 | ||||
 | George McConnell | |||
 | 1984 | |||
 | Athletes | |||
 | N/A | |||
 | St. Andrews | |||
George McConnell was born in 1916.
He played Junior for St. Andrews in 1934-35 and 1935-36. He won the Manitoba Title with St. Andrews in 1936-37 and 1937-38. He played in the Western Canada Finals against Regina Oconots in 1937, and against Raymond in 1938.
George was considered in Winnipeg as "the best all-around player of his time".
He went to play for Trail, B.C., and then transferred to Vancouver, where he played for Tooke's, Vancouver All Stars, Vancouver Maple Leafs and Shore's. He won the Vancouver Daily Province trophy two years in a row for the Most Valuable Player Award in the Vancouver League. Before he retired, George was better known as "Mr. Basketball" in Vancouver. During the 1942 season, he established an individual scoring record of 220 points for a 15-game schedule - a record which remained intact for many years. Local sportswriters claimed that if he played just half the season, he'd still win the scoring race without drawing a deep breath. Another sportswriter referred to McConnell as "Winnipeg's gift to Vancouver basketball, which proves that Winnipeg has other things besides long underwear and wheat....!! Coast basketball folk think George McConnell, ex-St. Andrews forward, is the best basketball player in Canada".
Another writer had some suggestions as to how to sabotage McConnell through a "new rule book". When McConnell shoots the ball, it must pass through the basket without touching 1) the hoop, 2) the twine, 3) the backboard – and McConnell must be standing on his head.
George was employed by the City of Vancouver until his death in 1967.