with the famous one from the world championships.

“Sometimes I think the world’s pretty stupid, especially Alberta and Saskatchewan, where they should know better.” 

Page 4 also includes some thoughts on the playoff format for the world championships. What would the writer think about today’s Draw Shot Challenge?

Don Fleming’s thoughts on the world finals is on page 6, along with Larry Wood covering his own runner-up finish in the Garmisch Open, held presumably around the Silver Broom. Woody was joined by Ray Kingsmith at second and Warren Hansen at skip who, per Larry, “missed 16 free draws.” 

Fleming references knee sliders and berates the conditions: “In the Gramisch Open you get croquet hoops for hacks, rocks with running surfaces as flat as those shuffleboard jobs, and ice which, I suppose, really wouldn’t be any more crooked than a patch of the North Saskatchewan river in January.”

Page 8 continues George Bilych’s article from the cover page, there’s some recent news on Ernie Richardson from Laurie Artiss and Rink Rat owners are told where they can “renew their broom.”