Ubc bg spring 2008

Beijing Bound

A Century in Pictures The Pitching Professor

+ Blue Gold + Blue Gold g ot h u n d e r b i r d s. ca

spring 2008

the university of british columbia thunderbirds ca n a d i a n p u b l i cat i o n m a i l ag r e e m e n t # 4 1 4 7 3 0 2 6

Proudly supporting the local sports stars of today and tomorrow.

At TELUS, we believe in using our technology and expertise to make a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and play.

We’re proud to sponsor the TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast.

BLUE+GOLD

the lineup

2 3 12 5 8 11

spring 2008

departments

Editor: Don Wells

Message from athletic director

Designer: Sharmini Thiagarajah

Assistant Editor: Steve Tuckwood Contributors: Marc Weber, Fred Hume, Don Wells

the locker room

principal Photography: Richard Lam

blockwatch

BLUE+GOLD is published twice a year by the UBC Department of Athletics and is distributed free of charge to the UBC Alumni and friends. Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Athletics or the University.

features weber’s top ten of ten a century in pictures the pitchy professor

Address correspondence to: The Editor UBC Department of Athletics 272 – 6081 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1 email to varsity@interchange.ubc.ca For advertising rates, please contact Kavie Toor, UBC Athletics senior business development manager, at 604.822.1688.

On the Cover }

UBC’s first hockey team – 1915-16 Contact Numbers at UBC Athletics

BEIJING BOUND

THE PITCHING PROFESSOR

A CENTURY IN PICTURES

BLU E+ D +GOL BLUE GOLD G OT H U N D E R B I R D S. C A

SPRING 2008

General Inquiries

604.822.2503

BLUE+GOLD Editor

604.822.9115

War Gym Box Office

604.827.4547

Group Tickets

604.822.3094

Development Office

604.822.1972

Sponsorship

604.822.1688

Address Changes

604.822.8921

via email

alumni.association@ubc.ca

Volume 4, Issue 1 • Printed in Canada by Benwell Atkins Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #41473026

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA THUNDERBIRDS C A N A D I A N P U B L I C AT I O N M A I L AG R E E M E N T # 4 1 4 7 3 0 2 6

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Development Office UBC Department of Athletics 272 – 6081 University Blvd.

Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 24-hour scores and info: 604.822.BIRD

www.gothunderbirds.ca SPRING 2008 BLUE + GOLD

Message from the Athletic Director

Almost 100 years ago, BC’s provincial government introduced and quickly approved a piece of legislation which provided the foundation upon which the province’s first and largest university was built. Although it took another seven years from the time The University Act was passed on March 7, 1908 until UBC officially opened its doors in 1915, athletic teams representing the University’s predecessor institution – McGill University College of British Columbia – began competing against local club teams as early as the 1908-09 academic year. The highlight of this inaugural season was McGill College winning its first championship, the Miller Cup, as city rugby champions in the spring of 1909.

What this means is that the storied traditions of varsity sport at UBC were founded in the same year of the University itself, and therefore the season that is now rapidly drawing to a close represents the one hundredth in our overall history. Needless to say, we are very proud that UBC teams and athletes have made an indelible mark in British Columbia’s sporting history, however we are equally enthusiastic about where we are today and what the nearterm future holds.

While much has been said and speculated upon in recent weeks concerning our interest in obtaining NCAA Division II membership, this has overshadowed other important developments of recent years. By way of example, we have made investments in full-time assistant coaches for many of our programs, which have contributed significantly to their recent success. As we go to press, six of our CIS winter teams are ranked among the top 10 in the nation, and all are positioned to win conference and national championships. In addition, just last November our men’s and women’s soccer teams won gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 2007 CIS Championships. Of note, the victory for the men’s team at home over Laval is the 76th CIS national championship in UBC’s history, more than any other Canadian university.

2 BLUE + GOLD

SPRING 2008

In addition, we have accumulated almost $8 million in athletic scholarship endowments. We are also looking forward to opening new facilities later this year, including a new 5000-seat ice arena, new playing fields at Thunderbird Park on the south campus, as well as a running track and baseball practice facility.

With the help of alumni and friends, we have recently constructed a new rowing facility on the Fraser River; we have installed a lighted artificial turf field hockey pitch at Thunderbird Park, and the baseball program that we resurrected just ten years ago has become one of the top programs in the US-based NAIA league, recently producing Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis. With our recent announcement to add women’s soft ball to the sports menu, our program is again expanding to provide opportunities for even larger numbers of Canadian student-athletes to remain in Canada to study and compete.

