Sparkes, Lindsay E. ‘Davie’

Year Inducted / Année Intronisé:

1988, 2006

Province / Province:

British Columbia

Category / Catégorie:

Builder, Team

Biography / Biographie:

During the late 1970s, skip Lindsay ‘Davie’ Sparks—representing North Vancouver’s North Shore Winter Club—led her team of third Dawn Knowles, second Robin Wilson and lead Lorraine Bowles to two national women’s titles. In 1976, after finishing in a tie at 7-2 with former two-time champion Gale Lee of Alberta, Sparkes won in a sudden-death playoff. Three years later, the B.C. foursome won the round robin at 8-2 and earned a bye to the final under a first-year playoff format. Defending champion Cathy Pidzarko of Manitoba survived a series of playoffs among five teams with 7-3 records but lost to Sparkes in the final. The team then traveled to Perth, Scotland, to compete in their first-ever women’s world championship.

In March of 1988 it was announced that Lindsay Sparkes of North Vancouver had been inducted into the Curling Hall of Fame. Lindsay Sparkes has gained curling distinctions almost too numerous to mention. As a skip, she won the Canadian women’t title in 1976 and agin in 1979. Playing third for Linda Moore she won the Canadian and world titles in 1985. Ironically Lindsay had probably the greatest honour bestowed upon her less than two weeks before being named to the hall when she was third on the Canadian gold medal winning team at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

Lindsay was also inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame as a builder in recognition of her ongoing contributions to the development of curling in Canada, particularly her dedication to Canada’s national team program and the many years she served as the women’s national team leader.