Allan Ledgerwood was born in Saskatchewan and began curling there. The Ledgerwood family moved to Charlottetown, where Al attended Prince of Wales College and then went on to Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. While at Acadia, he played on the winning team for the Maritime Intercollegiate Curling Championship in 1967 along with brothers David and Wayne Matheson from Summerside. The team went on to garner the Silver Medal at the Canadian University Olympiad in Calgary.
In 1979, another PEI Men’s Championship, this time with Wayne Matheson…. and then again with Wayne in 1984..
In 1985, he was a finalist in the PEI Men’s Championship, playing with Blair Weeks and in 1990 was the fifth player for the Doug Weeks team at the Canadian Men’s Championship in Saskatoon.
Allan combined a competitive career with an extensive coaching career, spanning more than 35 years. He has coached Junior Mens and Womens, Mens and Womens, and Senior Mens and Womens teams at the provincial and national level. PEI teams skipped by Kathie Gallant, Kim Dolan, Tami Lowther, Shelley Bradley, Barb Currie, Mike Gaudet, Ted MacFadyen and others have all benefited from his coaching abilities.
Beginning in 1972, he coached Rob Burnett to the PEI Schoolboy Championship and Flora Burnett’s team to the final in the PEI Schoolgirl Championship in 1974 and again in 1975. Certainly a highlight for Allan personally, was coaching his son Sean’s team to the PEI Junior Men’s Championship in 1989.
He has coached many Men’s and Women’s teams successfully : Kathie Gallant to four provincial finals… Tami Lowther to three… Kim Dolan to two… Shelley Bradley to one and Mike Gaudet’s team to one PEI Men’s Championship. As well, Al has coached these teams as they participated in their Canadian Championships.
In 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, Al coached Barbara Currie’s team to the PEI Ladies Championship. He also coached the team at the Canadian Senior Ladies Championship held in Summerside in 2006.
In 2008, he again coached two teams that won a provincial senior title : Barbara Currie and Ted MacFadyen.
Allan has also been involved in other aspects of curling. He was secretary of the PEI Curling Association from 1972 to 1976. He has been a guest speaker at numerous sports events, including the Canadian Mixed and Canadian Seniors closing banquets and has emceed numerous other curling events.
During the 1990s, Allan participated in local broadcasts of the Island Super League for Eastlink Television, providing play by play commentary. As well, he was a guest commentator on CBC Television, at the World Junior Men’s Curling Championship in Fredericton in 1982.
All in all, four purple hearts, 20 provincial championships, where the teams he coached were in the final game…. coaching his teams on six occasions at Canadian Championships; and numerous speaking engagements, where his love of the game was most evident.
In 1998, Al was elected to the Acadia University Sports Hall of Fame.
It is with great pleasure, that on this 20th day of October 2008, that we induct Allan Ledgerwood, as a curler/builder, into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame.
Elizabeth Macdonald
Builder – Curler
Liz Macdonald was one of the women responsible for the formation of the PEI Ladies Curling Association. At the 1955 Brier held in Regina, she met with women from the western provinces and discussed the possibility of a national women’s competition. They advised her that forming a provincial ladies curling association would be a first step. Women curlers held a meeting March 30, 1955 in Summerside where Liz was appointed as one of two delegates to represent the CCC. At the March meeting, she was also appointed as chairperson of a committee tasked with drafting the constitution and bylaws for the new PEI Ladies Curling Association. It is interesting to note that the first national championship was subsequently held in 1961, where she and her team represented PEI.
She was elected as Chair of the Games Committee of the PEI Ladies Curling Association in 1958 and elected as Secretary-Treasurer of the PEI Ladies Curling Association in October 1959. In 1964, she again was elected Games Chairperson of the PEI Ladies Curling Association.
Liz Macdonald co-chaired the Championship Committee with Helen Likely for the Canadian Senior Ladies Championship, held at the Charlottetown Curling Club in 1976.
Liz competed on many levels throughout her career – ladies, mixed, seniors and masters.
