Superb UBC athlete of the '20s won four individual UBC track & field championships setting several records. Starred on three UBC basketball teams that won BC championships including the famed 1929/30 UBC team that won the world title. Charter member of UBC's women's Big Block club (30/31).
Thelma, outstanding in track and basketball at King Edward High School in Vancouver, BC, made the UBC Varsity women's basketball team in 1926 as a first-year student (also known as a "freshette" at the time) emerging as one of the three top scorers on the team. In 1927/28, as team captain, her leadership and playing ability were instrumental in UBC's winning the BC Basketball Championship and a date with the Edmonton Grads in the Canadian final. The next year, 1928/29, she again was captain of the Varsity team, a team that would require only two player changes in order to become the next year's world champion.
In March 1929 Thelma displayed her talents on the track with three first place finishes at the year's annual Interclass meet. One of the victories was a new UBC record in the 50-yard dash at 6.6 seconds. In 1929/30 she continued to dominate women's track with a UBC 100-yard dash record of 12.8 seconds and victories in the 50-yard dash and the high jump. Again in 1930 Thelma was the women's individual champion at the Interclass meet with five first place finishes including the high jump, 100 yards, 50 yards, broad jump and baseball throw. Thelma finished her track career with four women's individual track championships and several UBC records. Her records have since been broken but her four individual championships has never been duplicated.
Due to the demands of her studies and the offices she held, Thelma played only two regular season basketball games in 1929/30. However, she rejoined the team for their World Championship game in Prague in September of 1930 becoming one of the celebrated World Championship nine.
Thelma Mahon returned to UBC in 1930/31 to once again star on a very powerful Blue and Gold basketball team. She was the second highest scorer on a team that totally dominated league play with a 7-1 record, succeeded in the playoffs and captured another BC championship - Thelma's third such championship.
For three years Miss Mahon was a member of the Women's Athletic Executive. In 1927/28 she was President of the Women's Track Club. In 1928/29 she was Vice-President of the Women's Athletic Association and served as President in 1929/30. In 1930/31 Thelma was Vice-President of Education, served on the Women's Undergraduate Council and was a member of a six-person committee formed to help conduct a fund raising drive for a stadium on campus.
Thelma not only worked hard to further the growth of athletics on campus but was a four time individual UBC track champion, a member of three BC champion basketball teams and a member of the famed World Champion UBC team.
After graduation Thelma became a Physical Education teacher at Magee High School in Vancouver, BC, where she was respected and very well liked. Over 60 years later her former students spontaneously describe her as "a super person", "very special" and "fit right in with the kids".
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
