One of UBC's basketball stars of the 1930s, Pringle led the Thunderbirds to the Canadian championship in 1937. The three-time All-Star was the first person to be slected winner of the prestigious Bobby Gaul Award. A scholarship student, Pringle was described by his coach as "...the perfect man...no man was more looked up to." As a minister ordained in 1938, was "an inspirational sincere moral force" only to lose his life in the Second War, January 1943.
After six rich and memorable years at UBC, George Pringle, 1938 UBC grad (Union Theological College), was set to make his influence felt on the world as a United Church minister.
The Thunderbird basketball team back in 1934 described the lanky rookie Pringle as, “a cool-headed steady player who consistently turned in a good performance…above all, a clean player and a good sport.” Pringle, from Vancouver BC’s Magee high school, spent his first year at UBC, 1932/33, with UBC’s Senior ‘B’ team where he was described as the consummate “team player.” In 1933/34, his first year with the Thunderbirds, he was fitting into a team that was defending league champion and filled with stars such as Bob Osborne, Jim Bardsley and Art Willoughby. George impressed on the floor teaming with Osborne at guard but missed several games due to injuries. Pringle was indeed breaking into an impressive lineup as UBC reached the Lower Mainland finals losing three games to two to the team that would eventually go all the way to win the Canadian championship.
The next season, 1934/35, saw UBC’s Senior ‘A’ league become a “Super League,” encompassing in one loop the best teams in the province including three former Canadian champions. Pringle, playing both guard and centre, came into his own with his inspired defensive play together with the fact he trailed only Bardsley and Willoughby as the highest scoring player on the team. Sports “scribes” described him this season as “…ideal basketball player – cleanest player in the league.” This time the ‘Birds went all the way to the BC finals before losing to the Victoria Blue Ribbons.
For the 1935/36 season, Pringle, who was now considered one of the best guards in the city, if not Canada, was selected captain of the revamped Thunderbirds team. The team was dubbed “Pringle’s Rookies” as no one except George had any Senior ‘A’ basketball experience. Although the team fared poorly, Pringle shone both on defense with his rebounding and on offense, leading the team in scoring. He ended the season being chosen first-string guard on the Inter-City League’s All-Star team. He also experienced the distinct honour of being selected the very first winner of UBC’s newly introduced Bobby Gaul Trophy - UBC's top athletic award for males.
In 1936/37, basketball prospects were much brighter. Not only was Pringle returning but also were former stars Bardsley, Willoughby, Rann Matthison, Ken Wright, Billy Swan and Hunk Henderson. A banner year was expected for the students. As the season unfolded Pringle shone among these “stars” several times being the game’s top scorer and rebounder but it was the team as a whole that developed into an awesome congregation. UBC won the league semi-finals in two straight then took the league championship two games to one. From there the students captured the BC Championship by defeating the famed Victoria Dominoes not only in three straight, but by an average margin of 17 points per game! Pringle was “checking like a fiend” and in the third and final game tallied the ‘Birds first seven points of the game, a lead UBC never relinquished. Maury Van Vliet’s crew had, according to the “Province” newspaper, handed the highly rated Dominoes one of the most artistic lacings in playoff history.”
UBC now found itself in the 1936/37 Western Canadian finals against the Raymond Union Jacks, promptly doubling the score on the Alberta/Manitoba champions in the first game. UBC went on to win the series in two straight led by Matthison’s scoring and Pringle’s “customary superb defensive play.” Now on to the Canadian championships and the powerful Windosr Fords, Canada’s defending champions, 1936 Olympic respresentatives and Olympic silver medal winners!
At the Vancouver Forum, UBC went two games up on the confident easterners; a hard-fought 31-29 victory in game one and then with the likes of Dr. Gordon Shrum and UBC Chancellor McKechnie looking on, a 31-30 victory in game two on Art Willoughby’s two pointer with no time on the clock – in overtime.
Windosr came back with a 28-23 victory in game three to finally snap UBC’s consecutive playoff win streak at nine.
“Varsity Carries Off Canadian Crown,” explained the Province headline. Stu Keate wrote, “3500 fans saw the Pt. Grey collegians deprive the somewhat hoity-toity aggregation from the East of their most prized basketball possession…” as the ‘Birds won game four to take the series three games to one. The players and UBC fans were ecstatic, with President Klinck shaking hands with Hunk Henderson, Pringle “oozed radiant, boyish happiness, Swan yelled happily…” It was definitely a fine time to be a Thunderbird – little indication that just five years later, three starting players on this Canadian champion team would no longer b e with us.
Highlighted by only the second Canadian basketball championship for UBC, this 1936/37 season would be a tough act to follow. However for 1937/38, Pringle would be returning to UBC, teaming with Matthison at guard, preparing for his graduating year. Again it was his stellar defensive work that kept UBC in the win column. “…stopped more baskets than the traffic cop at Pender and Beatty,” reported the Ubyssey. While he did stand out on defense he often scored key baskets, changing momentum or winning games. Pringle concluded the season leading the ‘Birds to the city league finals while at the same time being awarded the Robert Morrison Memorial Fellowship upon graduation from Union College. Rev. Pringle was ordained on the 13th of May 1938.
It was on January 30, 1943, Vancouver Sun sportswriter Pete Sallaway wrote, “War robbed this province of a great athlete in the death in air operations overseas of PO George Pringle…Pringle was our idea of the perfect team player. Recognized as one of the cleanest performers to ever step on the cage court…George decided on a career in the pulpit but put aside his church duties for a seat in a fighting plane. Pringle has made his last flight, but his memory will long remain to those who follow athletics.”
Immediately upon hearing of Pringle’s death the university went on a fund-raising campaign which included two Memorial basketball games, men’s and women’s, for the George Pringle bursary. Pringle’s coach and friend Maury Van Vliet was quoted as saying, “He was a scholarship student, a truly great athlete, an excellent minister and as far as we are able to judge from these here on earth, the perfect man." Dr. Frank Dickson said, “One of the most outstanding men in the University from the viewpoint of character. No man was more looked up to…” Former teammate Bob Osborne remembered George as a “gentle man,” a “good person and good athlete.”
In the small BC town of Bralorne where Pringle in the late 1930s had set up his Parish, a young lad, Herm Frydenlund, emerged as one of the many who looked up to and admired this young minister. Herm reminisces: “I remember as a ten-year old living in Bralorne, the absolute awe in which George was held. His reputation, which had preceded him, grew as he put his imprint on his Bralorne Parish. I remember Sunday School and his evening services became the focal point of the community. Such was the impact he had on everyone with whom he came in contact. His premature death has left a void among us which yet remains unbridged."
At a sad time when many young Canadian lives were being lost, legendary coach Van Vliet continued… ”George Pringle so nearly approached perfection in all of his endeavours that all who knew him made the same remark – the finest young man I have ever known. A shy smile, a determined jaw, a keen and fertile brain, a vigorous coordinated body and a heart big enough for any who needed or wanted the love and care of a true Christian – that was George.”
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
