Hall of Fame 2014 Inductees

QBHF 2014 INDUCTEES

Celebrating the Queensland Basketball Community

The Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame (QBHF) began in 2014 to recognise and honour the exceptional performances, achievements and contributions by individuals to the sport of basketball. Inductees are selected by the Honors and Awards Committee (HAC) and reflect the rich history of our Queensland basketball community.

Introducing the inaugural Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees:

Dr Ivor Burge

- Produced the first rule book for basketball in Australia in 1928
- Instrumental in forming a body to control basketball in Australia
- Moved to Brisbane in 1941 starting a small competition among medical students at UQ and at the Catholic seminary, Banyo
- Founded the Queensland Amateur Basketball Association in 1946
- Life Memberships of Basketball Australia and Basketball Queensland, a member of the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
- He has been nominated as a candidate for the FIBA Hall of Fame
- Sadly, Dr Ivor Burge, MBE PhD BEc BPE passed away on 23 September 1999

Rev Father Michael Hayes

- Ordained a priest of the Catholic Church in 1950
- Appointments to various Central Queensland Dioceses saw him start:
- Bundaberg Basketball
- Mackay Basketball
- Rockhampton Basketball
- In his later years he involved himself in the care of marginalised people ignored by society
- Honoured with the Award of the Medal of the Order of Australia for his priestly efforts over many years.
- Sadly, Fr Hayes passed away in 2011 at the age of 85

William Nolan

- Began in basketball at the “Y” under the guidance of Ivor Burge
- Represented Queensland at Australian Championships from 1949 to 1957
- Captaining Queensland in 1954 and 1955
- Refereed at the Australian Championship in Brisbane in 1965
- Served as QABA President in 1954, 1955, and 1957
- Founder of the Rovers Basketball Club in the early days of basketball in Brisbane
- Sadly passed away on 23 July 1986

Cilva Russell

- Began her basketball career in 1956
- Selected to both Brisbane and Queensland teams immediately
- Honorary Secretary of the Queensland Women’s Association from 1960 to 1971
- A Life Member of Basketball Queensland
- In 1974 became Secretary of the Women’s Council of the Amateur Basketball
Union of Australia
- Leader of the Australian Women’s Tour to Europe and China in 1977
- Sadly, Cilva passed away on 20 June 1995

Vince Hickey

- Remembered as the foremost basketball coach in Qld
- Participated in the formation of the Brisbane Amateur Basketball Association in 1958
- Represented Qld at Australian Championships in 1957 and 1958
- Captained Queensland in 1962 and 1963
- Coached the Queensland Men’s Team in 1964, 1965, and 1975
- Mentor to many basketball coaches
- First Life Member of Brisbane Basketball
- Sadly Vince passed away on 4 April 1989

Dr Robert Rayner

- Took up the sport whilst studying engineering at UQ in 1950
- Manager of the Qld Men’s Team in 1954 Australian Basketball Championship
-Engineer who oversaw the building of the Auchenflower Stadium in 1973
- Coached the Qld Team to win the Ivor Burge Trophy as winners of the
Australian Intellectually Disabled Championship in late 1990’s
- Awarded Life Membership of Brisbane Basketball In 1985 and of Basketball
Queensland in 1986
- Sadly Robert J. (Bob) Rayner passed away on 14 June, 2011

Marie Smith

- Member of the Eagles Basketball Club, Toowoomba
- Co-founder of the Toowoomba Ladies’ Basketball Association
- Toowoomba Delegate to the Queensland Women’s Amateur Basketball Association from
formation in 1955 until 1971
- Serving as President for a period of time
- Known as the “Mother” of Women’s Basketball in Toowoomba
- Selection in the Queensland Women’s Senior Team which contested the Australian
Championships in 1959 and 1961
- 1959 received a Qld Silver Medallion for the Queensland Centenary
- Captained a Qld touring team in 1960
- 1971 Marie had been appointed manageress of the Queensland Women’s team only a
week before she died unexpectedly, aged 36

Frank Kelly

- Dedicated and active administrator took a particular interest in the development of the
women’s game
- Served as: President of Toowoomba Basketball, President of the Darling Downs Zone
Basketball and Delegate to the Queensland Amateur Basketball Association and the
Queensland Women’s Amateur Basketball Association.
- President and Vice-President of Queensland Women’s Association for many years
- Manager of the Queensland Senior Men’s Team in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, and 1965
- Sadly, Frank passed away in November 2001

Keith Barrett

- Keith “Cocky” Barrett played basketball in Townsville before relocating to Cairns
- Became Treasurer and then President of Cairns Basketball
- Elected Life Member of Cairns Basketball in 1977
- Obtained grants and guarantees to build the first stadium for Cairns Basketball Association which
opened in 1980
- Raised the funds which saw Cairns have the first fully air-conditioned stadium in Qld
- President of Far North Qld Zone and the Far North Queensland Referees Association.
- Board member of Queensland Basketball
- Sadly Keith passed away on 8 February 2010

Jim Connolly

- “Big Jim” Connolly foundation member of the Mackay Basketball Association
- Always held a position on the Mackay Basketball committee
- 1961 while Secretary of the Mackay Basketball acquired new headquarters with four flood-lit bitumen courts
- First Life Member of Mackay Basketball in 1963
- 1969 appointed full-time Secretary/Manager of the Mackay Basketball
- Major role in the planning and development of the first custom-built indoor basketball stadium in Queensland
in Mackay in 1971
- Jim sadly passed away in 1975 at the age of 39

QBHF 2014 INDUCTEES

Celebrating the Queensland Basketball Community

Address

Contacts

Links