Middaugh, Wayne

Year Inducted / Année Intronisé:

2020

Province / Province:

Ontario

Category / Catégorie:

Curler

Biography / Biographie:

Considered among the most gifted curlers ever to play the game, Middaugh was an impact player for every team on which he played, and won Brier and world championship gold medals at three different positions.

As a young front-ender coming out of juniors, he was a part of the Russ Howard-skipped juggernaut that steamrolled to a Brier and world title in 1993 — a team that featured Middaugh at second, Peter Corner at lead, Glenn Howard at vice-skip and Russ at skip.

Five years later, Middaugh would form his own team (vice-skip Graeme McCarrel, second Ian Tetley, lead Scott Bailey), with similar results — Brier and world championship gold.

He completed his collection of Brier and world championship gold medals in 2012, this time as a vice-skip for Glenn Howard, and with second Brent Laing and lead Craig Savill.

In total, Middaugh represented Ontario at nine Briers, and finished on the podium seven times, with three golds, two silvers and two bronze. He also won 11 Grand Slam events in his brilliant career.

“It’s truly an unbelievable honour,” said Middaugh, whose grandfather, James Mulliss, is a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. “It’s not why I curled, that’s for sure. But my dad and my grandfather both gave me wonderful advice. They told me to surround yourself with people who are better than you, and it was great advice for my entire career, on and off the ice. Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Peter Corner, Ian Tetley, Graeme McCarrel, Scott Bailey, Craig Savill, Brent Laing — those are the guys who made this possible.”