Al Hackner
Encyclopedia
Allan A. "Al" Hackner, (born 1954) nicknamed "the Iceman" is a Canadian
Hall of Fame curler
from Thunder Bay
, Ontario
. He was born and raised in Nipigon, Ontario
. He is a two-time Brier and World Champion
skip. He is of Ojibwa descent and is a member of the Red Rock Indian Band
.
Hackner has skipped the Northern Ontario
team in 9 Briers (1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995 and 2001). He won the Brier in 1982 and again in 1985.
In 1982, he defeated Brent Giles of British Columbia to win his first Brier.
In 1985, he defeated Pat Ryan of Alberta to win his second Brier. To tie the game with last rock in the 10th end Hackner had to make a near impossible double-take out, coming around a guard to hit two stones some 8 feet apart, which would later go down in curling infamy as the "Al Hackner double". Hackner's team then stole a single point in the extra end for the win.
In addition to playing for Northern Ontario, Hackner also represented Alberta at the 1972 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship
, playing second for Darrel Sutton.
In 2006, Hackner won the Canadian Senior Curling Championships
which he followed up with a silver medal at the World Senior Curling Championships
in 2007.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Hall of Fame curler
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
from Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He was born and raised in Nipigon, Ontario
Nipigon, Ontario
Nipigon is a township in Thunder Bay District, Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located along the west side of the Nipigon River and south of the small Lake Helen running between Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior...
. He is a two-time Brier and World Champion
World Curling Championships
The World Curling Championships are annual curling events which showcase the world's best curlers, organized by the World Curling Federation. There are men's, women's and mixed championships. The men's championship started in 1959, while the women's in 1979...
skip. He is of Ojibwa descent and is a member of the Red Rock Indian Band
Red Rock Indian Band
The Red Rock Indian Band is an Ojibway First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Their territory is located on the Red Rock 53 and Lake Helen 53A Indian reserves in Ontario...
.
Hackner has skipped the Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
team in 9 Briers (1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995 and 2001). He won the Brier in 1982 and again in 1985.
In 1982, he defeated Brent Giles of British Columbia to win his first Brier.
In 1985, he defeated Pat Ryan of Alberta to win his second Brier. To tie the game with last rock in the 10th end Hackner had to make a near impossible double-take out, coming around a guard to hit two stones some 8 feet apart, which would later go down in curling infamy as the "Al Hackner double". Hackner's team then stole a single point in the extra end for the win.
In addition to playing for Northern Ontario, Hackner also represented Alberta at the 1972 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship
Canadian Mixed Curling Championship
The Canadian Mixed Curling Championship is the national curling championship for mixed curling in Canada. It is considered as the highest level of mixed curling in the world, with the absence of a World Championships. However, a...
, playing second for Darrel Sutton.
In 2006, Hackner won the Canadian Senior Curling Championships
Canadian Senior Curling Championships
The Canadian Senior Curling Championships is an annual bonspiel held to determine the national championships in senior curling for Canada. Seniors are defined as being people over the age of 50. The Championship team plays at the World Senior Curling Championships the following year.-Men's:-Women's:...
which he followed up with a silver medal at the World Senior Curling Championships
World Senior Curling Championships
The World Senior Curling Championships is an annual curling tournament featuring curlers from around the world who are at least 50 years old. Senior curling is quite similar to curling, with the exception of having only 8 ends played instead of 10....
in 2007.