Happy Thanksgiving

Since very little curling is taking place this week, this is going to be one of those two-in-one issues. We'll try to fit in all the upcoming events for the next several weeks just to keep you abreast.

Upcoming Events

Dec. 3 - Albany/Schenectady Mixed Friendly (see details below)

Dec. 10-11 - Mixed Playdowns (see below)

Dec. 12 - First Meeting of the Sunday Brunch Club (see below)

Dec. 18 - Holiday Party (details to come)

Albany-Schenectady Mixed Friendly

December 3 - 9:30 am

Here we go again with sign-up sheets. One of the nicest ways to start the holiday season is the annual (except for years when it's not held) Albany-Schenectady Friendly. Some of you may not have a clue as to what it is since it hasn't been held in a couple of years. Not enough people signed up to participate. Therefore, we will explain:

Teams from the two clubs vie for a plaque that now resides with Albany since they were the winners last time it was held. Rinks are made up by choosing names out of a hat so spouses/significant others, etc., curl together only by chance. One game is played and the club with the greatest number of rocks wins the event. Before the competition, which this year will be held at SCC, there is a continental breakfast, and afterwards there is a light lunch and the awards ceremony.

NEW CURLERS: THIS IS A MUST. IT'S GREAT FUN AND A CHANCE TO MEET FELLOW CURLERS FROM THE ALBANY CLUB - SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PEOPLE. THE ATMOSPHERE IS RELAXED AND COMPETITION ISN'T CUT-THROAT, ALTHOUGH BOTH CLUBS ARE ANXIOUS TO WIN, OF COURSE.

Mixed Playdowns

There is still plenty of room on the sign-up sheet to enter as a team, a couple or as a single. This is a chance to have some fun with fellow SCC curlers and, in early January, to compete against rinks from other clubs. Those who would like to join the party Saturday night can sign up for dinner only and, of course, substitutes are always needed so, if you can make it for part of the time but not all of it, that's ok, too. Charlene Fitzgerald is the one to see for details.

Sunday Morning Brunch Bunch

Well, finally! The first Sunday Brunch will be on Dec. 12 and the sign-up sheet should be posted shortly. While Don Beeler and his sous chef, Liz Hanna (and often Don's wife, Margaret) are busy in the kitchen the rest of us can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or a somewhat shorter meal followed by some very casual curling. Brunch from 9:00-11:00, curling at 10:00. REMEMBER - THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE CLUB AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THE JOYS OF CURLING.

Achilles Bonspiel

As was expected, Bob Mulig has done it again and arranged for a wonderful weekend of curling, camaraderie and keen competition. Although only one SCC rink made it to the finals of any event, all was not lost. Fred Freedman won the Stosh Kowalski "I shoulda gone bowling" award for his loss to Montreal West in the Grudge Match. He was helped by the rest of his team - Gus Brunkhorst, Ken Fischer and Joe Lisuzzo. This is the second time Fred's won the award so he's hoping to be able to retire it next season. Also, our own Jim Sinkins captured the Horse's Ass trophy. Those of us who know and love Jim felt a little bemused by the judges' choice since we felt he had never been on better behavior. However, it turns out that he had been runner-up the past six years in a row so it was another one of those "lifetime achievement" awards. No taped retrospective of past performances was available to confirm his selection but we have no doubt he deserved the honor.

As far as the competition is concerned, SCC's Rick Fink was once more in the finals of the first event with his Granite rink but lost out this year to a team from Plainfield. We'd feel sorry for Rick, but he's won the event six times as skip and once as vice skip so it's hard to muster up any tears. The team of Shane Longley, Charlie McCullough, Shaun Manore and Mike Beaton lost in the semi-finals of the Iroquois which was captured by one of the many Broomstone teams that made themselves known this weekend. Bob Mulig, Bob Travis, Dave Spencer and Pete Sheehan got as far as the semis of the Chabawab as did Jack Stopera Sr. & Jr., Jack Fitzgerald and Jim Sinkins. The eventual winner was another Broomstones team.

Austin Cline, our friend from Albany, defeated Bob Chick and Dave Fink our friends from Broomstones for the Stockade Medal and Ardsley won the "Fifth" Event.

Along the way SCC provided substitutes for both local and out-of-town teams so many of our curlers got a chance to play for at least one game. Former member Rick Munro was lead on the St. Lambert's rink for the entire event.

Bob wanted to thank everybody who helped over the weekend by name but we told him there wasn't enough room - so a great big general THANK YOU to one and all. We did agree, however, that Jim Ridenour and the ice committee deserved special recognition. What would we do without them?

A Little Bit of This and That - But Important

Dorothy Szymaszek is going to Canada this Wednesday (11/24) so if you need any curling gear this is a great time to get it quickly and without the cost of shipping. Get in touch with her at the club or at home.

A request from Dot Sheehan that you look at the Directory sheets posted on the bulletin board to make sure your name, address, e-mail, etc. are correct. It will be taken down this week so time is running out.

A request from the T Line staff that you put your name on any sign-up sheet you post. People who have questions or need more information want to know who to contact.

Dorothy Szymaszek is in charge of organizing teams for the Women's Challenge Bonspiel which will take place March 17-19. Any woman curler with five years or less experience is eligible so, if you'd like to explore the possibility of being on a team, talk to Dorothy.

There will be a meeting of the Challenge committee after the Blackhall on December 8.

Two new members we'd like to welcome to the club - Ed Anker and Tracy Oakes. They've already been out on the ice for the Tuesday night mixed and we hope to see them getting involved in many other club activities.

Recognition For The Junior Men

During the Achilles, Bob Chick presented Junior Champion pins to Keith Munro for coaching the men's junior team made up of Iain Munro, Bryan Fink, Brian Chick and Bryan Tenczar to the GNCC and the Junior Nationals held here. He also awarded pins to John Soares and Iain Munro who each were on two teams that won the GNCC Championship. Other pins will be given to members of both the men's and women's rinks that have won the Grand National Championship since 1995. Money for the pins was left over from funds raised by the team members for their trip to Waupaca.

Remembering George Graham

Recently the Schenectady Curling Club and the sport of curling lost one of the finest gentlemen ever to play the game. George Graham, a member from 1954-1975, was loyal to the club and the ideals of curling during the years he was an active curler and no less so in the years since he played his last game. His gregarious personality and enthusiasm made his visits to the club special occasions. The Graham league, which he has sponsored since 1969 continues to be made up of the club's senior skips and winning it is still a major honor. Until last season, when ill health prevented him from doing so, he made sure to be at the club to present his pins to the winning rink and to add his support to all of our endeavors. Our sympathy goes out to his wife, Dorothy, and his children. Our lives are diminished by his loss but have been enlarged by having known him.