Alex MacKay, a longtime resident of Burnaby, was considered one of the best defensive players to ever play the game of lacrosse. As a junior, he was a member of the runner-up in the 1947 Minto Cup. MacKay went on to win the 1949 (Vancouver Burrards) and 1961 Mann Cups (Vancouver Carlings), as well as being a finalist in 1951 (Vancouver Combines).
He later coached the Mann Cup champion Carlings in 1963 and ’64. McKay played 272 games in his senior career scoring 116 goals and 122 assists. The former Vancouver Firefighter was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a player in 2007.
He already had a spot in that Hall as part of the 1961-67 Vancouver team which was inducted in 1999. The 1964 Vancouver Carlings soccer club he played on was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. He was so good on the pitch he was chosen to play for B.C. all-star select teams against touring international squads such as Moscow Lockomotiv and Hearts.
