Lead on Macduff
Skip of province’s only Brier championship rink returns to champion fight against multiple sclerosis
Jack Macduff was on a hill Sunday morning, the day after the skip of Newfoundland’s only Brier championship rink found himself on a mountain of appreciation.
The Sunday elevation was that of Signal Hill. Despite cold temperatures, stiff winds and flurries, Macduff and his son James, a facilitator of his dad’s determination, made the famous climb above St. John’s.
Yes, they did so in a vehicle, but it wasn’t the wheels of the taxi that were noteworthy. It was those attached to the chair to which Jack Macduff is consigned.
He has multiple sclerosis, has been battling it for 25 years. It’s progressive and rapidly discharges his body’s battery, daily naps notwithstanding.
But Jack Macduff is a fighter and a winner — in a much greater sense than as skip of Newfoundland’s 1976 Brier champions. He wanted to go up Signal Hill because, in part, he thought it might provide a photo op that would encourage others with MS and those that support them, and to draw attention to the effort to find a cure for the disease which, on average, is diagnosed in three or more Canadians daily.
“I really try hard. I’ve tried hard for the last 10 or 12 years to raise money (for MS research),” said the 67-year-old Macduff, who lives in Moncton, N.B., from where he has organized a Maritimes-wide raffle which results in tens of thousands dollars for the Multiple Sclerosis Society annually.
And that’s only part of what is happy work for a man, who — despite what has assailed him — maintains good humour, sometimes the selfdeprecating kind.
“Donald Trump will look at this as fake news, but I’ll do my best,” he joked about his trip to Signal Hill.
Those comments came after Saturday’s Brier opening ceremonies at Mile One. It was a special event — many longtime Brier-goers have proclaimed it the best opener ever. Even TSN had a good idea that something significant was going to happen, providing live coverage of the ceremonies, something it doesn’t normally do.
There was the Brad Gushue factor, of course, as a packed house at Mile One Centre loudly expressed its support for Gushue and his teammates Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker in their effort to have their names added to the Brier Tankard alongside Macduff and his 1976 rink of Toby Mcdonald, Doug Hudson and Ken Templeton.
There was the appearance of Russ Howard, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam for an on-ice reunion with Gushue, Nichols and Mcdonald and to be honoured as 2006 Olympic goldmedal winners.
There were the bagpipes, the drums, and the Ode to Newfoundland (“that was so cool,” said Gushue afterwards). And of course it was the Brier making its first return to St. John’s in 45 years.
But it was something else when Macduff rolled out onto the Mile One surface with Mcdonald, Hudson and Templeton
For live coverage and results for Team Newfoundland and Labrador and the rest of the field at the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier Canadian men’s curling championship at Mile One Centre in St. John’s, please visit thetelegram. com. You can also stay apprised of the action on Twitter by following Sports Editor Robin Short at @telyrobinshort and Brendan Mccarthy at @ telybrendan
to thunderous applause, a moment made even more special because it almost didn’t happen that way.
Up until five days ago, Macduff was convinced he wouldn’t be able to summon the energy to travel to St. John’s.
“I really tried to prepare myself to try and reduce the nerves I was going to feel, (but) seeing Jack was what really put me over the edge,” said Gushue, “because he wasn’t supposed to be here … that got me filled up pretty good and I wasn’t ready for that.”
If his appearance somehow helps inspire Gushue and his team in their quest for a Brier title, Macduff will be overjoyed
“There are a lot of people I know who say, ‘Jack, we don’t want Brad to win because we want you to be the only one (from Newfoundland).’ But I don’t feel that way. I want Brad to win.
“I know what it feels like to win the Brier. It’s such a big deal, there’s nothing like it.”