One of the best in UBC basketball history, McGeer was Canada's premiere scorer during the late 1940s. A star on UBC's team that represented Canada at the 1948 Olympics, he was also an integral part of UBC's 1945/46 team, the first Canadian basketball team to win a U.S. league championship. Dr. McGeer since became a renowned scientist and professor at UBC, specializing in brain research. In addition to his many honours, Dr. McGeer received the Order of Canada in 1995.
A most remarkable UBC'er and Canadian, Pat McGeer was one of UBC's basketball greats. During the second half of the 1940's, a particularly successful Thunderbird basketball era, McGeer was stellar, establishing a career scoring total that places him among the top four scorers of UBC's first 50 years. In 1948, an important year for UBC and Pat's last as a Thunderbird, he was scoring co-champion of the Pacific Northwest Conference, in which UBC played. That year, he was the only unanimous choice for the league All-Star team and was the winner of UBC's Bobby Gaul Award for his leadership, presence and outstanding play. He was also an Olympian as UBC's 1947/48 team formed the basis of Canada's basketball team at the 1948 Olympics.
While at Magee high school in Vancouver, McGeer played on three provincial champion basketball teams and as a 17-year old UBC freshman in 1944,not only made the Varsity team but at the close of the season was selected to join the Vancouver Lauries roster as added strength for their Canadian Championship playoff drive.
During his UBC career, McGeer has the distinction of playing on two UBC Hall of Fame teams - the 1945/46 Pacific Northwest champions and the 1947/48 Canadian Olympic playoff champions.
With the 1945/46 team, McGeer was the one who led UBC in scoring the night the 'Birds defeated the Harlem Globetrotters 42-38. He also tied Willamette's Jim Johnson for the Northwest scoring championship this season, each averaging 20.3 points per game. McGeer had an established reputation as a scorer as the previous year the 17-year-old UBC Thunderbird freshman was the Vancouver Lauries leading scorer during their quest for the Canadian championship. At this time the youngster was described by the press as "...slightly sensational not to mention terrific" and "...too hot to handle".
At the 1948 Canadian Olympic tournament held at Maple Leaf Gardens, UBC proved to the best of the Senior 'A' and university teams in the nation. For the games leading up to and including the 'final four', McGeer was consistently UBC's top scorer. Defeating Alberta for the western university title, McGeer was top scorer and in the words of The Edmonton Journal, "...sensational describes McGeer...faked the Alberta defense into the North Saskatchewan River." During this series, noted sports writer Dick Beddoes quipped, "Pat McGeer of British Columbia is mighty and shall prevail."
McGeer again was top scorer in UBC's 53-48 victory over Western Ontario in the first game at the Gardens, thereby giving UBC bragging rights as Canadian University champions. When UBC defeated Vancouver Cloverleafs, the western Senior 'A' champs and then Montreal for the national title and the right to represent Canada at the '48 Olympics, McGeer on both occasions was the highest scoring player on the floor - and this was a collection of Canada's best basketball players. He was described by the Toronto press as the best two-way man on the floor "... This Thunderbird forward turned in two nights of pretty terrific ball."
Perhaps the most prolific scorer in the nation in 47/48, it was little wonder Pat McGeer was named UBC's Bobby Gaul Award winner for 1948. At the awards banquet held at the Hotel Vancouver, at which several future Hall of Famers could be found, fellow student Herb Capozzi felt "His choice was a very popular one with the student body."
Dr. Pat McGeer's post-athletic career was nothing short of incredible. He received his BA from UBC in 1948, his PhD from Princeton in 1951 and his MD at UBC in 1958. He was a professor with UBC's Faculty of Medicine from 1959 until his retirement and throughout, even in post-retirement, conducted research on the brain, specializing in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS and Multiple Sclerosis. This neuroscientist authored more than 500 papers and three books, including a textbook on the brain.
Moreover, for 24 years, McGeer served as a member of the BC Provincial Cabinet and was Minister of the Crown from 1976 until 1986.
The UBC Alumni Association chose Dr. McGeer, who remained an active supporter of UBC athletics, as its 1994 Award of Distinction recipient. He has also received several science and medical society awards and together with his wife Edith, were in 1995, honoured with the Order of Canada.
In 2004 he received the prestigious Wisniewski Award for extraordinary contributions to Alzheimers disease research, "...an indication of the international prestige of the work that the McGeer's have conducted."
Notwithstanding his more than 50 years of outstanding contributions to science, medicine and politics, it seems that it is the thrills he provided on the basketball court that are most often remembered by UBC fans and contemporaries.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian with research assistance from Dr. William Gibson
