OTTAWA, ON – On Wednesday, September 27th at Lansdowne Park’s Horticulture Building, the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame is inducting five new members to its local sports shrine – Carol Anne Chenard (soccer), Murray Costello (hockey), Tim Higgins (hockey), Earle Morris (curling) and Jill Perry (boxing). Each Tuesday and Thursday until the event, the Sport Hall will post an article on an aspect of the event. Today’s article is on 2023 Inductee, Earle Morris.

2023 SPORT HALL INDUCTEE – EARLE MORRIS:

The curling roots run deep in Earle Morris’s family. Morris, his grandfather Cliff and his son John together make up the only three-generation family to have skipped teams at the Brier.

“I’m prouder of that than anything else,” underlines Morris, who’s enjoyed a celebrated career in the roaring game as an athlete, coach and builder.

Morris grew up in Saskatchewan, idolizing his curling grandfather. His love of the sport grew and paid dividends as he launched a career in the military.

He was stationed in Winnipeg when he made his first Brier appearance in 1980. Two years later, he was part of Team Quebec. Finally, in 1985, Morris was based in Ottawa and skipping Team Ontario at the Brier. He has been in Ottawa ever since. 

When his competitive playing days ended, Morris moved to coaching. Decades later, he is still going strong.

“For me, coaching has been way more rewarding than playing,” signals the 78-year-old.

Morris has become one of the most successful coaches curling has ever seen. He has coached many of Canada’s top curlers to national and world titles, including Rachel Homan, Jennifer Jones and his own son John.

Morris has been recognized as a life member of the Ottawa Curling Club for his contributions to the sport locally. Also a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame, Morris helped to establish Curling Canada’s adult learn-to-curl program and he’s helped improve accessibility in the sport he loves.

Soon, Morris will add another major honour when he enters the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame as a builder on Sept. 27 at Lansdowne Park’s Horticulture Building.

“You do what you do because you love what you do,” Morris highlights. “This is such a great sports city. It means a lot to be recognized as someone who has made a difference.”

SEPTEMBER 27 OTTAWA SPORT HALL OF FAME INDUCTION EVENING

Tickets for the Wednesday, September 27th Induction Ceremony are available for purchase now!

In the lead-up to the banquet, full-length features on each of the inductees will be posted on the Hall’s new website at OttawaSportHall.ca and shared through the Ottawa Sports Pages, the Hall’s new partner.

Event tickets are $125 per person or $1,200 for a table of 10, while premium tables go for $2,000 and additional sponsorship opportunities are available. See OttawaSportHall.ca for more details.

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Contacts:

Dave Best
Chair, Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame
613-799-9415
Chair@OttawaSportHall.ca

Terry Marcotte
Director, Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame
terrymarcotte1@gmail.com

About the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame:

The Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization, which documents, curates and celebrates outstanding achievement in local sport heritage. The Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors which works in close partnership with the City of Ottawa to maintain and preserve Ottawa’s rich sporting legacies. Each year, the Hall of Fame Board receives nominations from the public, and selects new inductees to be represented in the Hall. The Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame is located at City Hall. It contains artifacts, photographs and memorabilia honouring our sporting heritage, as well as commemorative plaques honouring its more than 275 inductees.