Spring09

HALL OF FAME

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

T-BIRD FLIES WITH ‘TROTTERS

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features UBC HALL OF FAME BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE T-BIRD FLIES WITH ‘TROTTERS

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Fifth-year all-star guard Chris Dyck.

BuIldING FoR THe FuTuRe

T-BIRd FlIeS WITH ‘TRoTTeRS

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SpRING 2009

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Message from the Athletic Director

It is hard to believe that this year will mark the 10th annual TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast.

From humble beginnings, but with a vision and a willingness to help make it happen, UBC student athletes have benefitted immensely from this amazing event.

and three NAIA Championships, two University Rowing Championships and six Royal Canadian Golf Association Championships. That is 44 championships in 10 years, and some of that success can be attributed to the Breakfast and its ability to support Thunderbird teams.

Few of you know the story behind the Breakfast, but I think, given its 10 years of success, it’s one worth telling.

During the same ten years, UBC Athletics has fielded many calls about the Breakfast from institutions, in Canada and in the U.S., wanting to emulate the practice. Two of them have followed suit. Our sister institution at UBCO has held three of their own Breakfasts in pursuit of the same cause and just this past September the University of Victoria started the tradition of a scholarship breakfast – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

In 1998, Thunderbird Athletic Council chair Marty Zlotnik purchased a silent auction prize while attending a UBC Alumni event. The prize was “Breakfast with the President.”

Marty approached then president, Dr. Martha Piper, and asked if she would join him at his golf club for breakfast where he and a few of his colleagues, all UBC graduates, would have an opportunity to hear the President’s vision for UBC and how Athletics might play a role. She took him up on the offer.

The morning of the breakfast, Dr. Piper spoke about UBC and what she hoped it would become during her tenure. At the end of the breakfast Marty let her know that all of the attendees had made a donation to the UBC golf program in thanks for the opportunity to have breakfast with her. Marty asked if she would match the funds. Marty then asked if the next year she would join 1,000 of his friends for breakfast in helping to raise money for UBC Athletics’ Scholarship Endowment and if she would match those donations. She agreed and in March of 1999 the first-ever Thunderbird Millennium Scholarship Breakfast was held.

I will always remember the look on Dr. Piper’s face when she walked in that morning and saw that more than 1,000 people were in the room. It sent a clear message that UBC Athletics could mobilize its supporters to help “keep Canadian student-athletes in Canada.”

Fast forward to 2009 and what started as a silent auction prize has reaped rewards to the tune of $5.2M and counting for the endowment funds of Thunderbird teams. During that time, UBC teams have captured 33 CIS championships 2 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

What says more about these two institutions following close behind is that they see how well the breakfast format works and the funds it generates for our athletes. This event has only been successful because we have a dedicated group of people who see the value and importance of University sport and what an investment in young people can bring. Just this past year, TELUS agreed to sponsor the event through 2011.

Their involvement has been tremendous and I know that their continued sponsorship is linked not only to the vision of the event, but also to the commitment of those who join us in the room.

For those of you who have attended a TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast, thank you. For those of you who will attend your 10th on February 24, thank you. Your contributions have helped us keep the best and brightest young men and women at UBC, helped those people participate in high level athletics while earning a worldclass education and provided UBC with yet another rallying point for its alumni and donors. It has provided spotlight to Athletics, while sharing it with UBC. Regards, Bob Philip Director of Athletics

locker room Top to bottom: Scott McCuaig, Nick Poole and Katie MacPherson.

Football The UBC Thunderbirds played well for most of the year but found themselves on the wrong side of a number of close games, including a one-point loss to SFU in Shrum Bowl XXXI held at Thunderbird Stadium as they finished with a 2-6 record. One of the highlights of the season was Scott McCuaig’s play at defensive end. The fourth-year lineman led the conference for the second consecutive season in sacks (9.5), was named the CW lineman of the year, a CIS FirstTeam All-Star and now holds a pair of Canada West career records. He is the conference’s alltime leader in sacks with 27.5 and career sack yards with 174. Kicker Shawn McIsaac capped off a brilliant five-year career with the T-Birds, leading the conference in field goals made (19) and percentage (82.6). He moved himself up the all-time career list to second overall with 63 field goals for his tenure at UBC, which also puts him fourth in CIS history. Rookie Spencer Betts is also a name to remember. The freshman had three touchdowns on the season: a 98-yard punt return and a pair of 80+ yard receptions. He was sixth in the league in all-purpose yards with just under 110 per game.

