At the 1930 Empire Games, he won the gold medals in both diving events.

Phillips turned professional in 1935, becoming a circus high diver, and toured for the next 15 years.

[1] Phillips was posthumously inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

[2] His son, Alf Phillips Jr.[3] is a prominent curler, winner of the 1967 Macdonald Brier and bronze medallist at the 1967 Scotch Cup.

Phillips Sr. also was an accomplished curler, representing Ontario at the 1956 Brier,[4] and was the winner of the 1969 Canadian Senior Curling Championships, winning in Hamilton, Ontario, the same city he won golds at the 1935 British Empire Games.