UCLA Athletics
Carl McBain passed away on September 22, 2015.
OCT 15, 2015 | Track & Field
Bruin Great Carl McBain Passes Away
By: UCLA Athletics
CARL McBAINMarch 3, 1918 – September 22, 2015
On September 22, 2015, UCLA lost one of its best and most accomplished graduates and philanthropists when Carl Haines McBain passed away at the age of 97. Carl was a record-setting UCLA hurdler who was captain of the Men’s Track and Field team that was coached by Ducky Drake, and included Jackie Robinson, Tom Bradley, and Kenny Washington, all UCLA greats in their own rights.
To many people, “Carl and Bette McBain” are synonymous with UCLA and philanthropy. But before that, while an undergraduate from 1937 to 1941, Carl not only captained the UCLA Men’s Track and Field team, he was active in student government and held the office of Chairman of the Athletic Board on UCLA’s Student Council. He was also President of Blue C, the club for all major sports at that time, which included football, basketball, baseball, track, tennis and crew.
Carl made history in 1940 when he won the National AAU 400-meter hurdles with a time of 51.6 seconds. That was the world’s fastest time that year, and continued to hold the record in the US for the next ten years. That record also stood in the Pac-10 until it was finally broken 17 years later. In that same year, he also won the 400 hurdles in the US Olympic trials and was voted by sportswriters as most likely to win a gold medal at the upcoming Olympics. Carl was Olympics-bound for the 1940 games in Helsinki when world history intervened. Unlike the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, the world could no longer ignore the war that raged in Europe and the Pacific and the Olympics were cancelled. At the peak of his track and field prowess, Carl, like many others, were denied that chance to compete and win a medal for their country. He never raced again after his record-breaking run.
“That was the big shock of my life,” Carl said. “I had just made All-American, tied that record, fastest in the world, and yet, to be shut out of the Olympic games, that hurt. I’ve been sorry about that my whole life.”
Carl graduated from UCLA in 1941 with a BS in Psychology, and became a naval officer during WWII. He may not have raced again, but after the war he returned to UCLA as an assistant administrator for the Atomic Energy Commission, and in 1965, founded McBain Instruments. The company began with microscope service and repair and by the late 1970’s had grown to be one of the country’s largest microscope distributors for Olympus and Leica. The company’s fast expansion was recognized twice as one of the fastest growing private companies in Los Angeles. He continued as President and CEO until he stepped down in 2000. In 2008, the company became McBain Systems and continues to serve its constituent clientele nationwide.
Always keeping UCLA near to his heart, Carl never strayed far from his UCLA roots. In 1989, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, where he joined his former teammates, Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington, who also served in student government with Carl as UCLA’s Student Council President in 1940. Ever generous, Carl and his wife Bette began their philanthropy to UCLA Athletics in 1964 with a small gift to the Athletics Department. By 1986, they had become members of Coaches Roundtable, the Athletics Department’s premier support group at that time, and gave annually to Hoopsters, the Men’s Basketball support group, and continued as members of both groups well into their 90’s. He and Bette became Acosta Founders when the athletics complex was being built in the early 2000’s, and also established a spate of endowments to Athletics, whose funds go directly to scholarships for UCLA’s student-athletes.
The McBains generously established scholarships for Men’s Track and Field in 1992, Women’s Golf in 1994, Football in 1996, Women’s Basketball in 1999, and Women’s Gymnastics in 2004. They also made a large gift of nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to Athletics in 1998 that helped fund various Athletics capital campaigns.
The McBains were season ticket holders for Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball since they graduated from UCLA, and continued to go to home and away games only until recently. They loved the many sports at UCLA and, besides football and basketball games, were often seen at gymnastics meets, as well as track and field meets and golf tournaments. Always in high spirits with endless energy, the McBains were wonderful to be around and were quite infectious with their zeal for UCLA.
As a student-athlete in 1940, there were no scholarship programs for athletics. Perhaps this is what gave Carl the impetus and desire to give back to the university that furthered his academic and athletic knowledge. Dan Guerrero, Director of Athletics, spoke about Carl and what he meant to UCLA and UCLA Athletics.
“We have lost a man of great respect, great achievement, and great generosity,” said Guerrero. “Carl was the epitome of what being a Bruin was about. His unwavering enthusiasm for all sports was unconditional. Carl was a great Bruin and we will miss him very much for many reasons.”
One thing that anyone who knew Carl was absolutely sure about, and that was that he identified with being a Bruin, which included supporting his alma mater in whatever fashion fit the need.
