STOP, START, THEN STOP AGAIN

It’s not often someone retires, then un-retires only to retire all without playing a game. United States skip Bruce Roberts, however, did just that in 1984. Roberts was a three-time U.S. men’s champion, winning in 1967, ’76 and ’77, also taking the 1976 World Championship. ‘76 and ’77, also taking the 1976 World Championship. But after that run, the resident of Duluth, Minnesota, retired from competitive curling, in part due to injuries.

But the 1984 World Championship was hosted in Duluth, and Roberts decided he wanted to make one more try at the Silver Broom in front of his hometown fans. And so, with his brother Joe throwing last rocks, he made a comeback and played exceptionally well, losing just four competitive games all year en route to representing the U.S.A. at the world final.

Despite the success, Roberts stated prior to the start of his comeback year that he would be retiring when the season was over. So, effectively, he announced his un-retirement and re-retirement all at the same time.

Roberts and his American rink lost a final round-robin game to Germany to finish with a 5-4 mark, one game short of the playoffs. True to his word, the U.S. Curling Hall of Famer hung up his broom—again—at the end of the ’84 World Championship.