// TALES FROM SHEET NINE


Like a fine wine, Austin gets better with age


By David Garber, U.S. Curling News Columnist, dj.garber@tds.net


serious and skilled competitor, and at the same time, a great teammate. When you are in close proximity to someone for three and a half weeks, for three meals a day and one or two games a day, including a first week of fatigue and rubbery legs until, finally, a day off, you cannot avoid a bit of bonding. (Te 2001 Tour was moved from the traditional January start, when everyone was in pretty good curling shape, to a late October start, when almost no one was, to avoid conflict with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.) OK, but why write about this fellow? Well, the


I


guy won a national curling championship at age 75, that’s why, and not a senior championship (“Not,” as was said on Seinfeld, “that there’s any- thing wrong with that.”) George played on the 2016 Club National Championship team — an event that is hotly contested by terrific curlers. How did he reach this loſty plateau? George was raised in Indianapolis and migrat-


ed to the New York City area, where he enjoyed a successful career in the financial industry. He also made time for other activities, like chairing the board of his local hospital, Lawrence Hospi- tal of Bronxville, for 10 years (board member for 25 years); and Chairing, for 27 years, the South Bronx Educational Foundation. He is also past president of the Financial Analyst Federation (now the CFA Institute). George found the time to marry Kathy, have


three children and, eventually nearing enlight- enment, become a curler in 1980. George is a long-time member, and current


president, of the New York Caledonian Curling Club. Te club originated in 1855 using Central Park ponds. In the 20th


Century, they used St.


Andrews Curling Club ice until that facility was lost, in 1986, to an expansion of the storied golf course. So in that year, George and his club mates joined the Ardsley Curling Club. George is also


met George Austin as a member of the 2001 Scotland Tour team. He was, and is, slim, has a gregarious personality, is a


Road daily on our way to work. Small world. I asked George what he would like to do in his


George Austin (far right) turned 76 just days aſter capturing a national title.


an honorary member of the Boston Curling Club. Club teams must qualify for the Nationals in


regional competition, in this case, the Grand National Curling Club of America region, which celebrates its 150th


anniversary this year.


Representing New York, the Caledonian rink won the GNCC championship, then the 2016 USCA Men’s Club National Championship, with George at lead, Bill Stopera skipping, Martin Sather at third, and son Peter Austin at second. George competed at age 75, just several days from his 76th


birthday, and may be the oldest curler to


win a major USCA championship. Tese are long weeks, with nine round-robin games. In the final, New York beat Illinois 4-3 in 11 ends. I called George to get his take on his accom-


plishment. He complimented the USCA for establishing the club nationals: “A big deal,” he opined. “Curling has been a very big part of my life, offering friendships, competition at the highest level at 75, having my son as a teammate. All of this is super satisfying. I’ve met hundreds of people around the world.” One of those people could have been me, un-


known to us both: during our conversation we discovered we both lived and worked in London in 1977. Our offices were two blocks apart in Te City, our apartments about 10 blocks apart in Chelsea, and we both walked along the King’s


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next 75 years. Aſter a chuckle, he replied, “I want to continue to enjoy my family, stay active in my church, and continue to curl. We like to travel. Among our goals is a return trip to Jerusalem, which we visited in 2011. I’d like to be an am- bassador for curling on and off the ice.” George’s next curling adventure will be as Courier for the visiting Scottish Tour Team this coming season, a duty he accomplished well in 2007. If you see George on the ice—be ready for a


fierce but cordial game of curling. Off the ice, win or lose, be ready for good company. Q


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