Honour Sir Garry In His Hometown

-
The Caribbean Is One Nation.

                                                   
                                                                                Honour Sir Garry In His Hometown

                                            By Michael Headley

Sir Garry Sobers

It was riveting to read Tony Cozier's, Sir Gary's Double(Sunday Sun 3/30/14) in which Mr. Cozier highlighted Sir Garfied St. Auburn Sobers’ illustrious cricketing career.  It was chronicled from  his first test match, when he represented the West Indies, at the tender age of 17, on March 30, 1954, against England at Sabina Park Jamaica, to his final  test in 1974,against England, at Queen's Park Oval Trinidad.  A March 30, 60/40 year phenomenon. 
Over the years this humble Baylanian and global cricketing Master has received many honours, notably his Knighthood, and his statute at Kensington Oval.  However,  I still don't understand why 'Sir Gary's Way'  has not been added to the Walcott's Ave signpost, in Beckle's Road, St. Michael, that points the way to his boyhood home.  Also, why has no memento, in the form of a plaque, with a bat and a ball, been erected on his boyhood home, for young sporting enthusiasts to be reminded ofthis loyal son of the soil humble beginnings.
Why is the duly elected representative and other sporting officials silent on this matter?  Is this in the purview of the Community Councils?  Where is the Corporate sponsorship?  Would it be too costly?   Even if a grassroots effort is mounted to accomplish this it will still need official sanction.  Of course all of this should only be done if Sir Gary approves.
Sir Gary's intangible value to the game of cricket is immeasurable because it would be difficult to create a formula to  captureor compute the insurmountable joy that his walk,  to the wicket, brought to spectators, even if he didn’t score a single run.
The time has come to hit one  over the boundary for Sir Gary and honour him in his boyhood home.  The hearts of theremaining Lazy Town Cats, the nickname given to his contemporaries who 'hung out' in the late Jack Ben’s verandah ,wouldbe gladden.  And it may even resurrect the spirits of those who have passed on to share in this moment. 
Michael Headley is a social commentator

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

International Women's Day : Our Caribbean Women, Our Hope

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation As we celebrate International Womens’ Day, we are cognizant of the role our Caribbean women have played in the cultural social and economic growth of our region and evolving Caribbean civilization. They , like our men , have risen from the depths and decadence of slavery , to the highest political and corporate ladders in the region. They have given birth, to millions and have made and continue to make significant contributions to those in the Diaspora. In many cases, where they were not the biological mothers, they nurtured, cared and developed those , who were deprived of parenthood , and socio-economic hope. They are in our classrooms, directing young and fragile minds , how to navigate a world that we in the region , must forever avoid being dragged into conflicts of the so-called super powers. They are pursuing all the opportunities of our tertiary educational institutions, including the University of the West Undies, often in higher numbers than our men. I
Read more

Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation. By William Skinner Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance I must have been around nine or ten years old. V was a well-known gay citizen, who lived in my beloved hometown of Britton’s Hill, in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados. My earliest recollection of V was his apparent penchant for dressing in white. I seldom saw him in a long pants, and he walked with an amazing rhythm. Even at that early age, I realized that he was very effeminate. He always seemed busy   out and about in the Brittons Hill area and it was obvious that everybody knew him, and his notoriety was island wide. I also noticed that he was always exceptionally clean. Later, I would learn that he was also known as a popular pudding and souse vendor, who carried on his trade in the vicinity of Nelson Street, in the city. He was well loved and respected in Britton’s Hill; along with that respect came good-natured heckling. One day, around midafternoon, about three of my childhoo
Read more

Barbados Elections 2013 and Cash

-
Image
The Mahogany Coconut Group submits that the real vote buying is in the upper echelons of our society. What we witnessed on Election Day was some voters getting   cash, cell phones, IPods and a bill paid here and there. The real votes were bought by those shadows- black and white, - who Dr. Don Blackman referred to a few decades ago! Of course Dr. Blackman talked only about white shadows but the corporate landscape has dramatically changed over the years – we now have shadows of all colors and ethnicities. While we shout from the roof tops about what took place on elections day, we bury our heads in the proverbial sand, by refusing to ask one simple question: How did the two political parties, both claiming to be rather financially impoverished, raise a conservative estimate of over twenty million dollars to pour into a three week campaign? We ask Dale Marshall (BLP) to tell us about the successful “cake sales and car washes” that raised their money. We ask Ronald Jones (DLP) to t
Read more