HANDCRAFTED by WILLARD
Day of retirement has arrived
August 1, 2020
A personal note from Willard to his valued customers:
Hello friends,
Saying good-bye to the world of crokinole was a very tough decision but one that I am at peace with. In 2018 my brother Bruce began to experience personal health concerns and needed to leave Handcrafted by Willard. At this time I was also considering retirement. After considerable planning I made the retirement plans public. Making an official public announcement at the World Crokinole Championships in Tavistock, Ontario in June of 2018.
During the ensuing 2 years I prepared to fully and completely retire. This two-year block of time allowed me to closely observe my successor, Jeremy Tracey. Over the years I have seen quite a few people that have tried to make a good crokinole board and very quickly realized that they were in over their heads. Quitting before they even got started. The successor who I have personally trained and mentored would need to prove himself not only to Bruce and I, but also to the crokinole world. After two years of careful observation I am convinced that crokinole board making is in good hands.
Thank you for the many years of support and business. I feel truly blessed to have made friends with so many great people from all over the world.
Farewell and take care,
Willard J. Martin
The History of Crokinole & the Martin Family
Since the 1870’s crokinole players, especially in rural communities, have gathered around kitchen tables for evening fun. Crokinole, a popular social activity for the entire family, encouraged co-operation as players made suggestions on various possible moves. People realized that unlike some activities such as card games, which were associated with gambling, crokinole was a clean game suitable for family enjoyment.
Players: Four generations of Martins playing crokinole.
Clockwise from top: Manasseh, granddaughter Heather, great granddaughter Victoria, and son Willard
This game, relatively unchanged since the 1870’s, continues to provide enjoyment for all seasons and all ages. For one family in the heart of Mennonite country in south-central Ontario, crokinole became an integral part of their roots and their legacy. In 1970 Manasseh Martin first began crafting circular crokinole boards one at a time. These boards provided many wholesome hours of camaraderie and competition for his family and friends. Manasseh’s boards became very popular and soon this hobby was far-reaching.
The Torch Gets Passed
At the age of 83 Manasseh, upon retirement, encouraged his son to continue the craft. Willard worked with his father for 3 years (1990 to 1993) learning the finer points of making a good, high quality crokinole board. In 1993 when Manasseh retired, Willard began the crokinole game board manufacturing on his own as his Dad had taught him. Willard worked on creating a crokinole board with professional features and made the WILLARD brand from 1993 to 2020.
With an ever increasing demand for WILLARD crokinole boards the idea of inviting Mannaseh’s youngest son (Willard’s brother) Bruce to help out and be a partner in the crokinole board business that their father had started in 1970 became a reality. In the spring of 2012 Bruce started working in the crokinole board shop and learned the trade as Willard had 23 years before.
Manasseh’s 2 sons, Willard and Bruce, continued this family tradition of crafting crokinole boards. The trademark “WILLARD” boards have been sold and shipped to many countries around the world, providing countless hours of enjoyment. “WILLARD” boards have also been used at numerous crokinole competitions, including the annual World Crokinole Championships.
The Torch Gets Passed ... Again!
Although not a family member, Willard and Jeremy Tracey became very good friends. They can often be found on Willard’s front porch or in each others’ shops solving the world’s problems.
Willard was very careful in his selection of a successor. He was determined to find someone with the skills and abilities to craft world-class crokinole boards. In addition to craftsmanship this individual needed to have the morals and integrity to treat people right as Willard, Bruce and Manasseh had always done since 1970.
Willard is also happy to see that Jeremy is now sharing this great craft with his own sons. This legacy will continue for years and decades to come.