The first meeting of the Trans-Canada Telephone Employees'
Curling Association (T.C.T.E.C.A.) was called by Hal Smith
at Swift Current, Saskatchewan in 1963. 

The founders of the Association were Hal Smith, Alex Sutherland
and Rae Hebert of Regina, Saskatchewan, Otto Allart and Eric Minoque
of Edmonton, Alberta and Doug Murdock and Gary Hobson
of Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

As a result of this meeting, the first National Championship
was held in Regina, Saskatchewan on February 22-23, 1964 at the
Regina Civil Service Curling Club (now the Tartan Curling Club)
with participation by three provinces.

Alberta was represented by the Bill Gray rink.
The Saskatchewan rink included Jim Anderson (Skip), David Kidby (Third),
Jim Strachan (Second) and Sid Harman (Lead).
The Manitoba foursome skipped by Murray Brown was
Thom Fasano (Third), Stu Milne (Second) and John Halston (Lead).

The delegates were Alex Sutherland and Hal Smith representing
Saskatchewan, Gary Hobson and Murray Brown from Manitoba
and Bill Gray and Jim Funk from Alberta.

The first T.C.T.E.C.A. Executive was elected and comprised
of Hal Smith, President , the Vice-President position was left vacant
and Alex Sutherland from Saskatchewan, Secretary Treasurer .

The Bill Gray rink from Alberta won
the first T.C.T.E.C.A. National Championship.

1964 National Champions

(L-R) Bill Gray (Skip), Harry Lundy (Third), Malcom Barr (Second), Ron Venne (Lead)

Northern Ontario joined in 1965 as the fourth province to participate
in the T.C.T.E.C.A. and was represented by the Jerry Tilson rink
(Mauri Lukkarila, George Gibson, Mike Hickey)
at the National Championships at Edmonton, Alberta . The Mel Perry
rink from Saskatchewan won their first National Championship that year.

In 1966, the Duane Wolfe rink from Alberta won the Championship at
Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Bill Simes rink from Saskatchewan
won the Championship in 1967at Sudbury, Ontario.

In 1968, after several years of searching for an appropriate name
for the championship trophy, the T.C.T.E.C.A. voted
to name the trophy, the Hal R Smith Trophy.

"In recognition of the immediate past President's contribution
to the formation and development of the Association".

Certainly, there is no one more deserving than Hal Smith,
the founder of the T.C.T.E.C.A. Championship.

Edmonton Telephone joined with Alberta Government Telephone in 1968
to represent Alberta at the National Championships at Regina, Saskatchewan.
This was the first year "Edmonton Telephones" carried the Alberta banner
as Skips, Bob Riley and Dennis Sweeney were from Edmonton Telephones.

The Gerry Hobson rink (Thom Fasano (Lead), Gord Master (Third),
Lloyd Rigby (Second), Gerry Hobson (Skip)) won their first
National Championship for Manitoba that year.

In 1969, the Lamont Tabor rink from Alberta
won the Championship at Calgary, Alberta

Les Stacey of Kelowna was instrumental in getting British Columbia
into the T.C.T.E.C.A. for the 1970 playdowns held in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Bill Stevens rink represented British Columbia in its inaugural entry.
The Dave Kidby rink from Saskatchewan won the Championship that year.

In 1971, the Dave Kyle rink from Alberta won the Championship at Sudbury, Ontario.
In 1972, Saskatchewan skipped by Dave Kidby won the Championship on home ice.

In 1973, John Dunn skipped Northern Ontario with Charlie Taylor (Third),
Ted Whiby (Second) and Mac Campbell (Lead) to their first National Championship trophy
at the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver, British Columbia.

In 1973, the		provinces hosting the
Championship began		producing a programme booklet
for that year's		event. Unique logos were
designed to grace the		front cover, reflect the sport of
curling and a symbolic		reference to the host province.
If you did not attend		the event you would probably
never have the opportunity		to view these designs for a
unique glimpse into		the past. The programme covers
have been scanned and are on		display on tcteca.com
The Championship Logos		page will display the artistic
talents of the T.C.T.E.C.A		members and associates who
created these unique		programmes.

At the Ottewell Curling Club in Edmonton, Alberta in 1974,
Lynn Reid of Thunder Bay, Ontario
became the first female curler to participate in the T.C.T.E.C.A.
Championship when she played Lead for the Bo Britton
Championship winning Northern Ontario rink.

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