The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-09
CURLERS PREPARING
FOR THEIR B()NSPIfL
Players of the Roaring Game
Make Ready for Keen
Contests

With the annual bonspiel of the North;
western Curling association, which Is to-
pc =held in st. Paul only a few days away
the followers of the sport in this city are
taking a keener interest than ever In the
game. The two local teams, the Nushkas
and Onawas, have been putting in some
hard licks during the last two weeks and
VIII make strong bid for the Merriam
medal, which carries with 1t the cham
pionship of the state. The bonspiel Is to
be held at the rink Of the Nusfka Curling
and Skating club on Selby avenue be
tween Mackubin and Arundel streets, and
ten sheets of ice have been prepared -Four
are inside the building and six additional
sheets have been established on the out
side and are surrounded with high fence
Great care has been taken in preparing
the Ice, which is reported to be in the
best of condition.
Every arrangement has been made for
the comfort of the visiting teams and the
committee In charge expect a great meet.
We are all ready said W. aRees sec
Tetary OF the association last night. and
f.the cold weather only keeps up the ice
will be in perfect condition
I'VE expect from fifty to sixty teams
from all over the Northwest and Canada
to compete, and most of the railroads
nave offered reduced rates. Canada will
be well represented twelve teams having
already written that they will be on hand
The big event for Minnesota teams will
be the play for the Merriam medal to be
contested for2by all the teams in the state
The Nushka club will meet next We'd
nesday night for preliminary tryout in
order to pick the men to represent the
club in the play for the medal.
The bonSpiel will last from Monday jan
%, until Saturday, jan 2S, and, accord
ing to reports, greater interest is being
taken in the annual meet than ever be-
fore.
The game is becoming more popular To-
ically each year, and, although of Scotch
origin is not confined to Scetchmen, as
will readily be seen In looking over the
q ne 2r1aS nf ,fpcf
ants throughout the season.
Like golf and bowling, curling can be
participated in and thoroughly enjoyed by
men from fifteen to eighty years of age,
a feature which largely accounts for the
popularity of games of Scotch origin. For
those who perhaps have heard frequently
OF curling, but have no conception of the
merits OF the sport which makes men with
hair frosted in the winter of life feel the
tingling excitement of early boyhood a
few interesting points are given.
In the first place to introduce curling as
game for. young and old, 1t might be
well to say that it is one of the most IN
expensive OF games to play, the greatest
expense being the curling stones.I which
cost about $1S a pair. Only one pair is
needed, and they will last for five or six
years. Beginners are not required to pur-
chase curling stones for the first year or
two, unless they so desire, as there are
many stones at the local club that may
be used.
How the Game Is Played
Most of the curling stones used are i'm
ported from Scotland In shape they re-
semble small convex cheese and are
about a foot in diameter. The bottom of
the stone is slightly followed out thus
giving the stone an edge on which it runs
on the ice. The stones are provided with
handles to enable the player to hurl or
slide them on the ice with the proper
degree of force.
Each stone weighs from thirty-flve to
nfty pounds, and each player has pair.
TIC game is played.as follows: Sides, or
f1nKS, are made up, consisting of four
against tour, with a captain styled a
skip for each four. A hog line is drawn
twenty one feet from the tee If the stones
do not pass this line they are dead and
pushed off the ice. The .brooms which are
in part an emblem of curling are used
to indicate where a stone is to be PLAYED
and, OF course, to sweep the ice. If a
stone lacks force the SWeepers labor in
front of it, trying to make the surface SO
Keen and clean that the Slight momentum
Will carry 1t over to where it is wanted
The principle Of the game is simple. The
stones of either party are played from one
tee to the other. and those found at the
conclusion of the round to be nearest the
tee count as shots A game is generailv
considered sixteen ends, but more or fewer
may be played. Sixteen ends means pIay-
ing from end to end sixteen times
The players on one side are followed al
ternately by the players on the other side
until all of the eight contestants have cast
their stones. It is the aim of the lead OF
first player, on either side to place his
stone in a vantage position near to or a
Short distance in front of the opposite tee
which is about 126 feet away.
should the first stone Of the first player