Al Anderson, the only Canadian to serve as Board chairman of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), passed away on July 2. He was 92.
Anderson started his career in the sporting goods industry in 1955 when he founded Athletic Equipment Sales in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is now known as Al Anderson’s Source for Sports.
Anderson was elected to the NSGA Board of Directors in 1971 and served as chairman from 1974 to 1975. He also served as vice chairman/chairman elect, treasurer and past chairman.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Mr. Anderson, and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” NSGA President and CEO Matt Carlson, “Mr. Anderson was very passionate about the sporting goods industry and the time he devoted to the NSGA Board and Association was emblematic of a life filled with service to others.”
In 2023, Anderson received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, recognizing his service commitment. His dedication to creating opportunities for people with disabilities was inspired by his son, Doug, who was born in 1960 with cerebral palsy. He developed Cosmo Golf, a partnership between Al Anderson’s Source for Sports and Cosmo Industries, where individuals with intellectual impairments made golf clubs that were marketed and sold in North America.
Anderson is survived by four children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Those he was predeceased by include his wife of 67 years, Joan, and his son Doug.
A celebration of Al Anderson’s life is scheduled at 11 a.m. on July 16 at Zion Lutheran Church, 323 4th Avenue South, Saskatoon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the “Stensrud Family Top of the Rock Trust,” care of Cosmopolitan Industries, 28 – 34th Street East, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3Y2.
Images courtesy NSGA, Al Anderson’s Source for Sports
