Dr. James Balfour (Kirk) Kirkpatrick
Tennis (1986)

Dr. Kirkpatrick grew up on a farm just outside Saskatoon. When he entered the University of Saskatchewan he became involved in several sports including track and field, basketball and tennis. In the mid-30s, he set new Saskatchewan records in the shot put and high jump. In 1937, Kirk was a member of the Saskatoon Grads basketball team that won the Saskatchewan championship.

That same year he embarked on a tennis career that would last for over 50 years. He won many city and provincial titles and even in the late 50s and early 60s he was the province’s senior singles champion. In 1981, he teamed up with John Leicester to win the over 55 provincial doubles championship.

Following the Second World War, he was asked to establish the Saskatchewan Recreation Movement. Dr. Kirkpatrick has received many awards, namely the R. Tait-MacKenzie for outstanding contribution to Physical Education and Recreation at the National level. He also received a lifetime membership from the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association.

After retiring from his position as dean of Education at the University of Saskatchewan in 1977, Kirk took on a new challenge as the first technical director for Tennis Saskatchewan where, through his efforts, the number of tennis clubs in Saskatchewan boomed from 12 to over 50 in just a few years.

He was named Kinsmen Sportsman of the Year in 1983. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.