General
Raphi Kanchanaraphi and Jack Purcell have been inducted into Badminton Canada's Hall of Fame.
April 16, 2024
The announcement was made at the closing banquet for the Canadian Masters in Markham.
Badminton Canada is pleased to announce that Coach Raphi Kanchanaraphi and the player Jack Purcell have been inducted into Badminton Canada's Hall of Fame.
Raphi Kanchanaraphi (1936 – 2010), a native of Bangkok, Thailand, was a force to be reckoned with in badminton. He began his journey at the age of 17 and swiftly rose to prominence, winning his first Thailand Doubles Championship just three years later. His dominance in doubles was unparalleled from 1958 to 1961, remaining undefeated. He proudly represented Thailand on two Thomas Cup teams and was the men's doubles runner-up at the 1962 All-England Championships. In 1973, Raphi Kanchanaraphi made a significant move to Toronto, where he became the Head Badminton Professional at the Granite Club. His tenure lasted until his retirement in 1996, and he impacted the sport and its players.
From 1970 to 1980, Raphi won four Canadian Men's Doubles and one Canadian Mixed Doubles championships and played for Canada on two Thomas Cup teams. He won two Canadian Open Men's Doubles Championships and one Canadian Open Mixed Doubles Championship. In 1973, at the age of 37, Raphi and Channarong won the Canadian Open Men's Doubles Championship by defeating the second-ranked team in the world—the final point was won by one of Raphi's trademark offensive smash returns. He won numerous Canadian Championships at the Senior and Masters level and the World Masters Men's Doubles Championship in 1992.
Jack Purcell (1903 – 1991) has also been added to the Hall of Fame for his brilliant career as a player. Born in Guelph, Ontario, Jack took up badminton in the 1920's and rose quickly in Ontario's amateur ranks. Purcell won five consecutive Ontario championships from 1927 to 1931 and was the Canadian National Badminton Champion in 1929 and 1930.
Jack Purcell (1903-1991) was a true legend of the sport, earning numerous accolades and honours. In 1950, the Canadian Press recognized his outstanding contributions by naming him Canada's Outstanding Athlete of the 20th Century in the miscellaneous sports category. His impact was further acknowledged in 1955 when he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Despite never playing in the Olympic Games, he was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1973, a testament to his enduring legacy in badminton.
Read more about it here.