Hec Gervais

Hector Joseph[1] "The Friendly Giant" Gervais (November 4, 1933 – July 19, 1997) was a Canadian curler from Edmonton, Alberta. He was a two-time Brier champion and former World Champion. In curling strategy, he is considered to be the inventor of the corner guard.[2]

Hec Gervais
Curler
Born	November 4, 1933 St. Albert, Alberta, Canada
Died	July 19, 1997 (aged 63) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Curling career
Brier appearances	4 (1961, 1962, 1970, 1974)
World Championship appearances	2 (1961, 1974)
Medal record Representing  Canada Men’s Curling World Championships 1961 Scotland Team Representing  Alberta Macdonald Brier 1961 Calgary 1974 London 1962 Kitchener 1970 Winnipeg

Gervais broke into the curling scene in the late 1950s, and in 1960 he teamed up with curling great Matt Baldwin to play in the Alberta provincials that year. Despite being considered a "super squad", the team didn't make it out of the province and disbanded after the season. Gervais would form his own team of Ron Anton, Ray Werner and Wally Ursuliak. This team would win the Alberta provincials, and also won that year's Macdonald Brier. The team (with Vic Raymer in place of Anton) closed the season by winning the 1961 Scotch Cup, becoming World Champions. At the time, the "gentle giant" weighed 270 pounds. [3]

The Gervais rink would return to the Brier again in 1962, but lost in a playoff to Ernie Richardson's Saskatchewan rink.

Gervais would not return to the Brier until 1970. At that Brier, his team of Bill Mitchell, Wayne Saboe and Bill Tainsh posted an impressive 8-2 record, but it would only be good for second place, finishing behind Manitoba's Don Duguid.

Gervais made his last trip to the Brier in 1974. He re-united with Anton and teamed up with Warren Hansen and Darrel Sutton. The team again finished with an 8-2 record. This time it was good enough to win the Brier. The win sent them to the 1974 World Championships. The team finished in fourth place, after losing its semi-final matchup to Sweden 8-7.

Gervais, who weighed between 285 and 340 pounds during his curling career,[4] had heart problems for much of his later life. In 1987, he had undergone heart surgery. He succumbed to a heart attack and died in 1997.