Born in Victoria, Prince Edward Island, Boswell made his mark on a number of athletic competitions. In 1946, he was acknowledged to be one of Canada’s top quarter milers. Boswell captained the Mount Allison University Track Team in the 1947-1948 season, and became Dalhousie’s first and only Four Letter man in intercollegiate sport. In 1948 Boswell took part in the Canadian Olympic Trials where he went on to win gold in the 400 metre race. A member of the Charlottetown Abbies who were Maritime Senior Track and Field Champions in 1949, as well as, a Canadian Finalist in the British Empire Games Trials.
Boswell has an impressive eight year coaching record that resulted in provincial interscholastic titles, and produced several individual and national record-breakers in track and field. From 1960 to 1968 Boswell served as the director of Alcohol Studies and Physical Education for P.E.I., before becoming the Provincial Director of Youth and Fitness for the island’s Department of Education for 28 years. Boswell used his time in the position to focus on the advancement of health, physical education, recreation and amateur sport within the province. In 1976 he received the highest physical education award in Canada, the R. Tait McKenzie Honour Award of the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, at the International Congress of Physical Activity in Sciences in Quebec City.
Boswell was the Chef-de-mission for the island five times and is known as the “Father of the PEI Provincial Games”. He retired in 88’ and was the longest serving head, including deputies, association’s deputies, and directors of government sports, fitness and recreation programs in Canada. Boswell can be viewed as one of the leaders in providing the employment of community recreation directors.