ESPANOLA-LITTLE CURRENT—One of Canada’s longest-running curling championships, the highly-coveted Baxter Cup, is celebrating 100 years on February 7-8 in Little Current and Espanola. It is one of the few sports events to have never missed a single year, including during World War II and the COVID pandemic.
“It is just fun and the competition between the two towns is great,” said John Hodder, a Baxter Cup trustee from Little Current told The Expositor. “It is probably the longest running competition taking place between teams from two different towns.”
“The Baxter Cup was launched in 1925 when Little Current Hardware Store proprietor George Baxter invited the men from the Espanola Curling Club and the Little Current Club, who had taken their curling game from the rink to the hallways of Little Current’s Mansion House (located at the site of the current Anchor Inn) using ‘thunder mugs” (chamber pots), and offered a trophy if they finished their competition back at the curling rink,” said Dave Gallant, Baxter Cup trustee, Espanola Curling Club vice-president. “With that auspicious beginning, the Baxter Cup was born.”
A beautiful silver trophy was crafted and given to the team that had the most points after 16 gamed of curling were played with each game lasting 12 ends. “Four games were played at a time, meaning that the curling clubs would have to visit each other twice to get all of the games in. 100 years later the Baxter Cup gets awarded to the team that has the most points after 10 games of curling are played, five in each club, with games now lasting a more manageable eight ends,” said Mr. Gallant. “The Little Current Curling Club first won it in 1925 and the trophy now rests at the Espanola Curling Club, who were winners in 2024.”
“The long-standing but friendly rivalry between the two clubs is believed to be one of the longest consecutively fought for sports trophies in Canada,” said Mr. Gallant. “When it started, there was only a rail line connecting the two communities. Players had to travel the 50 kilometres by train, carrying their own curling rocks which were stored in the cowcatchers at the front of the engine.”
Mr. Gallant noted that the annual competition continued despite frequent challenges, including the Great Depression, World War II, countless winter storms, the COVID-19 pandemic and the cup being stolen (and found). “Rumour has it the trophy took an accidental dip in Lake Huron’s North Channel decades ago, when some locals took it fishing with them.”
In spite of all of the challenges, John Hodder from the Little Current Curling Club holds the record at 62 (and counting) for the most Baxter Cups competed in over the years.
The 100th Baxter Cup will be competed with five games played on February 7, at the Little Current Curling Club, followed up with five more games on February 8 at the Espanola Curling Club.
