(Photo: BC Sports Hall of Fame)

The British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame inducted nine individuals and one team for as part of its 2012 class on September 20th. One of the individuals inducted was Canada Basketball alumni Howard Kelsey.

Howard joined athletes Michael Edgson (para-swimming),  Ashleigh McIvor (ski cross), Bernard Buster Moberg (softball), and Andrea Neil (soccer). In the builder category, David Esworthy (equestrian) and Don Martin (sailing) have been selected for induction. Selected for induction in the pioneer category is Barbara Howard (track and field) and in the W.A.C. Bennett category May Brown has been selected for induction. The 1945-46 Vancouver Canucks Hockey Team have been selected for induction in the team category (ice hockey).

Howard Kelsey is one of the greatest basketball players ever to represent Canada internationally, Vancouver’s Howard Kelsey was a standout on the men’s national team for eleven years (1977-88) appearing in over 400 games at a time when Canada was consistently ranked in the world’s top-six.  The two-time Canadian Olympian (1980, 1984) stands as one of only two native British Columbian basketball players to represent Canada in two Olympic Games.  Among Canada’s best results while Kelsey was a key starter included a fourth-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games, gold at 1978 Commonwealth Basketball Championships, gold at 1983 FISU World University Games, and Canada’s first-ever defeat of the US in a major international competition at the 1981 FISU Games.  An outstanding high school player at Point Grey, Kelsey retains the highest career scoring average in BC history at 34.5 points per game.  

Below are some pictures from the event.

Howard Kelsey on stage during speech

All Inductees pose together before the ceremony begins

Inductees all on stage

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