George “Porky” Andrews started his athletic career as a high school track and field star. He held titles in lacrosse, rugby, fastball, and golf, and was competitive in swimming, diving, and canoeing. However, basketball was the sport in which he truly excelled. After his playing days were over, Andrews became a highly successful and admired basketball coach.

Andrews won the BC, Western Canada, and Canadian Senior A men’s basketball championships in 1935 with the Victoria Blue Ribbons team. He was a member of the University of Oregon Ducks basketball team from 1939-42, serving as captain during his final season.

During World War II, Andrews played RCAF basketball with BC’s Pat Bay Gremlins and at Saskatoon from 1942-44.

After the war, he won BC, Western Canada, and Canadian championship titles in 1946 as player/coach of the Victoria Dominoes. The Dominoes were undefeated with a 12-0 record.

He was player/coach on Vancouver’s only professional basketball team before the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies debuted decades later—the Vancouver Hornets playing in the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League in 1947-48.

Even though he was coaching, Andrews could still play, as evidenced by being picked up by Portland, Oregon, for the 1948 world professional basketball championships.

He founded the Senior A Port Alberni Athletics basketball team in 1949, and was the team’s player/coach for two seasons.