As a UBC rower, became an integral part of this sport's renowned UBC tradition with a dramatic gold medal victory in the 1964 Olympic pairs. The '64 Canadian male Athlete of the Year competed for UBC during the middle '60s helping the UBC eights to victory at the '64 Canadian championships.
George Hungerford, a naturally gifted athlete, entered UBC in 1961 destined to preserve UBC's internationally renowned rowing reputation. Just one year before, the UBC eight-oared crew coached by Frank Read, rowed to an Olympic Silver medal at Rome.
The UBC rowing program, now under newly-appointed coach Glen Mervyn, recruited Hungerford for its 1963/64 team, the first of three years Hungerford would row for Varsity crews. George had already shown his athletic ability on the squash courts and rugby fields of UBC during his first two years. In 1963, it was his natural talent and singularity of purpose that won him a spot on this year's eight-oared crew, one that would ultimately represent Canada at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. This crew earned this honour by winning the Gold medal at the Canadian rowing championships and Olympic trials in July of 1964. UBC had stroked to a two-length victory over St Catharines, bettering the Olympic record in the process.
It was shortly after these Canadian championships however, that Hungerford contracted mononucleosis, unfortunately eliminating him from his spot on the team and his Olympic opportunity. Even though he remained fit and was making progress with his recovery, there now remained only a few weeks before the Games and no hope of regaining his place on the eights. The thought emerged that even though Canada's 15 man Olympic rowing team had been set, Hungerford team with fellow UBC rower Roger Jackson to form a pair without coxswain, a last minute attempt to have Canada represented in this event. Considering the little time left before the Olympics, Hungerford's health situation and the fact these two had never before rowed together, this venture seemed a shot in the dark. Moreover, the rowing pair from the Netherlands dominated this particular event on the international scene and were strong favourites to win the Gold at Tokyo.
The Ubyssey described it as an "unbelievable" victory as indeed Hungerford and Jackson met their challenge and rowed to a first place finish and a Gold medal in the Olympic finals. "This win by the students rowing together for the first time is an astonishing victory for the kids and the campus". The Ubyssey went on to say "Hungerford and Jackson took the early lead over the favoured Netherlands and never looked back at the spray behind."
With this victory by the pair, it meant that for a third successive Olympic Games, a UBC team had finished with either a Silver or Gold in the men's rowing events. It was also the last time a Canadian university or club team would achieve this feat, for in subsequent years Canada implemented the National team concept.
Hungerford and Jackson's victory at Tokyo was an inspiration not only to UBC but to the entire country. In addition to Hungerford being proclaimed BC's Junior (under 21) Athlete of 1964, both Hungerford and Jackson were honoured as co-winners of the prestigious Lou Marsh trophy as Canada's outstanding male athlete-professional or amateur - for 1964. Since the award's inception in 1936, they along with Rick Hansen are the only UBC or former UBC athletes to be so honoured. (Irene Strong of UBC won the female equivalent in '49).
In 1965, Hungerford graduated from UBC in Arts, immediately entering UBC Law school. During the years 1964/65 and 65/66 Hungerford continued rowing with the Varsity crews at UBC. In '65 Hungerford achieved a second jewel in the rowing crown as he rowed with Jackson for Canada at the international championships at England's Royal Henley Regatta. It was at Henley however, that Hungerford felt the effects of his recurring blood disorder and was advised by Regatta doctors after the race to give up rowing - possibly permanently.
Since graduating in Law from UBC in 1968, Hungerford has maintained his involvement in the community and in athletics. For ten years he has been a Governor and Chairman of the BC Division of the Olympic Trust of Canada. He is a founding Director of Olympic Club Canada and for four years was a Chairman of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
For contributing to BC and Canada's rowing tradition plus his later work for this province and with the Pan-American and Olympic Games, Hungerford has been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, Canadian Amateur Athletic Hall of Fame and BC Sports Hall of Fame. This UBC athlete has also received two very special honours, the Order of Canada awarded in 1984 and the Queen's Council Award in 1991.
A UBC contemporary of Hungerford and Technical Director for Rowing Canada, Alan Roaf, describes Hungerford as one whose reliability along with his calm and steady approach injected stability into the rowing challenge, a vital ingredient in this sport.
This Inductee is also in the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
