Episode 79 - Joe Gurowka

Joe Gurowka believes curling associations need to engage players. He shared this perspective in his retiring address as Ontario Curling Association (OCA) president in 1984. Joe’s career as a player and administrator covers over half a century. He skipped Tom Howat, Ken Ingo and Donald Mackey through the Ontario Tankard in 1966 and narrowly lost the Brier in an extra-end playoff to Ron Northcott of Alberta. In a return trip to the Brier in 1976, Joe acheived the rare feat of shooting 100%. He went on to win his first Canadian Seniors Championship in 1986 as third for Earle Hushagen and added two more Seniors titles and a Masters playing second for Jim Sharples. Joe held many roles as a builder, including president of the Canadian Curling Association but it was during his time as president of the OCA that he was entangled in controversy with Ed Werenich during the 1984 Provincial Tankard and the legend of curling's version of “deep throat” was born.