Soccer Once again, both soccer teams were top squads in the Canada West. The men (8-1-5) finished in second place in the conference while women (8-2-4) ended regular season play in third. The male ’Birds did not suffer a defeat until the final game of the regular season, thanks in large part to their ten shutouts on the year and the fact they conceded just seven goals in 14 games. Both teams qualified for post-season play in Canada West and took home a pair of bronze medals at the conference level. On the men’s side, co-captains Graham Smith and Nick Poole, alongside keeper Srdjan Djekanovic were all named to the CIS First-Team All-Star squad.

Midfielder Devin Gunenc was one of four male T-Birds to earn a spot on the CW Second-Team All-Star side and was also named the CW Rookie of the Year. For the women, star defender Chelsea Stang was named to the CIS First-Team, while goalie Jaclyn Dunnet and midfielder Caitlin Davie earned spots on the CIS Second-Team.

Field Hockey The women’s field hockey team had another banner year, winning their sixth consecutive Canada West title after posting an 8-2-2 record in

conference play. For their efforts, the T-Birds were awarded the no.2 seed at the CIS Tournament and an unlucky tiebreak scenario had the T-Birds on the outside looking in on the gold medal game after round robin play. The talented T-Bird squad, however, responded with a 3-0 win over Guelph to claim the bronze. Tyla Flexman was named the Canada West Player of the year, a CIS and Canada West all-star, and received the Gail Wilson Outstanding Contributor Award (national). Joining Flexman on both all-star teams was Laura Dowling and Katie MacPherson. Head Coach Hash Kanjee, in his 16th season at the helm, received both the Canada West and CIS Coach of the Year awards.

Rugby The women’s rugby team was in stellar form in the month of October as they nearly played spoiler in the Canada West playoffs. The T-Birds faced off against the defending CIS champion Lethbridge Pronghorns in the semi-final and nearly upset the ’Horns, falling just short with the final score at 15-12. They responded to that tough defeat with a 37-0 drubbing of Victoria in the bronze medal game. Centre Radha Jain was named a CIS All-Canadian, while Caitlin Ebbehoj and Alison Smith joined Jain on the conference all-star squad.

Cross Country Two UBC Thunderbirds qualified for the NAIA Cross Country Championships. Thirdyear transfer Kerry Kazuta was the lone male representative for the T-Birds, finishing 63rd out of 331 racers in Kenosha, Wisconsin while Senior Nicole Akeroyd finished 81st out of 327 female athletes.

Golf The men and women’s golf teams were both in fine form this fall with each team claiming a pair of titles. The men were victorious at the St. Martin’s invitational and Vikes Shootout, while the women’s team captured the Lady Otter Invitational and the Western Washington Invite.

For the women’s team, the Lady Otter was their first NCAA title in four years and they kept that streak alive by winning the NCAA WWU Invite just a few weeks later. continued on page 8

ANDREA NEIL

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Andrea Neil

Frank Fredrickson

The career of one of Canada’s premiere soccer players at both the National and professional levels began and was built through her Hall of Fame career here at UBC. Andrea Neil, 2009 UBC Sports Hall of Fame inductee and future Canadian soccer Hall of Famer, starred for the Blue & Gold for four years from 1990 through ‘94 leading UBC to four Canada West championships and one CIS national title, the latter at which she was named MVP. All four years she was named to the Canada West All-Star team and in ‘94 was selected a first-team All-Canadian while in 1993 she shared the Marilyn Pomfret Award as UBC’s female athlete of the year. A team leader, Andrea returned to campus in the late ‘90s to serve as an assistant coach, helping Dick Mosher’s varsity Thunderbirds maintain their winning ways.