There can be no doubt that UBC’s athletic program has come as far as the University itself since its inception as an act of legislature a century ago. To help us commemorate this 100th season, I hope you will consider joining us to support our current student-athletes by attending the Big Block Awards and Sports Hall of Fame Banquet on April 2, or by participating in one of our upcoming alumni golf tournaments.

Even if you can’t be a part of one of these events, I sincerely hope that all alumni and friends of UBC Athletics will share our pride in the success of the UBC Thunderbirds of 2007-2008, and for what has been achieved over the century by the approximately 18,000 alumni who have worn the blue and gold colors of “Varsity.”

Sincerely, Bob Philip Director of Athletics

locker room

Beijing Bound?

While the Olympic Games are still a few months off, several UBC athletes and recent graduates are stepping up their training regimens in hopes of qualifying to represent their country in Beijing.

MEN’S SOCCER CLAIMS 11TH NATIONAL TITLE The host UBC Thunderbirds added to their record number of CIS men’s soccer titles on November 11, capturing their 11th Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy with a 2-1 goldmedal win over the first-time national finalist Laval Rouge et Or. The T-Birds, who were also crowned in their last CIS tourney appearance in 2005 in Charlottetown, have reached the title game in each of their 14 trips to the nationals since the first championship was held in 1972.

Playing in his final match as a Thunderbird, fifth-year striker Steve Frazao broke a 1-1 tie in the 82nd minute to lead UBC to victory. Frazao took a pass from Canada West rookie of the year Jorge Angel-Mira on the open wing and struck home the game-winner.

With a pair of CIS titles under his belt prior to the 2007 final, head coach Mike Mosher was confident that this team had what it took to win another banner.

“We kind of flew under the radar during the regular season, but I never doubted this team even with some of the injuries and hardships we faced throughout the season. We really grew as a team over the year, and I think our character is what gave us the edge this weekend. We struggled at times this year, but we were only stronger for it.”

UBC, which beat Montreal 2-0 in the opening round and York 2-1 in overtime in the semifinals to reach the championship match, placed Graham Smith and midfielders Mike Elliot and Niko Marcina on the all-tournament team.

Smith was also named tournament MVP.

UBC’S STEPHENS-WHALE TOPS NEW YORK UBC track athlete Shaun Stephens-Whale was the top Canadian in the 31st Annual Empire State Building Run-Up which took place February 5th in New York. Competing against an international field of 230 competitors, Stephens-Whale finished 11th in a time of 12:17 after climbing 86 floors and 1576 steps to the observation deck overlooking Manhattan.

“I got a good start, and was through the

stairwell door in about 10th place, but I was disappointed with my finish,” said StephensWhale. “I worked my way up into fourth place by the 20th floor and then fell back from that position around the 35th floor. The last 35 floors were tough and I ended up walking.”

The 18-year-old first-year UBC student was also the youngest competitor in the field. The winning time of 10:08 was posted by 34-year-old Australian Thomas Dold.

MIGHTY MASON HITS NEW HEIGHTS Not since 1970’s era high jumping quartet of John Beers, Rick Cuttell, Dean Bauck and John Hawkins has UBC had a competitor like Mike Mason. The 21 year-old Human Kinetics student recently turned heads with a 2.30-metre high jump at the University Of Washington’s Dempsey Indoor meet in Seattle, which qualifies him for the IAAF world indoor championships March 7-9 in Valencia, Spain.

It topped his records of 2.27 set last year, and is the highest indoor jump by a Canadian since Mark Boswell set a national record of 2.33 in 2002.

“I never would have thought we’d be thinking about the indoor worlds,” said Mason, who is currently ranked seventh in the world. “The training has always been around performing well into Beijing. It means a lot to hit 2.30.”

Mason’s leap also sets a new UBC record, a new Dempsey Indoor meet record, achieves the 2008 Olympic qualifying standard, and is one of the top-five in the world in 2008.

MCGUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS In her final regular season home game as a Thunderbird, fifth-year guard Erica McGuinness quietly took over another spot in UBC’s women’s basketball record books. With 2381 points, the Commerce student from North Vancouver eclipsed the career scoring total of former team mate Kelsey Blair, who graduated in 2007 with 2342 career points. Team mate Leanne Evans also made an impression on team history as the new single-season conference rebounding leader.

Evans grabbed 234 this year, surpassing the mark of 213 set by Cheryl Kinton in 1991-92. Her pergame average of 10.4 rebounds also edges out

Here follows a list of UBC’s Olympic hopefuls.

But before you sneak a peak, try to answer this question: Who was the first UBC athlete to win an Olympic medal and in what sport? Answer at the bottom.

