In its first year, the tournament was held at the New Westminster YMCA. It eventually was moved to the New West Arena, then to UBC’s War Memorial Gym, to the Pacific Coliseum, and finally, the PNE Agrodome. The tournament was founded by New Westminster coach Ken Wright, who went on to coach Connaught and Vancouver College teams to five B.C. titles (1947, ‘50, ‘51, ‘52, and ‘57). No team has since had a three-peat. “I don’t ever think about records,” Wright said roughly 52 years later. “I guess I figured it would have been broken by now, but all records are made to be broken, aren’t they?”
Organizers sent invitations to eight teams across the province, on the condition that if a team in their region challenged them and then beat them, that team would be the qualifier.
In the quarterfinals, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish edged the Kamloops Red Devils 34-32 as B Mulhern scored 14, Maury Mulhern 7, Bob Brewer 5, Dan Sweeney 4, Wilbur Clark 2 and Fraser 2, while Paris and Murphy were scoreless. The Fighting Irish led 19-10 at the half. McQuarrie led the Red Devils with 12. Lee added 11, Foulger 5, Sparrow and Desjardins 1, while Reid, Ivanco, B Marriott, D Marriott and J MacQuarrie were scoreless.
The Vancouver King George Dragons nipped Duncan 27-24 as Paul Chenette scored 18, Burtwell, 5 and Moir 4, while Bates, Russell, Johnson, Hards, Dow and Grant were scoreless. The Dragons also included Jackson. Prest paced Duncan with 8. Gard added 5, Cochrane 4, Shortreed 4 and Evans 3, while Miller, Corfield, Justice, Chaster and Cain were scoreless. Duncan led 20-12 at the half.
New Westminister Trapp Tech clipped Nanaimo John Shaw 38-29 as Northup scored 16, Leo Lizee 11, Mosdell 5, Sayer 4, Hedlund 1 and Cooke 1, while McKenzie, Stafford and Lindbloom were scoreless. The score was knotted at 22 at the half. Waugh led Nanaimo with 20. Herlinevaux added 7 and Neil 2, while White, Negrin, McKay, Hindmarch and Robertson were scoreless.
In the last quarterfinal, New Westminister Duke of Connaught nipped Powell River 41-39 as Dick Kennedy scored 15, Knudsen 10, Jones 9, Howse 4, Fowler 2 and Cotton 1, while Fraser, Gray, Lonergan and McLean were scoreless. Craigen led Powell River with 9. MacGregor added 8, Bennie 7, Devito 7, Devlin 4 and Smith 4, while Peasron, Derton, Wodwoda and Sanderson were scoreless.
In the semis, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish dispatched New Westminister Duke of Connaught 30-28 in overtime as Walsh scored 8, B Mulhern 8, Scott Fraser 6, Maury Mulhern 4, Bob Brewer 2 and Dan Sweeney 2, while Wilbur Clarke, Muphy and Armand Paris were scoreless. Knudsen paced Connaught with 8. Dick Kennedy added 4, Fraser 4 Gray 4, Jones 3, Lonergan 2, Howse 2 and Cotton 1, while McLean was scoreless.
In the other semi, the Vancouver King George Dragons dispatched New Westminster Trapp Tech 29-28 as Burtwell scored 9, Paul Chenette 5, Bates 4, Russell 4, Hards 3, Down 2 and Moir 2, while Johnson was scoreless. Leo Lizee led Trapp Tech with 10. Hedlund added 7, Northup 5, Mosdell 5 and Cooke 1, while McKenzie, Bradford, Sayer and Lindbloom were scoreless.
In the final, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish defeated Vancouver King George Dragons 25-21 as Maury Mulhern scored 8, Dan Sweeney 8, Walsh 4, Bob Brewer 3, Scott Fraser 2 and B Mulhern 1, while Clarke, Murphy and Armand Paris were scoreless. Moir led the Dragons with 6. Bob Burtwell added 6, Bates 4, Dow 3 and Paul Chenette 2, while Russell, Johnson and Hards were scoreless.
The co-bronze medalist New Westminister Duke of Connaught: Dick Kennedy; Knudsen; Jones; Howse; Fowler; Cotton; Fraser; Gray; Lonergan; McLean;
The co-bronze medalist New Westminster Trapp Tech: Northup; Leo Lizee; Mosdell; Sayer; Hedlund; Cooke; McKenzie; Safford; Lindbloom; Bradford; coach Rudy Wiles
The silver medalist Vancouver King George Dragons: Paul Chenette; Bob Burtwell; Moir; Bates; Russell; Johnson; Hards; Dow; Grant; coach Brother J.C. Neylon
The gold medalist Vancouver College Fighting Irish: Maury Mulhern; Scott Fraser; Armand Paris; Bob Brewer; Wilbur Clarke; Dan Sweeney; Walsh; coach Brother J.C. Neylon