Jack Purcell
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John Edward "Jack" Purcell (December 24, 1903 – June 10, 1991) was a Canadian world champion badminton player.
Born in Guelph, Ontario, Purcell won five consecutive Ontario championships from 1927 to 1931 and was national champion in 1929 and 1930. He turned professional in 1932 and was declared world champion in 1933 based on his record against leading Canadian, American and British badminton players. He retired as the undefeated champion in 1945.
Purcell designed a canvas and rubber badminton shoe for the B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada in 1935. Jack Purcell sneakers are still produced today by Converse.
He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1973 despite having never played in the Olympic Games. At the time of his induction badminton was still not an Olympic sport. In 1955, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
Outside of sports, Purcell was a stockbroker and a member of the Toronto Stock Exchange. He died in Toronto in 1991 at age 87.
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