1983 Labatt Brier

1983 Labatt Brier
Host city	Sudbury, Ontario
Arena	Sudbury Arena
Dates	March 6–13^[1]^[2]
Attendance	65,927^[3]
Winner	'
Curling club	Avonlea CC, Don Mills, Ontario
Skip	Ed Werenich
Third	Paul Savage
Second	John Kawaja
Lead	Neil Harrison
Finalist	(Mike Chernoff)
Prev	1982
Next	1984

The 1983 Labatt Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship, was held from March 6 to 13 at the Sudbury Arena in Sudbury, Ontario.

The "Dream Team"^[4] of Ed Werenich, Paul Savage, John Kawaja and Neil Harrison representing Ontario won the event, defeating Ed Lukowich's Alberta rink (skipped by Mike Chernoff) in the final.

The 1983 Brier was the first to use wireless microphones on the players, so that CBC viewers at home could listen to the player's strategies. This meant for some amusing remarks made by some of the more colourful curlers being heard across the country.^[5] The semi-final between Ontario and British Columbia's Bernie Sparkes rink is regarded as being one of the greatest curling games in Brier history,^[6] as Werenich had to make numerous double- and triple-takeouts in the game.

Teams

The teams were listed as follows:^[7]

Alberta	British Columbia	Manitoba	New Brunswick
North Hill CC, Calgary Fourth: Ed Lukowich Skip: Mike Chernoff Second: Neil Houston Lead: Brent Syme	Vancouver CC, Vancouver Skip: Bernie Sparkes Third: Jim Armstrong Second: Al Cook Lead: Keiven Bauer	Valour Road CC, Winnipeg Skip: Lloyd Gunnlaugson Third: Robert Davidson Second: Gordon Paterson Lead: Harold Johannesson	Capital WC, Fredericton Skip: Charlie Sullivan, Sr. Third: Dave Sullivan Second: Shelly Palk Lead: Robert Cormier
Newfoundland	Northern Ontario	Nova Scotia	Ontario
Corner Brook CC, Corner Brook Skip: Gary Oke^[a] Third: Don Ryan^[a] Second: Darrell Martin Lead: Kevin Mitchell	Tarentorus CC, Sault Ste. Marie Skip: John MacFarlane Third: Al Harnden Second: Eric Harnden Lead: Rich Evoy	Mayflower CC, Halifax Skip: Steve Ogden Third: Jack Robar Second: Robert MacDonald Lead: Andrew Dauphinee	Avonlea CC, Don Mills Skip: Ed Werenich Third: Paul Savage Second: John Kawaja Lead: Neil Harrison
Prince Edward Island	Quebec	Saskatchewan	Northwest Territories/Yukon
Crapaud Community CC, Crapaud Skip: Ted MacFadyen Third: Bill MacFadyen Second: Mike Coady Lead: Sandy Foy	CC Laviolette, Trois-Rivières Skip: Denis Marchand Third: Denis Cecil^[b] Second: Claude Lauziere^[b] Lead: Yves Barrette	Estevan CC, Estevan Skip: Kirk Ziola Third: Jim Packet Second: Monte Ziola Lead: John Grundy	Yellowknife CC, Yellowknife Skip: Don Strang Third: Stephen Moss Second: Harry Lawrence Lead: Robert Hale

Round robin standings

Final round robin standings^[7]

Key
	Teams to Playoffs

Skip	W	L	PF	PA	EW	EL	BE	SE	S%
Mike Chernoff	10	1	75	48	46	40	12	11	77%
Ed Werenich	10	1	79	48	49	35	5	17	81%
Bernie Sparkes	8	3	63	54	48	39	9	16	77%
Steve Ogden	7	4	84	67	54	41	6	21	76%
Denis Marchand	6	5	63	75	37	43	11	8	75%
Kirk Ziola	5	6	60	63	37	47	13	4	74%
John MacFarlane	5	6	56	53	37	37	12	9	76%
Charlie Sullivan, Sr.	4	7	56	66	45	46	4	8	73%
Ted MacFadyen	4	7	65	70	41	50	8	8	71%
Lloyd Gunnlaugson	3	8	51	57	37	36	13	9	72%
Don Strang	3	8	60	80	41	50	5	10	71%
Gary Oke	1	10	48	79	36	44	7	4	68%

Statistics

Top 5 player percentages

Final round robin percentages^[7]

Key
	All-Star Team

Leads	%
Neil Harrison	82
Andrew Dauphinee	78
Brent Syme	78
John Grundy	77
Sandy Foy	77

Seconds	%
John Kawaja	84
Claude Lauziere^[c]	81
Robert MacDonald	79
Rich Evoy	78
Monte Ziola	76
Shelly Palk	76

Thirds	%
Paul Savage	80
Jim Armstrong	79
Eric Harnden	76
Mike Chernoff (Skip)	75
Jack Robar	73

Skips	%
Ed Lukowich (Fourth)	83
Ed Werenich	79
Bernie Sparkes	78
Al Harnden	78
Denis Marchand	75
Steve Ogden	75

Awards

The awards and all-star team are listed as follows:

All-Star Team

Position	Name	Team
Skip	Ed Lukowich
Third	Paul Savage
Second	John Kawaja
Lead	Neil Harrison

Ross Harstone Sportsmanship Award

The Ross Harstone Sportsmanship Award is presented to the player chosen by their fellow peers as the curler who best represented Harstone's high ideals of good sportsmanship, observance of the rules, exemplary conduct and curling ability.

Name	Position	Team
Jim Armstrong	Third

Notes

^ For Draw 14, Team Newfoundland skip Gary Oke threw third stones while third Don Ryan threw skip stones.
^ For their final five draws, Team Quebec third Denis Cecil threw second stones while second Claude Lauziere threw third stones.
^ Lauziere's shot percentage includes the five draws where he threw third stones.

References

^ "The Phoenix - Google News Archive Search"
^ "The Phoenix - Google News Archive Search"
^ "Brier Records". Soudog's Curling History Site. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
^ "The Brier", by Bob Weeks, pg 172
^ "The Brier", pg 177
^ "The Brier", pg 176
^ "1983 Labatt Brier". Curling Canada Stats Archive. Curling Canada. Retrieved 29 February 2024.