Andrea gained national fame following her UBC career in large part through an unprecedented seventeen years on Canada’s National team including four World Cups, retiring as captain. Her career with the pro Whitecaps was just as stellar, establishing the team record for career games played, twice being named league All-Star and serving as captain and assistant coach. Through the years one could not help but notice how much she was admired and how much of a role model she is for young Canadian women.

UBC was fortunate in having a man coaching Thunderbird hockey of the caliber and profile of Frank Fredrickson.

This Canadian hero not only experienced an NHL Hall of Fame playing career including two Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal with Canada’s 1920 representatives the Winnipeg Falcons, but was a heralded World War I veteran, a professional musician and later a Vancouver politician.

His distinguished playing career was followed by voluntarily coaching the ‘Birds for six seasons during the 1940s, his 49/50 UBC team arguably the best university hockey team on the continent. It was Fredrickson’s wisdom together with his quest for sportsmanship and team play that made his teams great. “Frank was a scholar of the game,” says former UBC player Terry Nelford.

Books have been written and films are being made featuring this late Canadian icon, who represented for UBC a bridge between the very first Olympic hockey team in 1920 and the 1964 Olympics for which UBC served as the home for our National program. UBC welcomes this innovative coach into its Hall of Fame as a Builder as he guided some of UBC’s best-ever hockey teams plus was responsible for raising the money required to build UBC’s first Winter Sports Centre, that designated hockey home for Canada’s 1964 Olympic team.

4 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

JOHN HAWKINS

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John Hawkins is an amazing athlete; from his UBC days in the late 1960s and early ‘70s when he was a basketball star and Canadian high jump champion through to today, a tremendously fit competitor winning gold medals and setting records in Masters competitions.

As a Thunderbird basketball player “The Leaper” was a member of both the 69/70 UBC Hall of Fame team and of Canada’s 1970 World Student Games representatives.

With UBC’s track and field team he led the Blue & Gold to Canada West titles in 68/69 and 71/72, the highlight occurring in 1971 when he became the first Canadian to jump seven feet. At a Canada versus Italy dual meet he reset the Canadian record with a leap of 7 feet 1 1/2 inches, winning B.C. Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year honours.Internationally, Hawkins while at UBC, achieved a high jump silver at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, finished ninth in the world at the ‘72 Olympics, re-set for the third time the Canadian high jump record at the ‘73 Pan American Games and leapt to a bronze medal at the ‘74 Commonwealth Games.

Since graduating from UBC Hawkins continued to play Senior ‘A’ and Masters volleyball and basketball while winning more than 60 gold medals as a Masters athlete and setting several records at national and international track and field competitions. This 2009 inductee is truly one of UBC’s most remarkable athletes.

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1936-37 UBC Men’s Basketball Team UBC, during its history, has produced six men’s national champion basketball teams, the first two emerging during the 1930s. Those were the days when the closely-followed university teams competed with the best club teams in the country for the right to wear the national basketball crown.

The UBC Hall of Fame welcomes one of the very best of these UBC national champions. The 1936-37 Thunderbirds not only won the very competitive city league but on their trail to the Canadian title defeated the legendary Victoria Dominoes in three straight, the Alberta champions in two straight, then capped it with the national championship series victory over the defending ‘36 Olympic silver medalists, Windsor (Ontario) Fords.

The campus and community celebrated their local heroes, a team of well known athletes, three of whom; Jim Bardsley, George Pringle and coach Maury Van Vliet are inducted as individuals into UBC’s Hall of Fame. This magic season, which was a continual case of the “Davids knocking of the Goliaths”, was also acknowledged by the province by being inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. <

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Building

for the Future…

UBC Athletics has added five state of the art athletic facilities to

VANCOUVER - This season saw the first UBC Thunderbirds hockey home games played at the brand new Thunderbird Arena and soccer home games on the new pitch at Thunderbird Park, marking the culmination of years of planning and construction by the Department of Athletics and Recreation to create world-class athletic facilities for athletes, students, and the community right on campus.