Swimming Martha McCabe Scott Dickens Matt Hawes Annamay Pierse Callum Ng Tara Ivanitz Jordan Hartney

Brian Johns (alum) Kelly Stefanyshyn (alum) Liz Collins (alum) Caitlin Meredith (alum) Darryl Rudolf (alum) Brent Hayden (alum)

Rowing Kyle Hamilton (alum) Ben Rutledge (alum) Rob Weitemeyer (alum)

Field Hockey Anthony Wright Phillip Wright Scott Tupper Marian Schole Mark Pearson David Carter David Jameson Shiaz Virjee (coach) Tiffany Michaluk Stephanie Hume Stephanie Jameson Kim Buker Katie Baker Christine DePape

Track and Field Mike Mason

Answer to question above: Ned Pratt(below), in rowing. Ned and his partner Noel DeMille won a bronze medal in double sculls in the 1932 games.

continued on page 4

SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

locker room Blair’s 10.3. Not to be outdone, fifth-year guard Cait Haggarty’s 48.5% three-point shooting percentage surpasses Raj Johal’s 1988-89 mark of 45.8%. The T-Birds finished conference play ranked second in the nation behind cross-town rival SFU.

TALKING ABOUT THE JONES BOYS

Moore

on the Mend

Reflecting on a century of university sport at UBC, it’s impossible to overlook the presence and influence of Dr. Douglas “Buzz” Moore, who has been very much a fixture at UBC Athletics for the better part of half of that century. Since joining the department in 1964, Buzz Moore has tended to countless and varied needs.

An incomplete list of his duties would include budget and finance, capital projects and facility maintenance, equipment purchasing and travel, rugby coaching, media and alumni relations, and fundraising.

On the day that Buzz was forced into retirement in 1986, nobody in the offices of the UBC Thunderbirds even noticed. He kept his age and plans to himself and just kept working. In return for a modest honourarium to cover the cost of his daily drive from West Vancouver, he continued to oversee the management and maintenance of Thunderbird Stadium and War Memorial Gym, along with a host of other smaller chores. He also launched his “sweater or better” campaign that has successfully raised money to pay for the iconic Big Block sweaters and rings that new members of the Big Block Club receive annually.

Always reluctant to dwell in the limelight, Buzz confessed he was humbled and honoured when, during the 2001 spring convocation, the degree of Doctor of Laws, honouris causa, was conferred upon him in recognition of almost twenty years of fighting for extra yards for the UBC Thunderbirds.

B&G is pleased to report that Buzz is comfortably recovering at home after a short visit to hospital and is planning to soon resume physio treatments to counter the effects of a 30-plus year rugby career.

UBC athletes, coaches and staff are all looking forward to having the beloved elder statesman of BC’s rugby fraternity back in time for the April 2nd Big Block Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner, where the loudest ovation of the night is typically reserved for the mere mention of his name.

Best wishes for a continued recovery to you Buzz, from your far-flung legions of friends and admirers.

We look forward to having you back in the game. g

BLUE + GOLD

SPRING 2008

In rugby news, 18-year-old freshman flyhalf Harry Jones was named to the Canadian Sevens Team for its February tournaments in Wellington, NZ and San Diego, California. The North Vancouver native got his first taste of international competition a couple of years back when he represented Canada at the U-17 level, and is currently on the Canadian U-20 side. Elite rugby is very much a family affair in the Jones household, as older brothers Ben and Charlie are team mates on the Varsity XV and are former members of Canada’s U-20 team. Coach and former T-Bird legend Spence McTavish takes his charges south for game one of the annual World Cup series against CalBerkeley February 20. Game two of the home-and-home series goes March 26 at 2:30 pm at Thunderbird Stadium.

Women’s swim team keeps the streak alive Annamay Pierse won five gold medals and two silver in leading UBC’s women’s swim team to an 11th consecutive CIS Championship February 21-23 at the UBC Aquatic Centre. The Thunderbirds capped off their triumph with a Canadian record in the 4 x 100-metre medley relay as Rachelle Salli, Pierse, Erin Miller and Stephanie Nicholls won the race in 4:04.95, eclipsing the previous mark of 4:04.97 set a year ago by UBC. Earlier in the meet, the 24-year-old swept the breaststroke events, setting new Canadian records in the 100 and 200-metres and a new CIS record in the 50 metres.

Her fifth gold was in the 200 individual medley, with the bronze going to sister and teammate Hanna.

“I’m definitely on track, I’m definitely where I want to be and I’m definitely where I should be,” she said jubilantly, in reference to her progress in the period leading up to the Olympic trials in April. “I’m so excited about the next couple of months.”

