This skilled soccer player and cricketer is acknowledged as the record holder for the number of UBC Big Blocks won. Played on six league champion UBC teams, several as captain. To this day well respected among the cricket and soccer communities.
Frank Sealy, a native of Trinidad, began his long and distinguished UBC athletic career at age 22 in 1955. The first year Arts student played on UBC's Varsity soccer team that year and along with stars Bruce Ashdown and Clive Hughes led the UBC Thunderbirds to an impressive twelve win, one loss record in the Mainland First Division. That summer, Sealy played on UBC's cricket team, this being a time when cricket was one of the campus' higher profile sports.
In 1956/57, Sealy again played for both the UBC cricket and soccer teams. As a cricketer with UBC, the "Totem" annual suggested, "The team benefitted tremendously by the addition of the new all- rounder Frank Sealy."
In 1957/58, Sealy was once again a two-sport star on campus. On the soccer team he was now playing under new coach Frank Kurucz, who remembers Sealy as being as good or better than the other high profile members of the team. Kurucz today recalls Sealy as an "...outstanding player, versatile with all the skills...excellent speed and excellent skill with the ball." A fan remembers him as being "explosive - he could instantly change the pace of the game."
The following year was probably Sealy's finest at UBC. During the summer he led the UBC cricket team to both the BC Mainland League Championship and the Fyfe-Smith Shield. During the school year he captained the soccer team to both a first place finish in the Mainland League and to impressive exhibition victories over the University of California.
The "Ubyssey", which profiled Sealy at this time stated "...the incomparable Frank Sealy, who is an ace cricketer and soccer star, is at present captaining his Varsity teammates toward what could be one of the finest years in the post second war UBC soccer era."
In March of 1959 Sealy was presented with the prestigious Bobby Gaul Award, "...emblematic of ability, sportsmanship, leadership and inspiration." The Ubyssey stated at this time, "Frank, in being awarded a total of nine Big Block awards, has proven that he possesses all the qualities required of a recipient of the trophy." To this point Sealy had played four seasons with the "roundballers" and five summers with the cricket team, a team made up largely of students from the West Indies. In fact, Sealy was personally responsible for drawing many of the West Indian students at UBC to the sports of soccer and cricket.
As a campus athlete however, Sealy was far from finished. Taking first year med. courses in 1959/60, Sealy returned for another successful summer with the UBC cricket team, a team again dominating the BC Mainland League and winning the coveted Fyfe-Smith Shield. Individually, Sealy was one of three UBC players selected to play for Vancouver's Rep. team scheduled to oppose a touring English cricket side. In addition, Sealy was again captain and defensive star of the Mainland Second Division champion UBC soccer team and in the 1960 "Totem" was one of the students featured in the publication's special section "Who's Who in Athletics."
Sealy returned for the 1960/61 school term, this year concentrating on just the one sport, cricket. Under the tutelage of Dr. Malcolm McGregor, he captained this year's team to the league finals. According to Ben Seebaran, former president of the BC Cricket Association, "Frank was a very versatile and talented all-around cricketer who was able to change the outcome of the game with both bat and ball."
After taking a year out, Sealy was back as captain of the UBC cricket team in 1962/63, a team that was again league champion. Sealy finally closed the book on his illustrious UBC athletic career after this 1962/63 campaign, having spent five years with the soccer team, the last two as captain and eight summers with UBC's cricket team, the last two as captain. He played on six league champion UBC teams and his total of 13 Big Block awards is more than that achieved by any other athlete in UBC history.
Sealy, who graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1964, received plaudits from the Ubyssey. "Frank's marvelous ball control and expert dribbling ability has to be seen to be believed. His graceful movements continually keep opposition (soccer) elevens off balance." In the words of his soccer coach Kurucz, "Frank Sealy is an intelligent student... a fine man."
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