Construction continues at Thunderbird Park on the University’s first full-size baseball diamond and 6 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

an outdoor track and field facility, however, within the next six months both of those facilities will be completed, giving the Thunderbirds five brand new state of the art facilities in the last three years.

The University has spent more than $75 million dollars in the development of the Thunderbird Arena, the John MS Lecky Boathouse, and Thunderbird Park (soccer, baseball, and track and field).

Of the four facilities on campus, the Boathouse is located in Richmond

on the middle arm of the Fraser River, the brightest jewel of them all is the world-class Thunderbird Arena. A 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games venue, the new 5000-seat arena is now the permanent home to both UBC Hockey programs.

The facility will host some of the Women’s Ice Hockey and all of the Sledge Hockey events during the 2010 Winter Games and the total budget for the entire facility, which includes three pads of ice, was $47.8 million.

In addition to being the home of both the UBC Thunderbirds men’s and women’s hockey teams, the Thunderbird Arena also hosts concerts, special events, and be the home of the UBC Sports Hall of Fame.

its landscape in the last three years, spending almost $75 million Each UBC varsity hockey team has been outfitted with its own personal team room and a varsity weight room is also being added to the facility in the near future.

The Arena also serves as the home of the relocated UBC Sports Hall of Fame, a $650,000 investment by UBC Alumni and other supporters of the program that will showcase inducted members, photos, and trophies throughout the facility, anchored with a room celebrating Thunderbird history on the main concourse.

“The players are really enjoying the new facility. It’s comfortable and players enjoy being at the rink and it has helped our team develop their identity and become the best studentathletes they can”, explains UBC men’s hockey head coach Milan Dragicevic.

Another pair of teams that have already put their new home to good use is UBC men and women’s soccer.

Both varsity squads played their entire regular season on the new turf pitch located at Thunderbird Park and the early reviews have been very positive.

“It was great to have such a quality field to play on this year,” said UBC men’s soccer head coach Mike Mosher.

“The turf field gives us the opportunity to get out there almost whenever we need to and having the better playing conditions helps a skilled team. We definitely get an advantage when we play at home since we like to get the ball on the ground and knock it around rather than just mucking it up the field.”

With a scoreboard installed in continued on page 10

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locker room

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should impact offensively. Gerry Festa has seen action in 10 games this season and is third in the league in save percentage (.916) and fourth with a 2.62 GAA while sporting a 3-4-2 record. The play of rookie defencemen Ryan Kakoske, Ryan DeVries, and Matt Pepe has been impressive, with Pepe earning a spot on the FISU Games team alongside fellow T-Bird blueliner Craig Lineker. UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic has been tabbed to coach the Canadian side at the FISU Games in February.

Women’s Hockey

Rowing The UBC Thunderbirds played host this year to the Canadian University Rowing Championships and the women’s team brought home a bronze medal while the men’s team finished in fifth. Highlights on the women’s side include a strong showing by the ‘Birds in the women’s eights, as they were edged out by the Mustangs by a mere .38 seconds for the gold. UBC women’s pair won gold in a dominant performance of 7:12.99, almost seven seconds ahead of teams from Brock and Victoria. On the men’s side, the T-Bird Eights made an exciting dash to the line over the final 500 metres, rowing past UVIC into second place just short of Western.

Swimming UBC swimmer Annamay Pierse had quite the fall, setting four short course Canadian records. The fifth-year T-Bird represented Canada at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where she finished sixth in the women’s 200-metre long course breaststroke. Already this season she has set records in the 50, 100, and 200 metre breaststrokes in a 25m pool. Her new Canadian 8 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

standards are 31.00, 1:06.23, and 2:21.69. As a team, the T-Birds took on the University of Washington Huskies in a dual meet back in late October, narrowly dropping the men’s competition 136-125 and the women’s 139-111 to the strong Division I opponent.