The win streak for the men’s team was finally halted after ten years by the University of Calgary, although UBC captain Callum Ng won Male Swimmer of the Meet honours for winning gold in all three backstroke vents as well as a bronze in 100m butterfly and three relay silvers.

Not surprising, Pierse was named Female Swimmer of the Meet, while UBC coach Derrick Schoof was chosen as the women’s Coach of the Year. UBC will host the CIS Championships again in 2009.

Women’s volleyball ends 30-year drought Fredericton, New Brunswick was the scene of UBC’s most recent athletic triumph as the women’s volleyball team, led by Canada West Player of the Year Carla Bradstock, took home the Red River trophy that has eluded the team for exactly 30 years. It was a hard fought battle as the Thunderbirds had to overcome weather delays in travel and four time zones to face Sherbrooke, Alberta and finally the University of Montreal, prevailing in five games each of the latter two contests.

The victory was particularly sweet for Bradstock and team mate Kyla Richey. Their mothers - Christine Bradstock and Jan Richey - were members of the 1978 UBC team that won the national crown that year. Coincidentally, the scene of that long ago win was just up the road at the University of Moncton. g

Weber’s

Top 10 of Ten In 1996, a young Commerce student presented himself at the offices of UBC Thunderbird Athletics looking for a way to become involved in Thunder Productions, a student-operated marketing and event management team. By the time he graduated, he had demonstrated such a wide range of skill and commitment that he was made a full-time employee as the department’s communications manager. In October of 2007, Marc Weber left the department that had been such a big part of his life for some 10 years to join the staff in the sports department of the Province newspaper, where he specializes in covering the Western Hockey League.

Blue and Gold asked Marc to recall the ten most memorable moments during his decade of being arguably the keenest observer of the entire spectrum of varsity athletics on Point Grey. As a parting gesture, our spirited scribe penned the following account.

10

Random memories

9

A bit of a cheat to start off, but 10 just proved too challenging. I had the privilege of working two World University Games — in 2003 and ’07 — and seeing UBC athletes compete and win medals on a world stage. Darryl Rudolf’s 100m fly in Bangkok stands out, as does a men’s basketball bronze in Korea with Kevin Hanson coaching and Kyle Russell playing. So many CIS championships to choose from: men’s soccer winning in 2005 with my high school buddy Dave Wong scoring the dramatic winner in their first game; women’s field hockey dominating arch-rival Victoria to the tune of 3-0 in the first half of the 2006 title game at UBC; a great run for women’s volleyball in 2004-05 that I got to witness first-hand. And hundreds of thrilling clashes in between all that.

Men’s volleyball goes to the dance Volleyball fans are a special breed. Somehow, half as many people can hit twice the decibel level of a regular crowd. So when you get a large gathering of these folks at the third and deciding match of a do-or-die series, with the school’s first trip to the nationals in 18 years on the line and all the emotional baggage that goes with it, you can imagine the atmosphere. UBC’s 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 31-29 win over Manitoba at War Gym in the 2006-07 playoffs was one of the most riveting, electric sporting events I’ve ever seen live, period. It was one of those inspirational moments that you wish everyone could have witnessed, and you felt bad for those who weren’t there.

5 SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

Top left: Ros Hicks (center). Top right: Matt LeBourdais in action in 2006-07 conference playoffs.

8

NAIA World Series “Is this heaven?” asks Shoeless Joe Jackson in the movie Field of Dreams. “Na, it’s Iowa,” replies Ray Kinsella. Well, for most of the year Lewiston, Idaho isn’t close to heaven, or even Iowa for that matter. But for a week in May it’s about as perfect a place for baseball as you’ll find. Even the checkout girls at the supermarket are wearing NAIA World Series shirts. If you’re not in town for the NAIA’s annual gem, you’re lost. Having seen the UBC baseball program resurrected from scratch in the late ‘90s, it was really special to see it almost reach the peak after just seven seasons.

The trailblazing T-Birds were the first Canadian team to ever compete in the World Series and organizers had to scramble to erect another flag pole, not to mention have someone learn ‘O Canada’ (we were told it was an “alternate version, from the ‘60s”). Plus, we had the pleasure of soaking up selfless Negro league legend Buck O’Neil, who spoke at the banquet. He died just weeks after.

7

Rosalyn Hicks, T-Birds dominate It will undoubtedly remain one of the most outstanding individual and team championship tournament performances in any CIS sport. Scores in UBC’s three games at the 2003 women’s soccer nationals at McGill were 4-0, 5-1 and 5-0 — the most goals scored at a championship and the most lopsided final ever. Ros Hicks was playing on a completely different plane than everyone else, with an honourable mention to fellow forward Sarah Regan. UBC could have been down to nine players and Hicks still would have found a way to score. She had six goals and four assists in the tournament, and a hat trick in the national final.

