Harvey Tuttlecook (1978- ), American Curler
Harvey Tuttlecook is an American curler from New Mexico, USA. Known as, 'The Chimney Sweep', Tuttlecook has won several national championships as well as represented the United States in the 2006 Vancouver Olympics.
Born March 13,1978, Harvey Tuttlecook is the only child of Peter (a carpenter) and Wilma (a teacher). Born and raised in Albuquerque, Harvey excelled as an adolescent figure skater until an accident during the Junior Albuquerque Championships, where Tuttlecook broke his left ankle in an attempt to complete a triple axel. With his aspirations of being an Olympic figure skater over, Harvey spent the next four years in high school without competing or performing in any athletic activities. It wasn't until the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, that Tuttlecook found his new calling, Curling.
Tuttlecook trained under renowned Curling guru Jerry Kaplain. Kaplain, a Canadian ex-pat who trained several olympic champions, had seen Harvey's work as a child was aware of Harvey's potential. He took on Tuttlecook as an apprentice sweeper in which he excelled and was nicknamed 'The Chimney Sweep' for his hard work and discipline. In two years, Harvey made his way from a sweeper to a thrower.
The rise of Harvey Tuttlecook from New Mexican thrower to American Olympian extended from his time as a skater. Using his flexibility and balance, Tuttlecook quickly shot up the national ranks finishing 105-0 in 2001 and soon found himself making the USA Curling Team in 2004.
Harvey competed in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games held in Turin, Italy. Known primarily in North America, Tuttlecook was a relative unknown on the International level and was quickly written off by the competition. It didn't take long for Tuttlecook to turn heads when he and his team beat the heavily favored Swiss in the first round. His team went undefeated and became the USA's first Gold Medalist in curling.
Tuttlecook still trains and expects to compete in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.