Olympic star makes wall of fame
Bill Robinson (right) receives a plaque from Ted Webb, a North Cowichan/Duncan Sports Wall of Fame committee member.
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Updated: October 27, 2009 1:07 AM
Bill Robinson went from shooting hoops at his high school in Chemainus to playing against international basketball stars in the 1976 Olympics.
Now the legendary Canadian athlete has been recognized locally with a spot on the North Cowichan/Duncan Sports Wall of Fame.
Robinson was among five inductees celebrated during a weekend ceremony. The 60 year old said he is pleased with the local recognition, even though he has been honoured in the past for his athletic accomplishments — including spots in provincial and national halls of fame.
“I’m really proud to be on this wall of fame because it’s as important to me as being in the Canadian hall of fame because it is in my hometown,” he said in an interview last week.
Robinson rose to the sport’s highest levels in the 1970s, during an era before Canada had any basketball role models such as NBA superstar Steve Nash. Growing up in a sport-obsessed family, he said he became a basketball fanatic during his high school years.
“I played all the time. I was always breaking into the gym and breaking into the school and playing at night. And the old community centre was there.”
“We played all the time. Basically, after a while, they just gave me a key ‘cause I was always going in.”
Although the five-foot, eleven-inch guard was short by basketball standards, he made a mark with superior ball handling and shooting skills.
After high school, he became an NAIA all-star at Simon Fraser University and CIAU title-holder at the University of Waterloo.
Robinson never achieved his goal of playing in the NBA, but he still has an athletic resume filled with impressive achievements. He played for several years on the Canadian national team, competing at the 1970 and 1974 world championships. He was also selected for the tournament’s all-star team in 1974.
One of the biggest highlights in his sports career was his role on the Canadian team during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Viewed as underdogs, the Canadians ended up in fourth place. At the time, it was the best finish for a Canadian basketball team since a silver at the 1936 games in Berlin.
Robinson’s Olympic team had four wins and only one loss in preliminary play, but they eventually lost to the Soviet Union 100-72 in the bronze medal game.
He said the competition was fierce among the top-three teams, which also included the United States and former
Yugoslavia.
“Those teams were all better than us. I mean, I’m not complaining or whining. It’s just the way it was,” he said.
With his hopes for a spot in the NBA dashed, Robinson finished off his career playing professional basketball in Europe and Mexico. He also played in a senior men’s league and coached.
Now retired and living in Duncan, his accomplishments show what can come from having big dreams in a small town. He encouraged developing athletes to work hard.
“It’s like everything else. If you work hard at it good things happen.”
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