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William Crawford

Category

Athlete

Sport

Multi-Sport

Hometown

Sackville

Year Inducted

2005

Sport Ambassador

athlete

William Crawford (D)

HONOURED MEMBER

Biography

It has been well documented that “Big Bill” Crawford stood 6’2” during his high school basketball years in Saint John. Other sources list him as 6’4” and even as tall as 6’ 7” when starring for Mt. A’s Maritime and Dominion championship squads. It really doesn’t matter which figure is correct; one needed a large frame if it was to hold his many talents: Maritime champion and Willingdon Cup golfer, high school and university basketball star and M.V.P., provincial record holding shot put and discus performer, superb swimmer, varsity basketball coach, class valedictorian, Rhodes Scholar, university professor, dean and Mount Allison University president. At a time when serious questions are being raised with respect to the appropriateness of elite sport in North American universities, Bill Crawford provided all the proof we’ll ever need that the two- athletics and academics- are a good, even an essential fit regardless of height! Enrolled in the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, June 4th, 2005.

Quick Facts

  • Led Saint John High School to three consecutive interscholastic basketball championships and two Maritime titles between 1933 and 1935 

  • Led Mount Allison University basketball team to three provincial and one Maritime intercollegiate basketball titles, as well as two Maritime intermediate championships (1935-39) 

  • In 1937 led Mount “A” to the Canadian intermediate championship, first national title for the university 

  • Established a record for the discus in the Maritime track and field championships; 

  • Won the Maritime Open golf championship in 1939; finished second in the NB championship in 1937 & 1939 

  • Member of the 1939 NB-PEI Willingdon Cup golf team 

  • Coached Mount “A” basketball team from 1943-51 

  • Selected as a Rhodes Scholar in 1939 

  • Served as President of Mount Allison University from 1975-1980

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