CRANDALL RINKS
The first rink was built about 1901. It was a low-roofed building
erected in the southeast of town (east of the home now owned by J. Morison)
containing a small hockey sheet and two sheets of curling ice. The rink was lit by
large round-burner coal oil lamps. This rink was condemned about 1916 and was
later used, in part, as a school van shed.
Around this time another rink was started, being an open air type on
land just south of the school. A portable granary was drawn up and used as a
waiting room. Caretakers of this rink were E. Shier, H. Collyer, the Tuxis Boys
(church group). At this time the children used the rink for skating at noon hour
and recesses. The story is told that at times the teachers allowed the children to
leave their skates on during classes so they would have the full time for skating.
In 1923 the community got together and built a new balloon-type rink
with a curling sheet on either side. Barn dances were held in Mr. Anthony
Rudd's new barn to raise money for this rink. It was situated in the northwest of
town. The skating ice surface was 50 by 150 feet. Lighting was provided by
gasoline lamps installed by Charles Cartwright. Later, an electric system was
installed, which gave uncertain light. In 1930, when the Hydro reached Crandall,
light was supplied by the new power.
In 1938 the main rink, with one sheet of curling ice, went down under
a heavy snow. For two years the curling club used only one sheet. In 1940 the
second sheet was erected, bringing the two sheets together with a walk between.
In 1946 the community built a new hockey and skating rink on the
same site as the former rink. This rink was 72 by 160 with a walk on both sides.
A waiting room was erected in 1947, its size 18 by 72. This rink had electric
lights and also an electric water heater. Kitchener Irvine was the first caretaker.
At 7 o'clock on Friday evening, June 3, 1949, fire raced through both
rinks and totally destroyed them. The community immediately organized to
replace the buildings. For this purpose, a ways and means committee, consisting-
of M.H. McConnell, E. Shier, J. Walker, C.J. Lyng and W. Campbell was formed.
They organized barn dances for which Mr. E. Mark kindly donated the use of his
barn every two weeks during the summer or as long as weather would permit.
Mr. S. Lawn also gave his new barn for one dance.
CRANDALL SPORTS
By Charles R. Lee
In the early years, football, or soccer as it is now known, appears to be
a popular sport, and although no actual league was in operation, it was
customary to play at picnics during the summer months. The late Herb Johnston
and Ernie Fleming were two well-known players, and I can remember hearing
them boast of having driven to Birtle by horse and buggy, playing three games of
football, and driving home in one day.
During the early years some baseball was played. George Henderson, a
brother of the late Eddie Henderson, was reported to be an excellent pitcher.
Ball games were played at Carlingville picnics and at Palmerston and at other
local gatherings, but these were mostly hastily arranged affairs and naturally not
too good a calibre of ball.
However, around 1910, Mr. Watts, father of P.C. Watts of Miniota,
donated a cup and a league was formed, known as the "Big Six League" —
Miniota, Beulah, Isabella, Blaris, Decker and Crandall — and this functioned very
successfully until about 1917, at which time a lot of the players were in
uniform. While a great many of the original members of various teams have now
passed on, there are still a lot of old fellows with fond memories covering their
activities at that time, and many have retained their interest in ball, as evidenced
by their attendance at all ball games.
Locally, the late Eddie Henderson, nicknamed "Doozenberry" by
Wilfred Hamilton, was one of the pitchers over a long period of years. Other
members of that period were Harty Doupe, Sandy Smith, Clare Anderson, Herb
Lorrimer, Elmer and Cliff Douglas, Ced Lee, Vic Shier and others. Around 1915
W.E. (Tiny) Strange, who had played ball in much faster company, had at that
time assumed management of the Crandall team; with the addition of one or two
players, namely Harry McKenny and himself, Crandall had one of the better
clubs in the district, and from then to the early '20's, enjoyed successful years at
various sports days.
