Paul Wiscoste and the history of the Badger State

At the age of 18 Paul Wiscoste lived in Trempealeau, Wisconsin with his family and was a gifted student at the School of Mines. Just like his father, he was passionate about sport and curling took up most of his time. This passion finally led him to abandon his studies to invent his own life. Match after match, Paul Wiscoste wrote the history of curling until he became the best player in the world (1926-1927) With seven world bonspiel titles under his belt, he made a name for himself - and even earned a nickname. In Montreal in 1923, his Skip promised to buy him a badger fur suitcase he had been admiring in a shop window if he won his next match. Paul lost, but in tribute to his tenacity on the sheet and in reference to this unusual bet, the American press christened him “The Badger” The nickname was quickly adopted throughout the curling world. Paul himself even encouraged it, asking his friend and stylist Robert George to sew a badger onto the white jackets he wore when arriving onto the sheet and with that, the legend began and this is why we are the Badger State.