Canton Ohio boy age 3 uses frying pan for curling
PLAIN TWP. – Kent and Ashley Hamilton saw it as a way to keep their toddler son and daughter amused on snow day.
But just hours later, little Hudson Hamilton became one of the most famous 3-year-olds in the world.
Inspired by the Winter Olympics, Kent Hamilton built a tiny curling rink in the family’s backyard, then posted a video on social media of Hudson curling using a frying pan instead of a stone.
Little sister Hadley, 18 months, served as cheerleader.
“The next morning, I got a message from NBC,” he said. “I thought, ‘Is this real?'”
It all began when Stark County was hit with a snowstorm followed by ice, closing schools.
“We wanted to find a way to entertain the kids,” said Hamilton, a physical education teacher with Plain Local Schools. “I went out to shovel snow, but the bottom layer was ice.”
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Meanwhile, Hudson had become enthralled with the Olympics curling competition, which began on Feb. 3, his dad said.
Curling is largely a mystery to Americans but is an obsession in such countries as Canada. A team sport, the object is to slide a granite stone across the ice toward a circular target known as the “house.” Points are awarded based on how closely players can maneuver the stone toward the house.
Players can use a broom to warm the ice, which slows the speed of the stone before it reaches the house.
“We tried to think of something to slide,” Hamilton said.
Ashley Hamilton, a second grade teacher with Plain Local Schools, volunteered one of her frying pans — but not one of her good ones, she said, laughing.
They made the target using paint dotters.
“I feel like when COVID hit, teachers had to get creative, not only with my students, but with my kids at home, too,” Kent Hamilton said.
Kent Hamilton, who incorporates social media as a teaching tool, said he posted the video on his personal YouTube channel and school social media sites.
Soon, Channel 5 in Cleveland reached out and visited for an interview. Soon after, the video was broadcast on the NBC’s “Today Show.” NBC /Universal also sent the video to outlets across the country. It also was broadcast during the Olympic Games.
As a result, the video has received millions of views, including 400,000 on Hamilton’s own platforms.
“We couldn’t believe it,” he said, laughing. “My family and friends were messaging me, ‘Hey, we just saw Hudson on the Today Show. I got a request from the International Olympic Committee in Portuguese. I thought ‘Is this real?’ We were just trying to entertain the kids.”
Hudson’s also been invited to visit the Mayfield Curling Club in Warrensville Heights. The family plans to visit.
Ashley Hamilton said Hudson got kick out of seeing himself on Channel 5, but he’s largely oblivious to his fame.
Zooming around on a scooter, Hudson said likes using the broom to slow down the pan.
“He’s 100% a 3-year-old,” his dad said.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or [email protected]
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
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