The wrong Mike - Curling Day In Canada

I wasn’t familiar with the sport of curling until I met, and eventually married my husband. He was an avid curler in the Schoolboy Challenge back then. After we were married and moved to a town with a very active curling rink, he introduced me to family fun spiels and I was hooked.

I didn’t curl much myself but loved watching it either in the rink or on television. In 2001 the Scotties Tournament of Hearts was being held in Sudbury, my old stomping grounds, so a friend and I decided we would make the drive north and watch curling the whole week of the tournament…and we did – three games every day, semi finals and the finals.

On the Friday night of the final weekend, just as the game was about to start, the broadcaster announced a special guest had entered the arena, and would we please welcome Mr. Mike H. To our shock, the whole arena resounded with boos that were louder than any cheers we had heard all week. The announcer tried a few times to quiet the crowd so he could let them know it was Mr. Mike. H, the curler. Another Mr. Mike H was then a local political figure and was not well liked in the area. When the message finally got through, the boos turned to a more favourable cheer and appreciative clapping.

I remember the thrill of being there, the final between Jones and Law, and that Jones won, however those boos for the wrong Mike is the story I tell most.

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