For several decades, Comox had been home to a member of the legendary Edmonton Grads, a perennial world champion women’s basketball team in the first half of the 20th century.
Kay MacRitchie MacBeth passed away July 21 at age 96. She was the last surviving member of the team that lost just 20 times in roughly 500 games.
As a 17-year-old rookie, Kay made the Grads in 1939, the second-last year of the team’s existence. The 5’4″ guard — who called herself the ‘Court Master,’ preferring passing over shooting — was the only junior player to crack the squad without first playing on the Gradettes.
From 1915 to 1940, the Grads played throughout North America and Europe. They crossed the Atlantic three times to defend their world title at exhibition games, in conjunction with the Olympics in Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.
A quote from Kay appears on the back of the book, The Grads Are Playing Tonight, written by M. Ann Hall: As a group of women basketball players, we were proud and happy to be members of this remarkable team, and I believe their exploits will never be equalled. When you finish reading this book, I’m sure you will agree with me.
She and her family moved in 1941 to Vancouver, where Kay continued playing basketball. She later married and started a family, and moved to Comox in 1961.
“I remember Kay as a lady with a lot of spunk and a lady who knew how to get things done,” said Courtenay resident Ken MacLeod, who is related to Kay by marriage four times. He first met her about 10 years ago through the Comox Valley Celtic Club. MacLeod also sang in the Celtic Choir, for which Kay played the piano. “She played all her life until a few days before her death.”
“My mom was always ready to play the piano or organ when asked,” said Kerry Carmichael, Kay’s daughter. “Many young couples in the Comox Valley had my mom play at their weddings, and even help with the food.”
MacLeod once asked Kay if she ever played second string when she started playing with the Grads.
“She replied, ‘Only for one half, then the coach put me in, and I was always first string after that’.”
She told him that her high school coach, Arnold Henderson, had taught her to dribble behind her back, and to do a one-handed set shot. However, when she played for the Grads, coach J. Percy Page didn’t allow the moves because he didn’t consider them to be ladylike.
The Edmonton Grads were inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. Last year, the team entered the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. During the induction news conference, Kay asked for — and received — a kiss from retired hockey star Lanny McDonald.
“She was indeed no-nonsense and feisty like a good Scot. But kind and generous as well,” said Carmichael, who in 2012 moved Kay to Toronto so she could care for her mother.
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