Men’s Hockey With a 5-9-2 record, the UBC Thunderbirds sit just one point out of the final playoff spot and are just two points behind fifth-place. The T-Birds showed their potential in the final game of the fall portion of the schedule, outplaying the Alberta Golden Bears, the no.1 ranked team in the CIS, only to fall in a shootout 2-1. The T-Birds main problem all season has been finding the back of the net as they have dealt with a rash of injuries to their forwards. They are last in the league with just 31 goals but the squad should have most of their top 6 forwards back in January. Jeff Lynch leads the T-Birds with 13 points (five goals and eight assists) playing on the top line with Darrell May who has registered 10 points (one goal and nine assists) in just 12 games this year. Brandon Campos is back from a preseason injury and

One of the early surprises of the fall season, the T-Birds are currently fourth, and hold the final playoff spot at the midpoint of the season with a 5-8-1 record. UBC has a five point edge over Regina for the final playoff spot but most continue their improved play (they had just six wins last season) if they wish to return to post season action. Goalie Melinda Choy has been one of the keys to the UBC success this season. The third-year netminder has played all 14 games this year for the T-Birds and is first in the league in minutes played (846) and saves made (452). She has a pair of shutouts this year already, third best in the league, and is sporting a .899 save percentage and 3.62 GAA. Rookie defenceman Kelsey Halvorson is having a standout season and leads the T-Birds with seven points (three goals and four assists).

Fellow first-year Keleigh McLaughlin has also played well, notching four points (two goals and two assists) so far this year. Alisha Choy, Melinda’s twin sister, leads the team with four goals this season, and veteran forward Jenny Mahovlich (one goal and five assists) and defenceman Kirsten Mihalcheon (one goal and four assists) have also been solid.

Men’s Basketball The UBC Thunderbirds men’s basketball team did exactly what everyone expected of them, dominating the first half of their season en route

locker room

to a 10-1 record in league play. The T-Birds are first in the Canada West as they lead the Pacific Division with 20 points through 11 games and are the #2 ranked team in the country behind perennial power Carleton. The depth of the T-Birds has been their key to success this season and they started the season with seven straight wins, including a pair of road victories over then #5 ranked Victoria. After a 7673 road loss to Regina, the T-Birds rebounded with three straight victories, including a pair of wins over Simon Fraser and one more over Victoria to close out the fall schedule. The T-Birds begin their winter schedule on the road but play seven of their last nine at home. Scoring for the ‘Birds has come from a variety of sources so far this year. Chris Dyck leads the squad with 15.5 points per game, 20th in the conference, but has plenty of back up. Eight T-Birds are averaging more than five points per game, with Blain LaBranche, Brent Malish, and Nathan Yu combining for 25.2 points per game off the bench. Josh Whyte has played a prominent role in his first year with the team and is second with 11.8 points per game.

Women’s Basketball The Thunderbirds find themselves in unfamiliar territory with a 3-8 record at the midpoint of their season, but the defending CIS Champions were always going to be hard-pressed to match last season’s title run after losing three fifth-year starters. A 3-5 start to the season then saw the T-Birds have the unenviable task of playing a home and home series with #1 ranked SFU. UBC probably had their most complete games of the season against the Clan and even though they lost both games (74-70 and 80-76), it appeared they had begun to find some confidence. A tough 71-40 home loss to #9 Victoria to close out the fall schedule, however, showed that there was still a lot of work to be done. The second half of the season is a little kinder to the T-Birds, as they only play ranked opponents in three of their

final 12 games and have seven of their last nine at home. The T-Birds have struggled with scoring this season, and are ranked just 11th in scoring in the conference (59.6 ppg). Second-year forward Alex Vieweg leads all T-Birds with 11.3 points per game. Fellow Sophomore Zara Huntley is second with 8.5 points per game while fourthyear post Leanne Evans is third with 8.3 points per game. Evans, however, is second in the conference with 9.9 rebounds per game. Rookie Lia St. Pierre leads all guards with 7.5 points per game, while fellow first-year Leigh Stansfield, a 6-foot-3 post, has surprised and is averaging 5.8 points and 2.9 boards in just 11 minutes per game.