6

Chris Levesque’s call-up Definitely the weirdest day of my tenure. Running around campus looking

for Chris Levesque to inform him that, “You’re not going to believe this, but because of an injury to Dan Cloutier and visa issues with their minor league goalie, the Canucks need you to dress tonight and back up Johan Hedberg.” Well, after Casey Bartzen and some UBC teammates finally tracked him down studying, he didn’t believe it. He still thought it was a hoax when Canucks’ scouting staffer Jon Wall got on the phone, but he wasn’t laughing a few hours later sitting on the Canucks bench when Hedberg raced out to play a puck, collided with a Penguin player and lay motionless on the ice. The look on Chris’ face, not to mention coach Marc

6 BLUE + GOLD

SPRING 2008

Crawford — both working the chewing gum overtime —was absolutely priceless. “...and the kid from UBC might have to go in!” yelled play-by-play man Jim Hughson. Chris did interviews from all over North America in the following days and it was a ton of fun to be a part of. To this day, people throw out his name when a Canucks goalie goes down.

5

Akbal Singh’s record seasons ‘King Singh’, his teammates called him, and they were right. Akbal was the closest you’re going to come to watching Barry Sanders in the CIS as far as I’m concerned, and you didn’t want to show up late to the game. On the second play of the 1998 season he scampered 77 yards to the end zone. He was a special player, posting 1,377 and 1,415-yard seasons (the top two in Canada West history) back-to-back in 1998 and ‘99. The most amazing part of that ‘99 season was that he had an awful start to the year. But in October he rushed for 328, 305 and 243 in successive games — the first effort included four touchdowns in a 30-21 win over top-ranked Saskatchewan at Thunderbird Stadium. Unlike another great back who preceded him in Mark Nohra, Akbal’s CFL dream ended quickly, but that doesn’t taint his legacy in any way for me.

Some people are just born to be amazing college players and Akbal was one of them. Every home game during these two years carried that anticipation of “What is Akbal going to do tonight?”

4

Women’s basketball ends drought I never saw an athlete show more heart and guts than Carrie Watson did in the 2004 CIS women’s basketball final — a win that was really special as it was the first in 30 years for UBC and first for head coach Deb Huband. Two weeks after getting hammered 73-36 by Regina in the Canada West final, the T-Birds slipped past Ottawa and lockdown SFU at the nationals in Winnipeg to meet the Cougars again, this time for the CIS championship. Carrie scored 16 points and had three steals, but it was the bruises from two charges (and thus two key fouls) drawn on player of the year Cymone Bouchard, and the gash on her elbow that spoke louder.

She put her body on the line for the Bronze Baby and she led a terrific, young supporting cast to victory. UBC might not have been the most talented team there, but they wanted it more.

3

Men’s basketball memories

“PAT MCKAY!! PAT MCKAY!! PAT MCKAY!!” It was all Daryl Wener could yell on the CiTR broadcast when the T-Bird forward drained the winning shot from inside the three-point arc with two seconds left in the third-and-deciding playoff game against Trinity Western in 2002-03. War Gym surely hasn’t exploded like that too many times. A fitting end to one heck of a feisty and thrilling series, with the upstart Spartans playing up the David and Goliath angle. It also paved the way for the first Halifax trip of the Kevin Hanson era, which put UBC basketball back on the map. I had the pleasure of watching the likes of Kyle Russell and Pasha Bains, but following Casey Archibald for five years was just a privilege.

Casey just got better and better every season, and when I thought I’d seen it all, he goes out and plays the best three games of his career in his final three games at the national championship. To me, as someone who came after the J.D. Jackson era, Casey is the standard by which I’ll judge all future T-Bird hoopsters.

2

Brian Johns’ world record The night Brian set a short course world record in the 400 IM at the 2003 CIS championships in Victoria was obviously memorable. I wasn’t there — we were hosting basketball — but his bother Kevin got to announce it to the War Gym crowd and there was a great ovation. The following week, though, athletic director Bob Philip had given me Canucks tickets and I decided to take Brian and see if the Canucks would do something for him. When the Canucks put his record on the screen and made the announcement it was an amazing reaction. Some people no doubt cheered out of habit at first —hear an announcement, clap your hands —but when people realized what he’d accomplished the shift was palpable. Soon 20,000 strong were giving Brian a standing ovation, taking pride in what a UBC athlete had achieved. It was really meaningful because it solidified what UBC was about, showed what student-athletes could achieve, and it reminded people why they should care.

