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18
Thu, Apr

Tyrone Carl de la Bastide

Tyrone de la Bastide NicknameThe Tank
PositionDefender
Height5′ 5″ (1.64 m)
Date of Birth October 18th, 1938 , died March 23rd, 2008 (aged 69)
Place of Birth Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago
Debut March 5th, 1959 (aged 20)
Caps/Goals21    ( 0 goals)
Last ClubMaple (1961-1971)
Previous ClubsDynamos FC-1960)
SchoolsSt. Mary's College


A compactly built player who earned the sobriquet of 'The Tank' from his early soccer days, he represented St. Mary's College in First Division in 1955 at full back, a position he maintained throughout his career. During the three years he played for the college, his team won the North Inter-collegiate Cup on each occasion and became island wide champions of two of those. He was elected captain for the final two years, led a successful team on visit to Jamaica and was named Footballer of the Tournament. On leaving school he joined Dynamos F.C. for whom he played until 1960 in the POSFL, the last two years as captain. He made his national debut in 1959 during a quadrangular tournament hosted by Trinidad and contested by Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica as well.

The purpose of that tournament was to select a British Caribbean Football Association team to tour the United Kingdom. At the end of it he was selected to represent the BCFA and he played in fourteen of the sixteen games contested by the contingent, including the international match against England at Ipswich. In 1961 he went over to Maple S.C. and remained with that club until his retirement at the end of the 1971 season. Maple won the POS League title for four successive years, 1960-63 and added the F.A. Trophy in the final of those years and he gave yeoman service to the cause in the back line. He also became a seasoned campaigner for the North in the annual Red Cross classic during the decade 1959/69. With increased opportunities coming the way of local footballers, he was to tour several countries especially with participation in the CONCACAF competition. Central American venues in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador were added to the Caribbean itinerary and for the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg 1967 he was a member of the team, which took the bronze medal.

The following year marked the retirement of teammate and national captain Sedley Joseph and he was elevated to the captaincy of both the club and country. His untiring efforts resulted in nomination for the WITCO Sports Award after he was adjudged Footballer of the Year, 1968. His claims were however bettered by Edwin Roberts. It is estimated that he represented Trinidad and Tobago on 98 consecutive occasions between 1959 and 1969, a remarkable record. After his retirement he became one of the founder members of a veteran team called Graduates. The club has since received sponsorship from the national airline and BWIA Graduates continue to participate in Masters games, having visited New Zealand and Los Angeles, in past competitions and are due for tour of Australia to compete in the 1987 tournament.
(T&T Sports Hall of Fame bio)



Honors for Tyrone
  • Trinidad & Tobago's Sports Hall of Fame in 1987
  • Trinidad & Tobago Footballer of the Year in 1968