by Diane Walsh

Created on: February 24, 2009   Last Updated: March 03, 2009

The legend of the curse of LaBonte started with a curling match between Canada and the United States. Canada was undefeated and considered the world champs. The Canadians take the game of curling very serious. Curling is often referred to as shuffleboard on ice.' Curling is a game of sportsmanship, skill and strategy.

Curling has many traditions. The players shake hands before the game and wish each other good curling.' After the game they shake hands and thank each other for a good match. The winning team buys the first drink for the losing team. The two teams sit and discuss the game they just played. This probably didn't happen when the curse of LaBonte was formed.

The Canadian team had beaten Scotland to make it to the finals. On March 21, 1972 the Canadian and the United States teams were playing the final end of the match. The Canadians were sure they where heading for their fifth trip to the world championship title.

The United States team was giving them a good challenge. Canada was down two points. Canada had the hammer. The hammer is the last stone advantage. The Canadian skip, Orest Meleschuk, slid his stone towards the house. He knocked the United States stone and the stone slightly nudged the inner edge of the eight foot ring. Frank Aasand was the third player for the United States. The third player settles all disputes in judging points. He looked at the stones and raised his broom as a sign of victory.

Bob LaBonte was the United States skip. He was very excited and skated over to start celebrating. He slipped on the ice and fell. He hit the Canadian stone and it moved very slight. When a stone is moved by another stone or object it is known as burned.' Aasand and LaBonte did not know the Canadian stone had moved. A measurement by the judge proved the Canadian's had the necessary two points to force a tie breaker.

During the tie end, the Canadians scored one point and the United States team did not score. Canada went on the win the Silver Broom.

It is said; LaBonte put a curse on the Canadian curling team. They did not win another world championship until 1980.

A Canadian journalist, Larry Tucker, is credited with starting the legend of the curse. He was the writer of the recollection of the game and made a huge story about not winning for eight years, only because of LaBonte hexing the Canadian team.

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