1

Jeff Francis’ draft year Professionally, this was the most interesting and exciting time for me. Uncharted territory for everyone involved, from Jeff and his parents to coach Terry McKaig and myself. We knew it was a big deal, but that couldn’t prepare us for reality. What an incredible feeling to be in that room when Jeff walked in to throngs of reporters and cameras, flashes going off all around. There must have been 50 media members crammed into that room and even that cynical bunch found themselves applauding! It’s not often at a Canadian university athletic department that you get to feel truly relevant in the eye of the media. It’s possible no athlete in UBC history will ever see that much attention again. A historic time for the school, and Jeff and his family were tremendous about the whole thing from Day 1. Since that day, you can add Jeff’s minor league player of the year award, his first Major League start and his World Series appearance to the growing memory bank.

Jeff Francis made UBC history by starting game one of the 2007 World Series for the Colarado Rockies.

SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

A century UBC’s history in varsity athletics can be traced back to the fall of 1908, when the University’s predecessor institution, McGill University College of British Columbia, fielded a rugby team, which eventually captured the Miller Cup as city champions in the spring of 1909.

Since that time, a relatively equal amount of British and North American sport traditions have endured through the decades to create an athletics program of great breadth and diversity within the modern context of Canadian university sport. What other university, for example, is today a proving ground for both world champion rowers and major league baseball players?

1

2

3

1: UBC’S FIRST RUGBY TEAM – 1915-16. 2: STAR RUNNING BACK GAVIN DIROM IS TACKLED BY TOMMY BERTO IN 1929 UBC FOOTBALL PRACTICE. 3: 1929-30 UBC BASKETBALL TEAM WINNERS OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT 1930 WOMEN’S OLYMPIAD. 4: BOB OSBORNE (BACK THIRD ROW FROM RIGHT) AND CAPTAIN ARNOLD HENDERSON, (FRONT ROW CENTRE)

8 BLUE + GOLD

SPRING 2008

in pictures While objectivity is admittedly elusive in determining who or what is best in the world of sport, UBC’s recent souvenir publication, Flight of the Thunderbirds: A Century of Varsity Sport at the University of British Columbia, succinctly captures the many highlights of the program’s evolution from the earliest days of the Fairview campus to the modern era.

The following series of photographs taken from the book follow the flight path of the UBC Thunderbirds and provide a chronological glimpse of some of the century’s most memorable events, people and teams.

4

5

6

LED THE 1931 SQUAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE A HOMETOWN CROWD AT VANCOUVER’S DENMAN ARENA. 5: THE 1953 FOOTBALL TEAM COACHED BY FUTURE NFL HALL OF FAME COACH DON CORYELL, PREPARES TO DEPART FOR MONTREAL TO PLAY MCGILL. 6: JOHN “CHICK” TURNER, ONE OF THE FASTEST MEN IN CANADA IN THE LATE 1940S.

9 SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

8

7

7: Charlotte Warren pictured with her father Harry Warren and the Watson Trophy. 8: The Varsity eight crosses the finish line to win the gold medal on the Vedder Canal at the 1954 British Empire Game.

9: Let by Ron Thorsen, UBC won its first Buchanan Cup in1970 with a 103-67 victory over Simon Fraser. 10: 1973-74 women’s volleyball team coached by Marilyn Pomfret won the Canadian Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Union Championship at War Memorial Gym. 11: Opening ceremonies of a game in Beijing during UBC’s 1973 friendship tour of China.12: Thunderbird football player and weightlifter Bob McGavin proves his strength by pressing coach Frank Gnup.

13: UBC players celebrate first Vanier Cup victory in 1982. 14: Paul Johansson (left) and Kevin Hanson celebrate UBC’s stunning victory over the Victoria Vikes in the 1987 Canada West Championship. 15: Jessica Mills set scoring records at UBC while also earning honours grades that led to her entry into the Faculty of Medicine.

10

12

9

11

13

14

15

“ The Pitching

Professor”

Jeff Francis is the first from UBC to reach the Majors but . ..

By Fred Hume Even at ninety-seven he is solid, youthful looking, he’s actually unbelievable – you would think he were twenty years younger than his true age. We are talking about Ernie Kershaw, UBC’s very first professional baseball player.

Jeff Francis, our polished and accomplished major leaguer, certainly has put UBC’s baseball program on the map but he is not the first from UBC to play pro baseball – not by a long shot.

That distinction belongs to the robust Mr. Kershaw who attended UBC as an electrical engineering student back in the university’s formative years, graduating in 1931.

