One of UBC rugby's most dangerous scoring threats on some of UBC's best teams. Was a BC rugby all-star and one of the top players in Canada. Also played T-Bird football gaining all-star recognition.
John Newton, hailed as a "promising newcomer" with coach Albert Laithwaite's rugby team, entered UBC from Victoria College in 1950. While in Victoria, Newton had been known not only as a rugby player but also as a track man, basketball and lacrosse player. In his first year at UBC Newton was a starting winger for the rugby UBC Thunderbirds, the Ubyssey reporting, "Newton is said to be the most promising player UBC has had in a long time".
A first stringer from his first UBC game, Newton was the winger that coach Laithwaite had spent the summer wishing for. By the end of the season he had received his first Big Block in addition to the UBC rugby Rookie of the Year award.
The next season, the fleet left-winger led the UBC Thunderbirds to the McKechnie Cup by topping the team in scoring, a team that included George Puil, Gerry Main, Danny Oliver and Bill Whyte. That same year he participated in the intramural track finals, winning the 220-yard sprint.
The following season, 1952/53, proved to be a memorable year for UBC rugby. The opening three victories by UBC saw "John Newton, one of the strongest and most brilliant open field runners in coast rugger circles" score five tries. The UBC Thunderbirds went on to prove they were the best team in the province, winning the Miller and McKechnie Cups with Newton's 17 tries leading the offensive attack. UBC then added the World Cup to its trophy case employing a complete team effort to defeat California. Newton contributed by playing effective defense - much needed against Cal - to compliment his explosive scoring talents.
Newton returned for his fourth season, 1953/54, once again patrolling the wing for the Blue and Gold. His steady, sometimes sensational play, contributed to another UBC World Cup victory over the California Bears.
In September 1954, returning for his final year, UBC's "beautiful runner" was now utilizing his speed on the football field. Despite the UBC Thunderbirds first game loss to McGill, the Ubyssey remarked on how the football team was "...sparked by the spectacular running of rookie Newton ". UBC now had the dimension of speed it so badly needed as demonstrated by Newton's 68-yard touchdown ramble against highly rated Whitworth.
The Evergreen Conference proved to be tough football competition for UBC as they were able to score only seven touchdowns all season. Newton, however, scored three, the only player on the team to score more than one. In his only year of football, the gridiron newcomer was selected to the Evergreen Conference All-Star honorable mention team.
Only one week after the end of the football season, Newton found himself back on the rugby field facing Victoria in McKechnie Cup competition. "Whirlaway" Newton demonstrated in dramatic fashion the fact he was picking up where he left off with the ruggermen, scoring six tries in his first four games. "Another sparkling dash" and "lost his pursuers" were ways the Ubyssey described Newton's play, bringing back memories of UBC's late, great, Howie McPhee.
Graduating in Commerce in 1955 in the Accounting option, Newton had, for five years, sparkled as one of the most dangerous scoring threats UBC rugby had ever seen. He exhibited all-round athletic ability by successfully participating in intramurals as well as providing much needed scoring punch for the UBC Thunderbirds football team.
Following UBC, Newton went on to become a BC rugby all-star and in the words of rugby great Buzz Moore, "one of the top players in Canada." He toured the British Isles for Canada with his rugby exploits making particular headlines in Wales.
"A silent friend of rugby," Newton has over the years been a dependable and significant sponsor for the sport both at the provincial and national levels in addition to his being a strong supporter of UBC's Big Block Club.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
