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Former log rolling champion rolls back the clock at Timber Village Museum

During his visit, he talked about training for the championships in Blind River

Ron Miskimin took a trip to Blind River Tuesday morning to check out a trophy with his name on it.

That trophy was for the birling, or log rolling, championship he won in 1954 at the town’s community days celebration held in the 1950s.

Miskimin would go on to capture the Northern Ontario Log Birling Championship each year until 1957. This feat has made him a celebrity in the town’s history.

At 85 years old, he is a healthy senior.

Making the trip to the Timber Village Museum (TVM) from his home in Sault Ste. Marie brought back fond memories.

His trophy is one piece of memorabilia from Blind River’s long history that is on display at the museum.

Miskimin lived in Blind River from the time he was eight years old before moving to the Sault at 15. He also worked at the sawmill in Blind River, which closed down in 1969.

“Log birling is a part of Canadian heritage whether it be through the McFadden logging company or the Blind River Community days,” his daughter, Shelley Dodd, said in an email.

“I worked at the sawmill, and worked in the bush for a couple of years, but never did logging,” Miskimin explained.

During his visit to TVM, he recalled for ElliotLakeToday, his time participating and training for competition.

When Miskimin started, he practiced on the river where the fountain is now located.

“That’s where they tied the dried kiln log up and that was to make it really light,” he said of the log he used to practice and compete with.

He would unlock the log to practice with the key he would get from a nearby barbershop.

The log was about 18 to 20 inches in diameter.

His interest in log rolling was like “giving the dog a bone,” he said. “You’d meet people and they’d say come on, come try it.”

“I usually practiced for about two weeks to get in condition. I knew when I was in shape because the water would come up on the log and when I felt resistance from the water, I could stay on it all the time,” he said.

“The balance was important.”

In 1954, he rolled on the log for four minutes and 10 seconds to garner the championship from his chief rival, Gazou Rousselle.

“The only coach I had was myself.”

Those who were competing would train by jogging and running to get up to competition level.

The log-rolling competition stopped being held on community days in the early 60s, even though the day is still popular in town with different events.

The trophy and his memories are not all that commemorates Miskimin in Blind River.

There is also a mural of him behind Mitchell’s pharmacy.



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About the Author: Kris Svela

Kris Svela has worked in community newspapers for the past 36 years covering politics, human interest, courts, municipal councils, and the wide range of other topics of community interest
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