The early ‘30s at UBC had not yet seen the sophisticated intramural program to which we’ve grown accustomed but did feature inter-class games, games at which a tough yet scholarly Kershaw shone as a pitcher.

And despite the number of good athletes on campus and the popularity of baseball during the Depression it was our Engineering graduate Kershaw who would emerge as this era’s lone UBC contribution to the ranks of professional baseball.

With his crackling curve ball Kershaw started by making a name for himself in the local Commercial league while at the same time embarking upon a high school teaching career.

Then in 1939 professional baseball arrived in Vancouver with the introduction of the Vancouver Capilanos, newest members of the Western International League. Most of the Capilanos’ players were American including a couple who would go on to the major leagues but one or two local players also made the team including one of the top Commercial league pitchers, Ernie Kershaw. Not only did

he make the Capilanos, he was selected to pitch the team’s home opener, this its very first season.

On April 27, 1939, the eve of Kershaw’s professional debut, Vancouver Province columnist Jim Coleman predicted a Vancouver victory with Kershaw on the mound, announcing “. . . the master mathematician from the timbered terrain and rarified atmosphere of West Vancouver will exchange his school teacher’s garb for a monkey suit tonight and attempt to teach the rudiments of curves and parabolas to those rambunctious ruffians, the Yakima Pippens.” Our UBC alumnus, now West Vancouver high school math teacher, commenced his pro career that evening with an impressive five-hit shutout before 3000 home town fans.

For several seasons into the 1940s Kershaw was able to blend his teaching profession with baseball, the price to be paid along the way being kidded by both players and media with tags such as “professor” and “trigonometrical technician.” His unique status was even more pronounced in that he predated, by a number of years, two other well-known UBC athletes who went on to pro ball, Reg Clarkson who advanced to Double A and Sandy Robertson who pitched in Triple A. He would be two decades ahead of former Thunderbird stars John Haar and Dan Miscisco, both of whom turned professional and about sixty years in advance of current ex-Thunderbirds making a name for themselves, Brooks McNiven and UBC Hall of Famer Francis. So our “pitching professor” was in a sense a real trail blazer.

After retiring from baseball Kershaw continued to teach at West Vancouver Secondary where I encountered him as

Ernie Kershaw with vintage photograph of the Vancouver Capilanos.

a student many years after his playing days. I can tell you from first hand experience little was lost of his fire and frankly, his strength. But that’s another story.

I reconnected with Mr. Kershaw – sir – again many years later to reminisce over cups of tea our school days and his baseball career.

Appearing much the same he did as a teacher he was playing tennis everyday, walked, was fit and sharp as a tack. That was about five years ago.

Recently I saw him on the West Van seawall and my old friend still looks hearty enough to once again cut the corners with his fastball. g Fred Hume is UBC Athletics’ historian 11 SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

block watch

News + notes from the big block club

Honouring T-Birds of the Past

Builder: Marty Zlotnik

On the evening of April 2 at downtown Vancouver’s Hyatt Hotel, UBC Athletics and Recreation will induct four more all-time greats to the UBC Sports Hall of Fame before a charged ballroom of 1000 students, alumni and supporters at the annual Big Block and Athletic Awards Banquet.

These 2008 inductees, together with those athletes, teams and builders previously enshrined, can be viewed complete with bios at www.ubcsportshalloffame.com and on the west side of the foyer in War Memorial Gym on the Wall of Fame display area.

Friends and alumni wanting to attend this 15th induction evening should contact Jennifer Wong at 604 822-6183 or jenwong@interchange.ubc.ca.

Perhaps the most strategic fundraiser in all of Canadian university sport, Marty’s initiatives to encourage investment in UBC Athletics include the Thunderbird Golf Society, the Thunderbird Council and the most successful fundraising event in Canadian university sport, the TELUS Millennium Breakfast, which raises over $500,000 annually for studentathlete scholarship endowments.

One of Vancouver’s most active and influential community members, Marty’s allegiance to his university and his vision and energy for university sport underpin much of the success of Thunderbird teams in recent years. He was recently awarded Volunteer of the Year by the National Association of Athletics Directors of Development, a U.S.based organization that recognizes fundraising and volunteer efforts on behalf of university athletic departments in the United States and Canada.

Athlete: Jeff Francis From 1999 through 2002 Jeff was UBC’s dominant pitcher, ultimately achieving pre-season All-American status while at the same time showcasing UBC’s baseball program to the baseball world. He set eleven UBC career pitching records, was an NAIA first-team All-American, a three-time Academic All-Canadian and the 2002 winner of the Bobby Gaul Award. A first-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies, he was in 2004 named baseball’s Minor League Player of the Year. In 2007, after a 17 – 9 season, the Delta, BC native was named starting pitcher in Colorado’s inaugural World Series game.

