Perhaps UBC's most storied and best men's basketball team. This was the first Canadian team to win an American inter-collegiate conference championship. Defeated top-ranked NCAA teams as well as the Harlem Globetrotters, set a UBC single game scoring record that lasted 50 years.
Sandy Robertson, Ole Bakken, Ralph "Hunk" Henderson, Harry Kermode, Reg Clarkson, Harry Franklin, Ritchie Nichol, Hal McKenzie, Pat McGeer, Ron Weber, Gordy Sykes, Bob Osborne (coach), Garde Gardom (manager), Dick Penn (manager).
In September 1945 the UBC Thunderbirds basketball team, under new coach Bob Osborne, was observed to be shaping up to be one of the best in years. Veterans Sandy Robertson, Ole Bakken, Ron Weber, Reg Clarkson and Pat McGeer were joined by returning war veterans Hunk Henderson, Harry Kermode, Harry Franklin and Ritchie Nichol, plus rookie Hal McKenzie. This team was the first UBC team designed to play primarily intercollegiate competition in the US Pacific Northwest Conference. The change of venue this season was due to the improving calibre of basketball teams UBC was able to send to the floor - obviously too strong for the local Senior ‘A' competition.
The talent that the UBC Thunderbirds possessed was apparent as they won the Pacific Northwest Conference championship with a 9-1 record, scoring 734 points and having 423 scored against them. Their only loss was 43-41 to Williamette of Oregon while two of their victories were unprecedented 124-33 and 110-33 scores over the College of Idaho. The 124 points in one game was a UBC record that took half a century and the advent of three pointers to be broken. This is remarkable in that this record survived 50 years despite the subsequent rule changes in basketball that have resulted in higher scoring games. The record was finally broken on Feb. 23, 1996, when UBC scored 143 points (in overtime) against University of Calgary.
In 45/46 non-conference play, UBC added 19 more victories with only 5 defeats against the toughest competition available. Among these victories was a 58-51 win over the Washington Huskies, a 65-51 victory over the Washington State Cougars, two victories over the Oregon Ducks plus their famous triumph over the Harlem Globetrotters. "Birds Bop Harlem, 42-38 - Young Pat McGeer paces UBC - Gym bulges with 2,000 studes" exclaimed the Ubyssey after what proved to be one of UBC basketball’s most memorable victories.
The improvement UBC had displayed on the basketball court during the previous two years had culminated in their almost unbelievable performances this 1945/46 season, particularly against US competition. The large US schools such as Washington, Oregon and Washington State had toyed with UBC teams of the past – not so with this Osborne-coached crew.
Individually, Sandy Robertson this year established four new UBC records- most points in one season, most field goals in one season, most points in one game and the best points per game average. However, he was not a one-man show. The team in fact was well balanced with players such as Ron Weber, Harry Kermode, Pat McGeer, Ole Bakken, Reg Clarkson and Ritchie Nichol all taking turns in the spotlight.
UBC's winning the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate Conference provided a first - they were the first Canadian basketball team to win an American Intercollegiate Conference championship.
In the words of Royal Brougham, the renowned Sports Editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "...the best team of all Northwest teams this year is not necessarily Oregon State or the University of Idaho but the University of British Columbia and one need only look at their record as proof."
This Inductee is also in the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