Some baseball was played during the '20's, and during the depression
years of the '30's, very little baseball was played for obvious reasons. Fastball or
softball as it was known, enjoyed considerable popularity. However, in the early
'40's, Crandall again had a baseball team and were entered in a league which
prospered until baseball became centralized in larger centres. During that period
organization of minor baseball took place on a provincial level and several of our
local youngsters took part in provincial playdowns, and on two occasions were
able to have Crandall's name on the provincial cups donated for that purpose.
Horse Racing — In the early '30's, when baseball was at a low ebb, the
local sports ground was used as a pasture and had a race track for local horse
enthusiasts. Nixon Warren and Sam Shier, with Joe Lawson as a driver, both had
horses, while Sonny Elliott and Al Clark also had entries. A.M. Crandell also had
an entry, but as the circuit was a "fun only" and the community wanted the
grounds for ball, the life of this sport was of necessity forced to an end.
Softball — or Fastball as it is now known, attracted many devotees or
followers in the '30's, as one bat and ball could get a team by from an economic
standpoint. Several clubs functioned in that period; one team at Elmer Douglas'
farm, and another from Chumah had many interesting meetings.
The local girls had an excellent team and provided a lot of interest and
admiration. Roy Brown was manager and was justly proud of his girls.
In late years, Crandall had another girls' team, and it is gratifying to
note that Lois Johnston, who was the only member of-the municipality to take
part in the Canada Games at Halifax during 1969 learned her fastball in Crandall.
Hockey — The first rink was built in Crandall about sixty-five years ago
by Hamilton Brothers, who were at that time the local lumber dealers. Crandall
had several very fair hockey players, even judged by today's standards, and many
interesting games were played; the Cusack family of Miniota were all excellent
players and provided lots of opposition up to and around 1916 when the rink
was destroyed. Early members of Crandall's hockey team included Dick Malloy,
Tom Kennedy, Harry Brown and others equally talented. As Crandall had a bank
and five elevators there were quite a few young men in the district and town,
and local boys like Ed Lewis, Ced Lee, Elmer Douglas and many others
developed into good players in that era.
In 1923 a second rink was built and considerable interest was taken
from then until this rink collapsed also. During this period, hockey tournaments
became popular, and some teams, local or otherwise, would play as many as
three or four games in winning a tournament in a single day. While there were
few or no leagues involving regular games, there were a lot of games played with
nearby towns and interest and feelings ran high on many occasions, and, as
towns such as Isabella and Hamiota had good teams, they provided lots of
entertainment. The first hockey tournament in this area was held in the Crandall
rink.
As in baseball, with small towns becoming smaller, it became impossible
for small towns to have the manpower for senior clubs, but with provincial
organization in the early '50's, Crandall was quite successfully combined with
Decker in having an excellent team of youngsters who won two provincial titles
in successive years.
Curling — Crandall curling began with the erection of the first rink and,
with the exception of one year, we have had a bonspiel every year since. In the
early days, everyone owned his own rocks and even in Winnipeg, spiel players
took their own rocks with them and had to have them moved from one rink to
another. The Dickey Brothers were young men when Crandall started curling
and made many trips to Winnipeg 'spiel in the early days. Before the radio, one
Winnipeg paper came out with the sports headline, "Only two undefeated rinks
——... of Winnipeg and Dickey of Crandall", but unfortunately, the next few
games ended their threat. Many local rinks have travelled to a lot of 'spiels since,
but with artificial ice and longer seasons, it has become increasingly difficult to
retain interest in small towns.
Tennis — While there has been in the past several tennis courts in town,
the courts on the C.P.R. property were extremely popular from 1912 to the
'40's. The Hamilton family and others provided a lot of drive and energy in
keeping interest going in tennis and, while I do not think Crandall ever produced
any Bill Tildens, we were fortunate in having Bob Emmett, an ex-banker, Lloyd
Borland, Bob Peel, Archie Kerr, George Lauman and others equally good as
guests on many occasions. In 1916 tennis was included on our sports agenda and
prizes awarded.