She and her team won the PEI Ladies Curling Championship three times. The first provincial title came in 1961 and they went on to compete in the first-ever national competition held that same year – the 1st Dominion Diamond “D” classic, the official Ladies Curling Championship, at the Ottawa Hunt Golf and Curling Rink. As skip, she was joined by Sally Rodd, Ev Goss, and Nora MacDonald. The following year, the same team again won the PEI Ladies Curling Championship and went on to the nationals. She won the ladies provincial championship again in 1967, with Marie Toole, Barb Squarebriggs, and Peggie Dalziel.
At the Canada Games in 1967 in Quebec City, Liz was a member of the PEI team along with her husband, Dr. Wen Macdonald, Shirley Storey and Lorne Burke. It was a mixed team and at that time, there was no age stipulation for curling.
In 1974, she skipped the team that won the PEI Senior Ladies Championship, with Sybil MacMillan, Anne Wood, and Doris LeClair and they went on to the national seniors event in Halifax. Liz won the provincial senior ladies two more times, in 1980 and 1981. These two years, she represented PEI at Fredericton and Winnipeg with Sybil MacMillan, Gladys Reid, and Alma MacDonald.
Liz Macdonald organized the first PEI Ladies Masters Competition as well as the first Maritime Masters. She won the trophy several times and has since been honoured with the women’s Maritime Masters trophy, now being presented in her name.
The Charlottetown Curling Club each year presents the Merklinger Award trophy to the curler of the year. This trophy is awarded to curlers, male or female, who best exemplify curling excellence and sportsmanship at the Charlottetown Curling Club. Liz was the first winner of this award in 1978.
Each year, at the Scott Tournament of Hearts, an award is presented to the curler who best embodies the spirit of the game. Originally named for a different curler or builder in the area hosting the event, the award is now named in honour of Marj Mitchell, who skipped Canada to its first world title in 1981. In 1984, when the Scott was held in Charlottetown, the Elizabeth Macdonald Award was presented to Yvonne Smith, Ontario.
Elizabeth Macdonald was elected to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in the Curler/Builder category in 1992….. And we are most pleased to posthumously induct her as a Curler/Builder into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame, this 20th day of October, 2008.
Dr. Wendell Macdonald
Growing up in Charlottetown in the late 1920’s, Dr. Wen, as he would be known, was a star athlete in such sports as baseball, hockey, and football while attending West Kent School and Prince of Wales College. While attending Dalhousie University medical school, Dr. Wen was also a strong contributor with the varsity hockey team.
Returning to Charlottetown in 1945 after completing Radiology specialization in Montreal,
Dr. Wen began curling recreationally while also participating in his other beloved activities:
fishing, hunting and golf. Though his professional life consumed a large portion of his daily activities, curling remained a centrepiece in his life.
Dr. Wen began to curl more on a competitive level in the late forties at the Charlottetown Curling Club. His longtime friend, John Squarebriggs, would be closely associated with him as “mate” throughout his distinguished curling career, and with his competitiveness and passion for the sport, success in the curling world soon came his way. He began competing on the provincial level, and as Skip, won his first Provincial Mens Curling Championships which took him to the Brier. Gaining extensive experience from attending this national event, Dr. Wen skipped his team to two more consecutive Provincial Mens Championships in 1955 and 1956 and returned to the national scene.
Through Dr. Wen’s association with the sport of curling in Charlottetown, the local curling club prospered and grew to be a vital part of the community. The club was his “second home” and upon the urging of his wife Elizabeth, Dr Wen was instrumental in bringing women into the sport in the 1950’s,
thus helping to make it one of the Island’s main social activities.
Shortly thereafter, he turned his efforts to the senior curling competitions. This would be where Dr. Wen would have his name etched forever into the archives of curling on Prince Edward Island. Commencing in 1965, teams skipped by Dr. Wen would go on to win seven consecutive Provincial Senior Titles culminating with a Canadian Championship, PEI’s first in 1971, in Halifax.
