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The following is from pages 97 - 102 of The Chronicles of Crandall, 1971
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CRANDALL RINKS

1923 Crandall Rink 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.



1946 Crandall Rink 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.

Crandall Rink 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.

Crandall Rink 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.



Crandall Rink Fire, 1949 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.

Grand Challenge Winners Crandall Sports Day Softball Team late, 1930's Men's Hockey, Early Thirties Crandall Hockey, 1965