Men’s Volleyball The T-Birds, now ranked #7 in the CIS with a 5-3 record, opened the season with three straight losses, including a pair to undefeated and #1 ranked Alberta, but have since won five straight and are one of seven teams in the conference with at least 10 points.

Reigning CIS Libero of the Year Blair Bann has been outstanding this season and leads the Canada West with 3.03 digs per game. Offensively, the T-Birds are for the most part a one-man show with Steve Gotch leading the way with a gaudy 4.93 kills per game, which puts him second in the CW and third in the CIS, while hitting a solid .309.

He has led the T-Birds in kills in every match this season and has failed to reach double digits kills in just one contest (he had 9 kills). Gotch is also third in the country with 5.40 points per game and has jumped to second in the conference in aces (0.33 per game). Setter Jared Krause has been distributing the ball effectively, 9.17 set assists per game, but he has also been called upon to attack (1.37 kills per game) and is second on the team with 1.8 digs per game, second in service aces (0.30) and third in blocks (0.60 per game). Although Gotch and Krause have been leading the UBC continued on page 12 9 spring 2009 BLUE + GOLD

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October and stands to be in place for next year’s varsity season, the Thunderbirds now boast one of the best pitches in the city, one that can withstand the wet west coast weather that has wreaked havoc on scheduling and playing conditions in the past.

The final two additions to Thunderbird Park, a full-size turf-based baseball diamond and a track with full field amenities, will alleviate some of the challenges faced by the Baseball and Track and Field programs over the last few years.

“From a preparation point of view we have never had the ability to have a lot of full-team practices based on scheduling issues and having to travel 30-35 minutes to Nat Bailey Stadium,” said UBC baseball head coach Terry McKaig.

“Almost every year when we go down to California to start our season in late February we haven’t even been on a field as a team yet thanks to the weather but when you look at our preparation for California this year, it won’t be like any other because this facility allows us to get out on the field whenever we need to.”

The entire baseball field is Fieldturf, the only dirt in the entire facility is the pitching mound, and even after days of rain can be played on right away.

“We have been limited in the past by weather and scheduling in our preparation week-to-week and spent most of the time in batting cages or having pitchers throwing to themselves,” said McKaig. “Now players will be able to get live at bats during training, which is really the only true way to prepare, and we can also get pitchers throwing more if they need to and players that don’t get much time on the weekends to inter squad during the week.”

Track and Field head coach Marek Jedrezejek is equally pleased to have a new home for his entire team.

“I cannot put into words how much this is going to change our program,” said Jedrezejek. “Having a facility like this on campus gives us the opportunity to have the entire team [between 70-80 athletes] all train out of the same location, instead of seeing each group go off campus to find an appropriate facility. From a recruiting stand point it is also great as we can now tell athletes that we are supplying them with the best facilities around.”

The baseball team planned to hit their new field for the first time on January 6th but the winter weather pushed back that date to later in January. The construction on the track is coming along as well, the grass field section in the middle is complete and most of the construction of the track is done, however it won’t see action until May or June, as the installation of the surface material requires a prolonged period of dry weather. < 10 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

This story was written early in December. In the time between its conception and this issue going to print, Ritchie Nichol passed away. A basketball star in his time at UBC, Nichol was a member of the 1945-46 basketball team that was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame and a long-time supporter of UBC Athletics. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

ritchie nichol

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T-Bird Flies with ‘Trotters for One Night

Fred Hume UBC Athletics

“Why don’t you write something about UBC’s Ritchie Nichol? . . . I heard he was the first white man to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.” Intriguing.

As fate would have it, concurrently a short piece appeared in Sports Illustrated, that dean of sport magazines, pointing out the fact that the famed Harlem Globetrotters who have been entertaining fans for almost 90 years, have had at least one white player actually play for their basketball team.