At sixty -two years of age, Dr. Wen’s success continued as his curling foursomes would go on to capture seven more provincial titles. His presence at the national championships continued and he was rewarded once again with winning consecutive National Senior Curling Championships in 1975 in Calgary, and 1976 in Ottawa, where he was quoted as saying “somebody up there is taking good care of us”. In 1976, Dr. Wen was nominated overwhelmingly to become a member of the Governor General Curling Club of Canada. This honorary curling club was designed to promote the game of curling in Canada and to recognize those individuals who have made a significant contribution to curling whether on the national or international level.
Macdonald, twice served as President of the Charlottetown Curling Club…..
President of the PEI Curling Association….
Secretary – Treasurer of the PEI Curling Association for 5 years….
Chairperson, 1973 National Mixed in Charlottetown….
And for several years, he was a Delegate to the Canadian Curling Association.
Dr. Wen was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame as a Builder in 1975 and as a Curler in 1977.
Previously inducted into the PEI Sports Hall of Fame, Dr Wendell Macdonald will now take his place, as a Curler /Builder, in the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame, as we posthumously induct him this 20th day of October, 2008.
Freeman Miles
Builder
Freeman Miles began his curling career in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Following his move to Charlottetown, he curled at the Charlottetown Curling Club, and with a later move to Summerside he continued in the sport at the Summerside Curling Club and then the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club…. and although he participated as a curler in the “roaring game” for 40 years, his real contribution has been in the Builder Category.
He first served as vice – president of the Charlottetown Curling Club and then as president in 1971 – 72, and In the mid seventies, Freeman became active in the Prince Edward Island Curling Association. He was the PEI representative to the Canadian Curling Association for the Mixed for three years — 1975 through 1977, and then three years as the provincial Men’s representative to the Canadian Curling Association in 1978 to 1980. He served two years as vice – president of the Prince Edward Island Curling Association…. as president in 1982-83, and then as past-president. During this time period, Freeman was an active member of most of the association committees
In 1976, Freeman moved to Summerside, where he served on the executive of the old Summerside Curling Club…. first as vice president and then two years as president in 1979 to 1981.
In 1980 to 1982 he chaired the Building Committee for the new rink, to be known as the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club…. it opened in January 1982 and he became the first Chair of the Board of Directors…. twelve years later, he again presided as President of the Silver Fox, in the 1994 – 95 year.
His talents as an administrator continued to be in demand, as he was the draw master for Canadian Legion Curling (Provincial Command) for sixteen years.
In 1987, he chaired the National Mixed Organizing Committee for the Canadian Mixed Championship held at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club. This was the year the Peter Gallant team of Charlottetown, won the Canadian Championship.
In 2007, Freeman was presented with a Life Membership to the PEI Curling Association.
The Freeman Miles record, as a Builder of curling in this Province, has been outstanding and he is most deserving of the honour we bestow upon him this evening, as we induct him, in the Builder Category, into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame, this 20th day of October 2008.
Leonard Murphy
Builder
Leonard Murphy began curling while he was in the RCAF and continued his association with the sport when he returned to the province in 1968, becoming involved in the Alberton Curling Club as a volunteer. For more than 30 years, he has spent countless hours donating his time as an administrator, committee member, negotiator, fund raiser and doing many other tasks associated with establishing and maintaining a curling club in a small town.
Leonard was part of the Alberton Curling Club committee that met with the O’Leary Curling Club to discuss a proposal by the provincial government to build a six sheet rink at the Mill River Resort, rather than having separate rinks in Alberton and O’Leary. The outcome was clear, of course, that Alberton and O’Leary would each continue to operate their own curling clubs.
When the Alberton club ran into financial problems, Leonard was asked to be the spokesperson for the club, to work out a deal with the mortgage holder. The club was owned by shareholders, and most of them were either deceased, moved away from Alberton, or were not interested in playing anymore. Leonard tracked down the majority of the shareholders and was able to convince them to donate or sell their shares to the club. After they settled on a deal, he chaired the committee to draft up a new constitution and by-laws. The club was renamed “The Western Curling Club” in 1990, and Leonard was on the committee that saw the club expand to three sheets of ice.
