Bob Phibbs

Bob Phibbs was a talented multi-sport athlete who was involved in track and field, baseball, and Canadian football in his youth. It was in basketball, however, that he would gain the most noteriety. He crowned a four-year career in that sport in 1949 when he graduated with a degree in business from the University of Western Ontario and won the Dr. Claude Brown Memorial Trophy for having “made the greatest contribution to athletics within the university”. He remained active with his alma mater following his graduation, working with alumni, taking graduate courses, and continuing to play basketball, for several years. In total he was a part of five University of Western Ontario collegiate championship teams, but was officially a member of the Tillsonburg Livingstons at the time he was selected to represent Canada in basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics. At the Games, the Canadians won all three of their matches in the qualification round, defeating Italy, Egypt, and Romania, but then lost all three of their games in round one, against Brazil, Argentina, and the Philippines, and were eliminated from the tournament. Phibbs played in all six matches.

Following the Games, Phibbs moved to Calgary and had a career in the oil industry, but remained athletically active by curling, golfing, and playing badminton and squash. He also served in an administrative capacity on many sports boards. He is a member of the University of Western Ontario Sports (1981), Tillsonburg (2004), Canadian Basketball (2008), and City of Windsor Sports (2008) Halls of Fame.