I WANT TO EXPRESS my warm belated birthday wishes to our National Hero, legend and icon, the greatest cricketer who has ever traversed this planet, Sir Garfield Sobers.
Among the many powerful learning experiences I have lifted from his rich and educational life, I wish to enunciate only three of the transforming and impacting experiences. I wish to take a glance into the rear view mirror of the life of this humble iconic gentleman.
First: In the mid-60s, myself still being a young man, I had the distinct honour and privilege of travelling on my first cricket tour to Dominica, and my last tour to Trinidad representing the Barbados team. I was under his captaincy and tutelage.
I was taught a lesson, not from my teachers at the Barbados Academy or the Modern High School – now both defunct – nor any self-help book, but from this great teacher of life. When I arrived in Trinidad I realised that my cricket gear was missing. From that experience, I was taught a powerful lesson from this great sage and teacher.
I was extremely worried and visibly upset because of the incident and in his humble and cool manner, he said to me, “Sellie, stop worrying. Worrying is not going to help; you are going to get your cricket gear back.” Those words were some of the most calming and self-assuring words that I was able to wrap my head around.
Secondly: Prior to the year 1982, Sir Garry worked in Australia for the Australian government for about ten years. In this writer’s opinion, I believe, had the political and/or cricketing leaders of that day offered him a position in Barbados or the Caribbean, there would have been no need for Sir Garry to accept a position in Australia.
In 1982 I was, after many costly telephone calls to him while he was still in Australia, able to motivate him to return to Barbados and participate in the historic first international night cricket game. This game followed after the historic first “First Division night cricket local competition”, played at the National Stadium.
On Sir Garry’s return to Barbados, we met him at the airport with a red carpet welcome and motorcade second to none. Thousands of people lined both sides of the street from the airport to his home in Walcott’s Ave, Bayland.
In my mind’s eyes and in retrospect, prior to that enormous motorcade, I witnessed an enormously touching moment, which has been indelibly etched in my mind.
Tears came tumbling down the cheek of Sir Garry. He said, through those tears, “I thought Barbadians had forgotten me.” I believe that visit in 1982, initiated by us, was able to conceive and birth his return home and begin his employment with the Barbados Government.
Thirdly: In 1986 I was invited, along with other Barbadian cricketers, to participate in the first Golden Oldies Cricket Tournament in England under Sir Garry’s captaincy. We were invited to compete against some of the former great cricketers of the world.
During that cricket tour, I had the honour of walking next to Sir Garry through the Heathrow Airport. I am about 6 feet 2 inches tall, but when I saw the exuberant, enthusiastic response from the old and young people alike, towards Sir Garry, it made me so proud of him. The people kept trying to touch him and get his autograph.
Sir Garry, I believe I speak on behalf of the vast number of people who are without a public voice. I wish to thank you on their behalf for your yeoman service in selling, representing this country and exponentially helping to put our country on the world map.
– EVANGELIST COURTNEY “SELLIE” SELMAN