PAGCC celebrates 50th anniversary with the voice of curling

Thompson gave Rauter some important advice that’s gone by throughout his storied career.

“’Remember, you are the host. You are the setup man. He is the analyst,’” Rauter said of the advice he received from Thompson. “And every year for some 20 years until his untimely death, before the start of every season he would ask me, ‘Vic, what do you know about the game?’ And I would say, ‘nothing.’ And he would say ‘perfect.’

“And to this day, there are some that ask me after 32 years, going across the country, ask me if I’m going to take up the game.”

Rauter was only one of three honoured speakers of the night. The event belonged just as much, if not more so, to the club`s honourees. Sherry Anderson was celebrated as the curling honouree while Ron Stewart was praised as the golf honouree.

Seeing as they’re both involved at curling at the highest level, Anderson and Rauter have gotten to know each other through the sport.

During her speech, Anderson recalled a time at the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Montreal that Rauter asked her if she was going to retire after just turning 50 years old.

As Anderson recalls it, she told him “no,” twice.

So at the anniversary Saturday with Rauter in attendance, Anderson pointed to the veteran broadcaster to clear the air.

“I just want to tell you Vic, I’m still not ready to retire,” Anderson said.

That’s a good thing. Since that chat, Anderson has arguably had as much or more success in the sport. She’s heading to Norway this year to defend her world seniors title she won in Sweden a year ago. Anderson has won back-to-back Canadian seniors championships as well.

She’s been a finalist and a third place finisher at the Scotties to go along with seven provincial championships.

Although she curls out of Saskatoon these days, Anderson still has strong ties and attachments to Prince Albert and the local curling club.

When she played in the 2016 Saskatchewan Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Prince Albert, the rink was flooded with Anderson fans. Anderson remembers the team’s first game, her young team she brought back to P.A. were taken aback by the huge support.

“Halfway through the game, my third [Jessica Hanson] comes down because it’s pro team Anderson. She goes ‘you have a lot of spectators here.’ I said ‘well yeah, 98 of them are my family and the other three are friends.’ So I pretty much had that covered,” Anderson said.

Flipping over to the golf side of things, Stewart won the Saskatchewan Amateur Championships in 1977, 1987 and 2007. That 2007 event was special as not only was it won at Cooke Municipal Golf Course, but he was also competing alongside his son Dave.

He’s been on six Saskatchewan teams at the junior, Willingdon Cup and Mid-Amateur levels, has six Northern championships, 11 City Open wins, 10 May Day Masters victories and four Cooke club titles.

But before Stewart became the most accomplished golfer, he was a boy who loved the game. He recalled riding his bike to the course to work as a caddy, getting $3 a game and another $1 for shagging balls at the range.

“At times I’d come to the golf course with clubs on my back, on my bike,” Stewart said.

The anniversary also recognized the club’s four life members: T. Gordon Thompson, Frank Harris, Gord Widger and Pat Bibby.

They also renamed the Cosmo Room after Thompson, after it was spruced up and redone.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW

by Jeff D'Andrea

PAGCC celebrates 50th anniversary with the voice of curling

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