Leonard Murphy served fifteen years on the club executive including being president on three occasions, in 1980/81, 1992/93, and 1999/2000. He was the Alberton Curling Club’s representative to the PEI Curling Association from 1978 until 1986. He was elected second vice president of the PEI Curling Association in 1982…. served as first vice president in 1983…. president in 1984/85, and then as past president in 1985/86. He was also Provincial Games chairman in 1985/86.
Leonard taught curling at the club…. coached juniors for a number of years and is a level 1 instructor. The PEI Curling Association recognized Leonard in 1990 for his coaching endeavours and the Royal Canadian Legion honoured him in 2000 for his work with Royal Canadian Legion Curling events.
The PEI Curling Hall of Fame is pleased to induct Leonard Murphy into the Hall, as a builder, on this 20th day of October 2008.
John Drake Squarebriggs
Curler
John Squarebriggs grew up in Charlottetown where he played many sports. For many years hockey was his game…. he was but 15 when he played for the junior Abbies, and from 1927 to 1932, he was a member of the senior Abbies in the Maritime big Six Hockey League. He would later play seven years in the Eastern Hockey League, with Bronx New York, with New York Rovers, and through 1940 with the Baltimore Orioles, as player, captain and coach.
Johnny “Snaggs”, as he was affectionatly known, went on to the Cape Breton League… with the Glace Bay Miners as player / coach….and with North Sydney Vics and the Sydney Millionaires as player/ coach. He coached the Prince of Wales College team in the late 1940’s, and became a referee in the Maritime Big 4 League in the 1950’s.
Baseball was also his sport, and he was on the 1932 Charlottetown all – star team champions.
His athletic talents took him to golf, bowling, tennis, billiards and of course curling.
In curling, he was amazing. He was on the winning team three times for the Canadian Seniors Curling Championship…. in 1971, 1975, and 1976.
In 1971, Johnny was with Wen Macdonald, Doug George, and Dan O’Rourke, and in 1975 and 1976, he was with Wen Macdonald, Irvine MacKinnon, and Don Hutchison.
John Squarebriggs was on the team that won the PEI Seniors Championship 12 times. In 1966, in Winnipeg his first Nationals, he was with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Wally Rodd and James Cameron. 1967 in Montreal, he was with the same team…. in 1968 in Edmonton, with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Wally Rodd, and Norman Nicholson….. in 1969 in Hamilton, with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Doug George, and Wally Rodd…. in 1970 in Kamloops, he was with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Doug George, and Dan O’Rourke…. In 1971 they won the championship in Halifax…. in 1973 in Sudbury, with the same team as in 1971…. in 1974 in Saint John, with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Irvine MacKinnon, and Arthur Ballem…. in 1975 when they won their second Canadian championship, it was in Calgary… in 1976 they won their third and last national championship, when it was held in Ottawa. In 1980, it was Nanaimo, with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Don Hutchison, and Irvine Mackinnon…. and his last National appearance was in Charlottetown in 1982 with Dr. Wen Macdonald, Don Hutchison, and Irvine Mackinnon.
Johnny was on the winning team for the PEI British Consols Mens Championship five times. The first was in 1947, when he was with Frank Acorn, Andy Likely, and Anc Howatt. In 1951, he was with Frank Acorn, Bill MacNeill, and Mel Jenkins. In 1954, with Dr. Wendell Macdonald, Elmer Macdonald, and Barry Macdonald. In 1955 Dr. Wendell Macdonald, Andy Likely, and Elmer Macdonald….. and in 1956, he was with Dr. Wen, Andy Likely, and Elmer Macdonald.
Johnny served as a board member with the PEI Sport Hall of Fame and Museum…..
In 1976 he was inducted into the PEI Sport Hall of Fame as a member of the Dr. Wendell Macdonald team.
Most remember John Drake Squarebriggs for not only his athletic abilities, but as well, his human qualities…. his unique sense of humor…. loyalty to his friends… his knowledge of so many different subjects… and his well known capacity for speaking on any subject, for hours on end.
Johnny was elected to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1978…. tonight, we posthumously induct him into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of fame, in the curler category, this 20th day of October, 2008
Marie Toole
Curler
Marie Toole began curling more than 50 years ago to pass the winter months while the golf courses were closed. She launched what would become an outstanding career as a competitive curler.
