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Memories A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SUPPLIER-SPONSORED
CURLING BONSPIEL. AI Wilson, founder of A.O.Wilson Ltd., originated this bonspiel in 1952,
and it started out as a very simple affair with the intent of entertaining
a few brewery employed M.B.A. It does appear that this continued to be held at the Brampton Club until 1957, but the club being in a dry area, legally no liquor was allowed on the club premises. They had been warned of this and in fact one year a friend of AI's, a local Judge, phoned him at the club and advised that he had just had a phone call from a lady who lived next to the club. She informed the Judge that she had observed several gentlemen carrying boxes into the club that morning, and it was obvious from the noise of the singing they were not having a prayer meeting. It was quickly agreed by all that they had better find a new location. By 1958 this event had grown to the point that it was decided to officially make it part of the Ontario MBA yearly program. A Curling Committee headed up by AI Wilson was formed and it was decided that the event would include two draws, a cocktail hour and a dinner. It was moved to St. George's Golf and Country Club and was declared that it would be a supplier-sponsored event, with brewery-employed members being their guests. Up until this time the only trophy involved was the Peddler's Trophy in the form of the Gut Bucket, that Joe Lee had provided. In 1960 Doran's Northern Brewery decided to enter a rink against a southern rink and created the Northern Ontario Trophy. This is known today as the Doran's Trophy. In 1965 the Gut Bucket was replaced by a full-fledged trophy and continued to be called the Peddlers Trophy. This was rebuilt and renamed the AI Wilson Trophy around 1979. The original committee consisted of AI Wilson, George Lee, Jack Arnott and Joe Lee. Don MacLeod joined them in 1966 and I became involved about a year later. In 1970 at a regular MBA meeting, AI Wilson called a meeting of the curling committee and we found an office in the brewery in which to hold it. In very short order Al advised Don and I that he and the others had decided that they had run this for several years and it was now our turn, "to have some fun".I quickly nominated Don as chairman, and he in turn made me co?chair, We then requested that Al stay on as honorary chairman, and Jack Arnott agreed to continue handling the making up and mailing out of the event notices. Don wasted no time in recruiting Bob Moore of A.P.V. and Bob Edwards of St. Lawrence Starch to fill out the committee. Moore took over making up the draws and Edwards became treasurer. About a year later Mike Coulter joined us and took on the duties of promotion and mailings from Jack Arnott. Gus Dalianis came aboard to assist Mike and look after prizes. With the early death of Bob Edwards, we asked Brian Taylor, also of St. Lawrence Starch, to assume the duties of treasurer. With Paul Lawrence coming along later to take on the heavy task of buying the prizes. In 1977 we had to locate to the Lambton G. and C.C., as the St. George Golf and Country Club could not accommodate the average of 120 for dinner. After St.George's had enlarged their dining facilities it was moved back here in 1991. Don MacLeod retired from business and the committee in 1988, and 1 assumed the roll of chairman. This was short lived as I retired a year later and passed the gavel to Brian Taylor. I believe it was in 1989 that I was very pleased to have Graham Wilson, the grandson of AI Wilson, join the committee. I know his grandfather would be both happy and proud to see him serving on the committee on this its 50"' Anniversary. On a more personal note I would comment that I became involved with the MBA around 1960 and officially a member in 1964. 1 quickly realized that it was a unique organization, with the membership made up of men who were professional, knew their jobs and worked hard at them. But most important they knew how to relax and enjoy themselves, and they sure did that. Many had lived thru' the depression and also served in the war and now they had pretty good jobs, wives and families and life was good. Once the business part of any regular MBA meeting was out of the way and dinner was served, the fun certainly did begin. The fellowship of those years will never be repeated, with the likes of Bud Stoddart and Jack Arnott telling the latest jokes or Joe Lee banging out a tune on the piano, with a dozen guys trying their best to sing. Not many meetings ended before 11 or 12 o'clock, and on many occasions the card games continued after that. I guess that could be referred to as the "good old days". When planning the 25th anniversary bonspiel the committee joked about how many of us would be here for the 50th. Well Don MacLeod and Bob Moore did not make it, but 1 am sure they are looking down and wondering," why the hell are we sitting around talking with our beer getting warm." Ladies, Gentlemen, please join me in a toast to a truly great organization, the MBA, and an event that I hope will continue to be held for at least another 25 years. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
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members. Al, with the help of George Arnott, plant engineer at the O'Keefe
Brewery, and Charlie Smith of Aluminum Goods Co., put this together, with
Al's wife, Kay providing a basket of corn beef sandwiches and a large
pot of coffee. The guests contributed either a case of beer or a crock.
Some 24 members showed up at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning at the Brampton
Curling Club and curled 10 ends before settling down for lunch and refreshments.
There is little doubt that by early afternoon a very good party was in
progress.