It was an Olympic event at Chamonix Mont-Blanc in 1924. Sled Wrenches Producer Don Sinclair drove a near perfect race, “near”, and in the end Sled Wrenches took the four man bobsled Gold Medal back to Bradford VT. Jim Musty did an amazing job 2nd position keeping Sinclair motivated and John Foster 3rd Man kept the beat, followed by Paul Gardner in the rear position. A near disaster happened on the 9th turn when a block of ice hit the rear skid and catapulted Gardner out of the sled and over the rails but the Wrenches stayed wrenched and Sinclair finished the race with Musty and Foster intact. Gardner made his way through the snow and ice to the Bar Du Moulin Chamonix and downed a pint of Guinness with a whiskey chaser.
It was at this same Bar Du Moulin Chamonix that evening that Sled Wrenches ran into Chichi Damato, or, Chichi may have run into Sled Wrenches. She was the lounge singer on stage that night and had heard of the Sled Wrenches victory, and knowing they were not only Olympians but a band of impeccable musicians, she invited them to back her up that evening. History tells the tale.
Jim Musty on Guitar, Foster on Drums, Sinclair on Guitar, John Heartson on piano and Jim Bileau who had a tenor sax made into a Bass. Clever man.
They played through the night to an enthusiastic crowd and the next morning, Chichi invited the Wrenches for breakfast and made buttered biscuits with cheese, jam, coffee, and tea.
The biscuits were so good John Heartson put on his figures skates, went out, and did a flying wilenda twirl on Chichi’s pond.
Chichi’s breakfast must have been good because the next day of events saw multi talented Jim Musty take the Gold Medal in the ski jumping event with a whopping 71 meters breaking the previous record of 68 meters.
Musty, a superb athlete, seen here leaving the gate, also took home the Gold Medal in the cross-country skiing event. Quite amazing but unfortunately, he was disqualified because it was revealed that it was one of his twin brothers, Bongo Musty, who raced that day. They look so much alike.
And wouldn’t you know it Musty, seen here cutting a turn, also excelled in the downhill event, where he shattered the world record by a whopping 23 seconds. He sure knows how to wax his skis.
The Wrenches couldn’t get enough and decided on a whim to enter the Curling event. Musty, Bileau, Heartson, and Sinclair formed a team and swept their way to Gold.
Bileau and Heartson seen here showing impeccable form as third and second positions. The captain of the team, of course Musty, the skip decides the strategy and tells the other players where to throw and when to sweep. The skip also throws the last two stones of an end. Skips should be good at all types of shots and well you know Musty.
Gardner finally had his moment after returning from a morning at Bar Du Moulin Chamonix scoring the winning goal against the french goalie Luc Pinon lifting it in to the upper right corner for victory.
A testament to the incredible talent of Sled Wrenches personnel, John Heartson and Chichi Damato took the Gold Medal in the doubles event seen here in the final move performing the double leg extension with big smiles. A very difficult maneuver.
Don Sinclair, seen here, driving the Wrenches Hook and Ladder Limo back to the Wrenches Mansion seen in the background after a long night of revelry pulling in just as the sun was coming up. Unknown woman on the back.