Marie began her career at the Charlottetown Curling Club and it wasn’t long before she was on a team, playing third, that won the PEI Mixed Championship in 1966. Her skip was Dougie Bell, and her team mates were Bill MacGregor and Marion Partridge.
The next year, 1967, she was playing third on the team that won the PEI Ladies Championship along with skip Elizabeth Macdonald, Barb Squarebriggs and Peg Dalziel. As well, that same year, she was a winner of the PEI Mixed Curling Championship, playing third on the Allan Smith skipped team,with Bill McGregor and Pauline Johnston.
Two years later, in 1969, another PEI Ladies Curling Championship. This time, she skipped the team with third Jennie Boomhower, second Mary Acorn, and lead Pauline Johnston. The Canadian Championship was held in Thunder Bay, Ontario and the Team finished third.
She was the provincial winner again for the next three years straight, with third Jennie Boomhower, second Cathy Dillon, and lead Pauline Johnston.
In 1973, she was a winner once again, as a member of the the PEI Mixed Curling Championship Team, playing third for Doug Cameron, alongside Bill McGregor and Pauline Johnston.
In 1974, she was back again as the winner of the PEI Ladies Championship with her same team of Jennie, Cathy and Pauline. The team placed second at the Canadian Ladies Curling Championship in Victoria that year —- the very best showing any Island women’s team has accomplished to date.
Marie Toole was also active in the administrative side of Curling, serving as the Charlottetown Curling Club’s delegate to the PEI Ladies Curling Association, from 1962 to 1964 and again as the clubs provincial delegate, 1977/78, and 1978/79. Marie was the Secretary/Treasurer, of the PEI Ladies Curling Association in 1962/63.
At the club level, Marie served as Vice President, Charlottetown Ladies Curling Club, 1972/73, and as President for the 1973/74 year. She also Co-convened one of the club’s major fund raisers in those days, the 1975 Charlottetown Ladies Curling Club Fashion Show.
All in all, six provincial women’s championships and three mixed championships – Marie Toole, worthy of induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame in the curler category this 20th day of October 2008.
Orville Willis
Builder
In April 1973, Orville Willis was one of a group of people who wanted to see a curling rink built in their community of O’Leary. They decided to hold a meeting to see if they could generate some interest in their idea…… Orville chaired the organizing committee, and five years later, in the fall of 1978, the community of O’Leary had a curling rink.
Orville was one of the original temporary directors involved in the building of the Community Curling Club, later called the Maple Leaf Curling Club. He attended numerous meetings, chaired many committees, and personally raised funds to build the rink. There were many challenges along the way, and one of significance was the building being partially destroyed by strong winds during its construction.
Orville was president of the Maple Leaf Curling Club on two occasions, 1980/81 and 1988/89… and he was a director for many years. He also represented the Maple Leaf Curling Club throughout the years at meetings held by the PEI Curling Association, and spent many hours making ice, coordinating bonspiels, and assisting with provincial bonspiels held at the club. His company, CF Willis & Sons, sponsored club championships, cashspiels, and bonspiels. He even volunteered to be “roasted” at a Maple Leaf Curling Club fund raiser.
In April, 1995, Life Memberships were sold to raise money in order to retire an operating debt which was mostly property taxes. Orville Willis was one of fourteen members to purchase one, even though he was not an active curler at that time.
Orville truly loves the game and is proud to have been a member of PEI Masters Championship team in 1995/96 and 1996/97. He played second, and his team mates were skip Jim Baglole, George Bernard and Kenny Banks.
A true builder – from the ground up, chairing and serving on committees, talking to architects and construction people, sponsoring events and raising money, finding curling rocks and doing many other volunteer tasks, required to get a club up and running….. Orville has been involved with and supported the Maple Leaf Curling Club since its inception more than 35 years ago.
Tonight, we honour his wonderful contribution, made over those many years, and induct him, in the Builder Category, into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame, on this 20th day of October, 2008.