Latapy and Yorke for First Citizens Hall of Fame

[Tallman]

Lara, Latapy, Yorke for First Citizens Hall of Fame.
By Nicholas Clarke (T&T Guardian).

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara and former T&T footballers Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy will be inducted into the First Citizens Sports Foundation’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on November 23. Lara and Yorke have already confirmed their attendance while Latapy, who is currently in Scotland, has expressed a strong interest in coming.

This was announced during a press conference at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair yesterday. The trio are among a group of 13 local sporting legends selected to be honoured by the Foundation’s 12-member panel, which is chaired by Dr Keith Clifford.

The other inductees will include: Ann Browne-John (Cricket/Hockey), Hubert “Taffy” Crichlow (Table Tennis/Basketball), Victor Gamaldo (Football), Bernard Julien (Cricket), Richard Nieves (Hockey/Football), Jeanette Georgetti-Pantin (Cycling Hockey) and the late quartet of Zeno Constance (Athletics), Aldwin Ferguson (Football/Hockey), Jack Noriega (Cricket) and Pascall Roberts (Cricket).

The Hall of Fame was established in 1984 and has since initiated 181 athletes, administrators, coaches and referees including Olympic medallists Hasely Crawford and Ato Boldon, Test cricketers Ian Bishop and Learie Constantine and T&T’s 1979 World Championship-winning netball team.

In order to qualify, an individual must have consistently represented the country with distinction in local and international sport over a period of time. Speaking to the media yesterday, Foundation member Maria Nunes said the panel had done a lot of diligent research to narrow the list down to 13 inductees.

“Unfortunately, we are not good as a society at keeping records. It really poses a problem when there is no hard data to verify the wonderful things that people know about certain athletes,” she said, adding.

“The headline sports tend to have more people whose achievements have been documented. As we go forward, I think we are going to see more and more athletes from other sports coming in because the history of cricket, football and hockey in T&T has been relatively longer.”

Yorke, who will arrive from London on the day of the ceremony, will be the first Tobagonian to be included. For further information, visit the foundation’s newly updated website at firstcitizens-sportsfoundation.com or ttsportshall.com. There will also be a YouTube page featuring interviews and footage.

[Flex]

Joseph happy to welcome more footballers to 'Hall'
By Roger Seepersad (Express).

Former Trinidad and Tobago football captain Sedley Joseph says he is honoured to be in the company of modern football greats Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke, who will both be inducted into the First Citizens Foundation Hall of Fame next week.

Joseph, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, 17 years after he retired from the game, said he was happy to see Yorke and Latapy being inducted so soon after they hung up their international boots.

"It is an honour to be inducted in any hall of fame and I am extremely happy to see people who did well in my sport such as Latapy and Yorke being inducted this year and quite a few footballers have been inducted in recent times and that is good to see," he told the Express during a press conference at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain on Tuesday.

Joseph, who captained the T&T football team from 1964 to 1968, said: "I had a fairly rewarding career during which time Trinidad and Tobago played their first World Cup game right here at the Oval. We played against Suriname and the Oval was packed to capacity.

"It was the first time we played World Cup football and certainly all of us who played in that game were amateurs. None of us were professionals like we have today.

"People will always remember Yorke and Latapy, especially Yorke for playing in England and for Manchester United and for captaining the Trinidad and Tobago World Cup squad in a World Cup final in Germany in 2006," he added.

Remembering the euphoria of 2006, Joseph said those scenes would forever be etched in his memory and in the memory of most people in the country and said he was honoured to have played his part in T&T football all those years ago.

"I was in Germany and although I was not on the field, I felt honoured just being there and knowing that I was part of the journey," the former St Mary's College student added.

The former midfielder and Maple Club skipper also insisted that all 13 inductees this year fully deserved their rewards for their contribution to their respective sports and noted that this year's slate of inductees contained some of the Trinidad and Tobago's and the world's best athletes.

Among them is former West Indies cricket captain and current world record holder for most runs in a Test innings of 400 not out, Brian Lara.

Another past inductee Alexander Chapman, who was inducted in 1995 in the Administrator category, agreed with Joseph that the current group of inductees were indeed filled with great personalities.

Chapman said: "We have three outstanding personalities this year and they all played around the same time—Brian Lara, Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy—and they all made a tremendous contribution to sport.

"And not only those three. Ann Brown John has been excellent for Trinidad and Tobago in cricket and hockey and she is now an excellent administrator with the women's cricket association so all 13 inductees have done the country proud in their respective fields," he added.

[Socapro]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/13_heroes_honoured-134476458.html

13 heroes honoured
Lara, Yorke, Latapy among Hall of Fame inductees
By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 24, 2011 at 11:50 PM ECT

"Overcoming pressure is one of the most important things in sport."

Speaking on the topic "In Pursuit of Excellence" at Wednesday's First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain, Reverend Wes Hall examined the link between handling pressure and achieving sporting excellence.
 
"Pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond, and what's inside of you comes out under pressure."
 
Cricketers Brian Lara, Bernard Julien, Pascall Roberts and Jack Noreiga, footballers Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy and Victor Gamaldo, all-rounders Taffy Crichlow, Ann Browne-John, Jeanette Giorgetti-Pantin, Aldwin Ferguson and Richard Nieves, and track and field coach Zeno Constance were all inducted into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
 
Of the 13, eight attended the ceremony. Roberts, Noreiga, Ferguson and Constance were inducted posthumously, while Gamaldo is living abroad and was unable to make the trip home.
 
