Arnold Forde

Athlete - Rugby, Track and Field
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989

Arnold Eugene “Bunty” Forde, a native of Sydney, NS, was considered to be one of Acadia’s best all-round student athletes during the 1952-55 period; having starred in English rugby, basketball, and track and field.

As captain of the rugby team and under coach Fred Kelly, Bunty played a key role in enabling the Axemen to compete for supremacy of Maritime intercollegiate titles. Although a rugby championship during his stay at Acadia was not to be, Bunty was described by the media as “one of the greatest players ever to carry the red and blue onto the gridiron.”

The Cape Breton native was equally effective on the basketball court, and during his three years at Acadia, Bunty led the team to successive winning seasons. Again, Bunty was described by the press as an unforgettable and popular basketball performer. In his final year as an Axeman, Buntyand his teammates posted a 14-4 record -good enough for a second place finish in the Nova Scotia Intercollegiate League.

In track and field, and again under Coach Kelly, Bunty participated in the Hop, Step and Jump, and helped the Axemen win successive Maritime titles in 1954 and 1955.