According to S.I., Bob Karstens, an American, was during the 1942/43 season the first non-black player to have the distinction of suiting up for this exclusive team.

I now felt the need to research what if any validity the Ritchie Nichol story had and compare it with the information presented within the pages of Sports Illustrated.

I caught up with our former basketball star, Mr. Nichol, and through our chat became more aware of the Globetrotter world including a component of that history that took place in a small tucked-away town right here in B.C. The story goes something like this: Over 60 years ago in the tiny Howe Sound community of Woodfibre a unique sporting event took place involving a UBC basketball player and the famous Harlem Globetrotters.

Here miles away from mainstream basketball and accessible only by boat, Ritchie Nichol, a 21 year old whiz from Victoria, would seemingly leave his mark in Globetrotter history.

As one of B.C.’s better basketball players, Nichol had on several occasions played with teams opposing the “trotters” while they were on their hectic seven game per week tours through B.C. and the Lower Mainland. It wasn’t long before Nichol became familiar with the Harlem players and the team’s famous founder, owner and coach, Abe Saperstein.

Ritchie recalls the times he would visit the amiable Saperstein in his suite at the Hotel Vancouver then have to descend to the skid row hotel rooms in order to visit the Globetrotter players. In Vancouver at that time, the better hotels such as the Hotel Vancouver maintained a policy of prohibiting guests who were not white.

According to Nichol, it was while on their west coast tour of January 1942 that Saperstein, proving his team would play anyone anywhere, scheduled a Sunday afternoon and evening set of games in Woodfibre against a team composed of players who worked at the town’s pulp and paper mill.

These were apparently seen by the owner more as fun games fit in between two scheduled dates in Vancouver and Victoria.

However, before venturing up Howe Sound the Globetrotters

found themselves minus their team leader and captain ‘Babe’ Pressley who had seriously injured his ankle during the previous night’s game. With only a five man roster and Pressley now out of action the “colored Harlem giants”, to fulfill their Woodfibre obligation, had to find a replacement.

Saperstein was familiar with several local players but was certain of the playing ability and good nature of Nichol. The call went out to Ritchie to be in Woodfibre that Sunday.

The next day little mention was made of the fact that Nichol had become the first white man to suit up with the, as The Ubyssey put it “ . . . dusky gentlemen”, which would in effect beat out his American counterpart Karstens by a matter of months. Perhaps just an oversight.

Now armed with this “revelation” that it was actually a local basketball player who was the first white man to play for the ‘trotters’, I drew up a “Letter to the Editor” of Sports Illustrated revealing this Woodfibre story and politely suggested they might like to consider revising their basketball history. S.I. did not publish the letter but did send a cordial acknowledgement.

Be that as it may, Nichol today retains fond memories of Saperstein and his players. “They had a phenomenal record and never picked their spots . . . never hid from any team” says Ritchie who in later years took the opportunity to visit Saperstein and his wife at their Chicago home.

The memories of his days associating with the players are especially valued. Nichol recalls that after the games, which were fiercely competitive and intense, he would join Harlem players such as Bernie Price, Inman Jackson and Ted Strong for great tasting chicken dinners at the original White Spot at 67th and Granville . . . back in the old days.

After bringing this story to light it wasn’t long before it captivated the interest of a couple of local sport journalists one of which was Len Corben, the intrepid columnist for the North Shore Outlook.

Len, who was forging a follow-up story based on my piece, discovered through his search of newspaper game accounts that this special game in Woodfibre actually took place Sunday, January 16, 1944 rather than January, 1942!

Ritchie’s memory is great but unfortunately he was a couple of years off when we talked of this key date.

What this meant was that Sports Illustrated was right – good thing they didn’t publish my letter – Bob Karstens was the first white man to play for the Harlem Globetrotters and that our local, Blue & Gold basketball player Ritchie Nichol was . . . well, second. < 11 spring 2009 BLUE + GOLD

locker room

continued from page 9

attack, the team sports good depth, exemplified by the seven players averaging at least one kill per game.