“Someone once asked me if there was anything I would change about my experience as a Bruin,” he said. “All I could answer was: none. Win, lose, or draw, I am a Bruin. Period.”
Courtesy UCLA
On September 22, 2015, UCLA lost one of its best and most accomplished graduates and philanthropists when Carl Haines McBain passed away at the age of 97. Carl was a record-setting UCLA hurdler who was captain of the Men’s Track and Field team that was coached by Ducky Drake, and included Jackie Robinson, Tom Bradley, and Kenny Washington, all UCLA greats in their own rights.
To many people, “Carl and Bette McBain” are synonymous with UCLA and philanthropy. But before that, while an undergraduate from 1937 to 1941, Carl not only captained the UCLA Men’s Track and Field team, he was active in student government and held the office of Chairman of the Athletic Board on UCLA’s Student Council. He was also President of Blue C, the club for all major sports at that time, which included football, basketball, baseball, track, tennis and crew.
Carl made history in 1940 when he won the National AAU 400-meter hurdles with a time of 51.6 seconds. That was the world’s fastest time that year, and continued to hold the record in the US for the next ten years. That record also stood in the Pac-10 until it was finally broken 17 years later. In that same year, he also won the 400 hurdles in the US Olympic trials and was voted by sportswriters as most likely to win a gold medal at the upcoming Olympics. Carl was Olympics-bound for the 1940 games in Helsinki when world history intervened. Unlike the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, the world could no longer ignore the war that raged in Europe and the Pacific and the Olympics were cancelled. At the peak of his track and field prowess, Carl, like many others, were denied that chance to compete and win a medal for their country. He never raced again after his record-breaking run.
“That was the big shock of my life,” Carl said. “I had just made All-American, tied that record, fastest in the world, and yet, to be shut out of the Olympic games, that hurt. I’ve been sorry about that my whole life.”
Carl graduated from UCLA in 1941 with a BS in Psychology, and became a naval officer during WWII. He may not have raced again, but after the war he returned to UCLA as an assistant administrator for the Atomic Energy Commission, and in 1965, founded McBain Instruments. The company began with microscope service and repair and by the late 1970’s had grown to be one of the country’s largest microscope distributors for Olympus and Leica. The company’s fast expansion was recognized twice as one of the fastest growing private companies in Los Angeles. He continued as President and CEO until he stepped down in 2000. In 2008, the company became McBain Systems and continues to serve its constituent clientele nationwide.
Always keeping UCLA near to his heart, Carl never strayed far from his UCLA roots. In 1989, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, where he joined his former teammates, Jackie Robinson and Kenny Washington, who also served in student government with Carl as UCLA’s Student Council President in 1940. Ever generous, Carl and his wife Bette began their philanthropy to UCLA Athletics in 1964 with a small gift to the Athletics Department. By 1986, they had become members of Coaches Roundtable, the Athletics Department’s premier support group at that time, and gave annually to Hoopsters, the Men’s Basketball support group, and continued as members of both groups well into their 90’s. He and Bette became Acosta Founders when the athletics complex was being built in the early 2000’s, and also established a spate of endowments to Athletics, whose funds go directly to scholarships for UCLA’s student-athletes.
The McBains generously established scholarships for Men’s Track and Field in 1992, Women’s Golf in 1994, Football in 1996, Women’s Basketball in 1999, and Women’s Gymnastics in 2004. They also made a large gift of nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to Athletics in 1998 that helped fund various Athletics capital campaigns.
The McBains were season ticket holders for Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball since they graduated from UCLA, and continued to go to home and away games only until recently. They loved the many sports at UCLA and, besides football and basketball games, were often seen at gymnastics meets, as well as track and field meets and golf tournaments. Always in high spirits with endless energy, the McBains were wonderful to be around and were quite infectious with their zeal for UCLA.
As a student-athlete in 1940, there were no scholarship programs for athletics. Perhaps this is what gave Carl the impetus and desire to give back to the university that furthered his academic and athletic knowledge. Dan Guerrero, Director of Athletics, spoke about Carl and what he meant to UCLA and UCLA Athletics.
“We have lost a man of great respect, great achievement, and great generosity,” said Guerrero. “Carl was the epitome of what being a Bruin was about. His unwavering enthusiasm for all sports was unconditional. Carl was a great Bruin and we will miss him very much for many reasons.”
One thing that anyone who knew Carl was absolutely sure about, and that was that he identified with being a Bruin, which included supporting his alma mater in whatever fashion fit the need.
“Someone once asked me if there was anything I would change about my experience as a Bruin,” he said. “All I could answer was: none. Win, lose, or draw, I am a Bruin. Period.”
Courtesy UCLA
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