Marty Zlotnik hosts the annual TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast.

BLUE + GOLD

SPRING 2008

Team: 1972/73 UBC Women’s Basketball One of the dominant teams in the history of Canadian university women’s basketball, the Norm Vickery coached team won the Canada West championship with a 24 – 1 record. In the three-game national championship tournament, the Thunderbirds won the title, outscoring the opposition by a combined 167 – 79 score. The roster boasted seven national team members including four future Olympians. Extraordinary talent, combined with dedication, conditioning and teamwork resulted in one of the best teams in the country and UBC history.

block watch Builder: Nestor Korchinsky A true builder at UBC, it was Nestor’s creativity, passion and ability to motivate that resulted in UBC’s intramural program achieving the standard of excellence to which other universities aspire. He arrived at UBC from Alberta in the summer of 1967 as an instructor in the School of Physical Education and an assistant football coach. During the better part of four decades on campus he influenced and shaped the future of thousands of students through his coaching, teaching and mentoring and helped countless students to launch careers. Renowned as someone who had time for everyone, he strove for intramurals to be accessible to all and became, as was frequently reported, “a legend” at UBC..

Hockey Birds Bid Farewell to Father Bauer Arena A number of former T-Bird hockey players were on hand February 9 to watch UBC play its last regular home game of the season and, more importantly, the last game the Thunderbirds are expected to play in the Father Bauer Arena that has been their home since 1963.

The arena, which is part of the Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre, was built shortly after the arrival of Father David Bauer in 1962 as the chaplain at Saint Mark’s College. One of Canada’s legendary hockey and humanitarian figures, Bauer coached the Thunderbirds in 1962-63 and the following year took over as head coach of Canada’s new national hockey team that used UBC as a training centre for the 1964 Winter Olympic Games.

“There is a lot of hockey history in that building,” reminisced former men’s athletic director Rick Noonan, who served under Bauer as a trainer and general manager.

Noonan also correctly recalled the first game ever played on the rink. On October 3, 1963 a packed house of fans that paid a dollar each witnessed Father Bauer’s team defeat the Seattle Totems 3-1. Mickey McDowell scored the first goal, followed by goals from Terry O’Malley and Marshall Johnston, with future NHL goaltender Ken Broderick coming within a hair’s breadth of earning a shut-out in the inaugural contest.

The Thunderbirds will begin playing games next season in the new 5000-seat arena currently nearing completion on the same site.

Thunderbird Alumni Golf Tournaments Speaking of Father Bauer, the usual flock of former friends and players will gather once again June 25th for the Father Bauer Golf Tournament at South Surrey’s Hazelmere Golf Club. The featured guest this year will be Arnie Brown, who played on Father Bauer’s 1961 Memorial Cup Team at St.

Nester Korchinsky, UBC’s beloved Big Man on Campus, retired in 2003 after almost four decades of service.

Mike’s in Toronto and went onto a pro career with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. The tournament is a perennial sell-out so interested golfers are encouraged to contact Rick Noonan at rnoonan@shaw.ca Friends and alumni of UBC football are reminded that July 9 is the date of the Frank Gnup Coaches’ Classic at the University Golf Club. Participants can register by contacting head football coach Ted Goveia at tgov@interchange.ubc.ca.

The Thunderbird Golf Society holds its annual fundraising tournament on September 26 at the University Golf Club.

For more information or to register contact Jean Forrest at cjforrest@shaw.ca. And finally, the Friends of Thunderbird Baseball tournament is tentatively slated for September 23 at the Mayfair Lakes Golf Club in Richmond. For more information, contact: Briony Reid at brionyreid@telus.net.

Neil Retires After 18 years on Canada’s National Women’s Soccer Team and four World Cups, team captain Andrea Neil recently decided to hang up her cleats after a stellar career. The former Thunderbird and All Canadian defender has endured through a rash of injuries that would have sidelined mere mortals. Instead she battled back from a lacerated knee suffered in a motorcyle accident that turned to gangrene, as well as ACL reconstruction and a fractured femur to finish her career with a record 132 appearances in international games. The iron woman of Canadian soccer should be a shoo-in for a spot in UBC’s Sports Hall of Fame. g

Thunderbird Alumni, we want to hear from you!

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

13 SPRING 2008

BLUE + GOLD

Get in the game. Ticket optional.

It starts with a love of the game. And everyone on our team has it.

For hard-hitting sports coverage, no one takes you closer to the action.

TO SUBSCRIBE CALL: 604-605-READ

Email: subscribe@png.canwest.com