Digby native, Earle “Andy” Anderson was a keen participant in several athletic endeavors. Arriving on the Acadia campus during the 1930-’31 academic year, he wore the Acadia colours for three seasons, starring in English rugby, hockey, track and field and baseball.
Football
In football this powerful and agile offensive athlete starred alongside the likes of Howie Ryan during his rookie season being outstanding in an 18-0 victory over St F.X.
In action the following season he shared accolades with teammates as the Axemen posted 6-3 and 21-3 victories over St F.X. in playoff action. In a subsequent series against King’s College of Halifax, Andy and teammates starred in Acadia’s 13-0 and 9-0 wins and captured Nova Scotia Intercollegiate honours.
In his graduating year he played outstanding football with the team winning 11-3 and 8-3 over Dalhousie and a 7-0 win over St. F.X. as the Axemen captured another provincial intercollegiate title.
Hockey
Highlights of his three hockey seasons included a Valley League Championship in 1931-’32 and a 5-1 total game victory over St. F.X., representing the only time in three decades that Acadia had defeated St. F.X. in hockey.
Track & Field
As a member of the track and field team, Andy displayed his skills at meets that consistently won Maritime Intercollegiate honours. In 1932 he won a first place medal in the running high jump and second place in the shot put and discus and a third place distinction in the javelin. The following spring he was first in the discus and third in the shot put and high jump.
As a testament to his outstanding achievements as an Acadia athlete he was awarded two silver A’s this indicated that he had excelled on the English rugby, track and hockey teams in 1930-1932. In 1932 he served as the rugby team’s captain, while in 1933 he was the track team’s on-field leader.
Upon completing his degree at Acadia, Andy attended McGill Medical School where he graduated with an M.D., C.M. in 1938. While at McGill he was a member of the track team for four seasons starring in the discus and shot put events and on the football team playing the inside wing position for two seasons.
At Camp Borden in 1954 he celebrated his forty-first year by scoring the highest total points in the Army’s annual track and field competitions, outperforming many athletes twenty years younger in age. In 1957, he broke his earlier records while training for a contest against British Army teams in Berlin establishing a new record for hammer throwing, discus and shot put. Sadly, a day after his marvelous achievements on the track, his life came to a sudden end.
What an honour it is to induct posthumously to the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame…Earle “Andy” Anderson…a multi-sport athletic star…a distinguished medical doctor…and a decorated and gallant soldier.