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volleyball The Thunderbirds put together seven straight wins at one point in the fall and closed the fall portion of their schedule with a 7-3 record in league play. The defending CIS Champions have used a smothering defence that leads the Canada West in opponent hitting percentage (.110), blocks per game (2.85), and is second in digs per game (14.64).

T-Birds occupy three of the top seven spots in blocking with fifth-year Marisa Field leading the conference with 1.50 blocks per game. Fellow middle Jen Hinze is third best in the Canada West at 1.11 per game and fifth-year right side and team captain Danielle Petersen is averaging 0.90. Libero Claire Hanna has led the digging effort and is second in the conference with 3.92 digs per game. After some early season struggles, the offence has come together as well, and is now fourth in team hitting percentage (.214) and third in both kills (12.50) and assists per game (11.58).

Liz Cordonier leads the UBC attack again this season with 3.25 kills per set, fourth in the conference, and setter Katie Tyzuk is fourth in the Canada West with 9.67 set assists per game. <

save the date Tuesday, February 24, 2009 TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast for ticket information please Contact Sarah Saddler at 604.822.6183 or go to www.gothunderbirds.ca

12 BLUE + GOLD spring 2009

big block club

News + notes from the big block club

New Scholarship for Women’s golf The women’s golf program will be awarded the first-ever Gail Moore Memorial Scholarship in the fall of 2009.

Friends and family of Gail established the award not long after the passing of the Canadian golf hall of famer in the early 1990s. UBC graduates Jeri Krogseth and Jeri Gartside, longtime friends of Gail, along with the Moore family, including Dr. James Moore, daughters Dana and Julie and son, Hon. James Moore MP – Port Moody were instrumental in bringing the funds, now $100,000, to the UBC golf program. The Gail Moore Memorial Golf tournament, hosted by the UBC women’s golf team, will be held at Shaughnessy on March 8.

Rowing dinner a success

each of the programs that will help with scholarships and some additional travel costs for the teams.

Ice Hockey Alumni back in their place The Thunderbird men’s ice hockey program has reestablished its alumni room in the new UBC Thunderbird Arena. The former room, which was established in the 1980s provided a place for the ice hockey alumni to gather before and after T-Bird games. Members of the alumni raised more than $5,000 to outfit the room.

Alumni president giving back to swimming

UBC Rowing held a successful event to commemorate the second anniversary of the opening of the John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse. The event, which included an appearance by former UBC rowers and recent Olympic gold medalists Ben Rutledge and Kyle Hamilton also raised more than $100,000 for the rowing scholarship endowment.

Former Thunderbird swimmer and current president of the UBC Alumni Association recently increased his contribution to a scholarship endowment in his name that benefits members of the UBC swim team. With matching funds provided by the Department, the Ian Robertson Thunderbird Swimming Endowment will reach more than $250,000 over the next few years.

More scholarships for baseball

Thunderbird Rings

UBC’s baseball program has established two new scholarships, the Maurice and Stacy White Scholarship and the Jeff Francis scholarship. Both scholarships will provide full tuition, fees and accommodation to one member of the team for his four years of eligibility

For the past three years the UBC Alumni Association has presented a Thunderbird Ring to every graduating varsity athlete. While the UBC Alumni Association is not able to provide a ring to every Thunderbird alum, UBC Athletics has made rings available to alums who want to be part of the club. The rings are hand carved by First Nations artist Rick Johnson and symbolize your connection to the UBC Thunderbirds. Rings are distributed through UBC Athletics for a donation of $100. For details or to obtain your ring, contact Sarah Saddler at 604 822-6183.

Golf tournaments continue to draw crowds The Thunderbird golf society and the Friends of Thunderbird baseball each held successful golf tournaments this past September. The respective tournaments netted $60,000+ for

Thunderbird Alumni, we want to hear from you!

Share your accomplishments or honors with us by emailing varsity@interchange.ubc.ca

13 spring 2009 BLUE + GOLD

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