Hall, a fearsome Barbadian fast bowler who represented West Indies in 48 Tests between 1958 and 1969, paid tribute to the inductees.
 
"These 13 icons, these golden icons had zero tolerance for mediocrity.

"Excellence is available to all who seek it. Excellence is achieved by hard work, dedication, commitment, through great perseverance, and a winning determination–a winning determination that Sir Frank Worrell spoke so eloquently about, a winning determination that is not an instinct to kill and to conquer, but an instinct for perfection."
 
Hall made special mention of Julien, who scored two centuries and claimed 50 wickets in 24 Test matches.
 
"Bernard Julien, the greatest talent that I have ever seen as a coach. I believe that Bernard was second in talent only to Sir Garfield Sobers."
 
Lara, one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history, was also lauded by Hall. The double world batting record holder received his induction plaque from Anil Roberts, the Minister of Sport bowing as the Prince of Port of Spain approached him.
 
"It's a very prestigious award," Lara said afterwards, "and something I will definitely cherish.
 
"To be in the Hall of Fame of anything is something that any sports person is going to feel proud of. And I'm very, very proud today. I'm even more proud for the 12 other inductees. Meeting people for the first time who have done yeoman service for whatever sporting discipline they were involved in was really lovely. I think it was a great evening.
 
"I enjoyed all 17 years of my international career," Lara continued. "It's very hard to say there's one cherished moment. But, obviously, there are some really high highpoints–getting 400 runs (not out) in a Test match, scoring 501 (not out) in a first class game, all very, very proud moments for me."
 
A classy affair, the induction ceremony did justice to the achievements of Lara and company. The former West Indies captain said he was particularly pleased to be inducted at the same time as Yorke and Latapy.
 
"Being up there on the podium with my two best friends, Dwight and Russell, was also very special. So many memories. We could go back 30-something years when we first started together, playing football. We spent a lot of time together in our teenage years, grew up together, and went our separate ways in terms of pursuing our dreams, Dwight at Aston Villa, Russell at Porto and myself continuing with the cricket, so tonight was very, very special," Yorke concurred.
 
"That's the ultimate. We were just laughing a moment ago on the stage. It's been 30 years. We were reminiscing, 15/20 years ago we were such young men enjoying life and enjoying what lies ahead...here we are, inducted into the Hall of Fame, 40 and 40-plus. It's a great honour that we've been recognised because of our hard work and achievement and what we have done over the years. It's absolutely phenomenal."
 
Yorke is best known for his goal-scoring exploits for English Premier League giants Manchester United.
 
Nicknamed "The Smiling Assassin", Yorke played a key role in the famous treble success of 1999, United winning the Premier League, FA Cup and European Champions League titles. Yorke said coach Bertille St Clair had a lot to do with his success.
 
"Somebody who has been my mentor, a real key factor in my development as an individual. And of course, my dedication as an individual to work hard to achieve things. I have got my reward because of my commitment and sacrifice and working hard. And, of course, the ultimate, the icing on the cake is to captain your country in the World Cup in 2006--the best thing that ever happened to me."
 
On Wednesday, Yorke became the first Tobagonian to be inducted into the Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.
 
Latapy, a supremely gifted footballer, plied his trade in Portugal and Scotland.
 
"The Little Magician" became the first T&T footballer to appear in the European Champions League when he played for Portuguese champions, Porto, against French team Nantes in September 1995.
 
"It's a good feeling to be appreciated. Definitely, the highlight of my playing career was going to the World Cup. But this (induction) is without doubt one of the highlights of my career as well. It took me a little while to fully grasp everything about it. The thing is I always played football for the love of the game, and just really enjoyed. I never really thought about too much of everything that comes with it. I suppose now that I've retired, and you're getting old and you cannot play any more, you have to reflect on some of the things, and these are the times when you do."
 

Hall of Fame inductees

Brian Lara (cricket)

Bernard Julien (cricket)

Pascall Roberts (cricket - posthumous)

Jack Noreiga (cricket - posthumous)

Dwight Yorke (football)

Russell Latapy (football)

Victor Gamaldo (football)

Taffy Crichlow (table tennis, basketball)

Ann Browne-John (cricket, hockey)

Jeanette Giorgetti-Pantin (hockey, cycling, basketball)

Aldwin Ferguson (football, hockey - posthumous)

Richard Nieves (football, hockey)

Zeno Constance (track and field coach - posthumous)

[Tallman]

Sports Minister Anil Roberts, right, congratulates football wizard
Russell Latapy on his induction into the Hall of Fame at the First
Citizens ceremony on November 23. Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ

[Trinitozbone]

I looked at the edited version of this event a few nights ago and I was surprised at the video done on Yorke's career! It started with Aston Villa! Dwight was groomed by the older players and coach of the strike squad for his professional life! He was a kid of 17 with great talent but was well prepared for a professional life and not an acknowledgment ! What an ungrateful kid , well now a goat!

[Tallman]

Honouring our stalwarts
By Sedley Joseph (Catholic News)

The last few weeks were extremely gratifying for me as I was part of a committee involved in selecting sportsmen and sportswomen for the T&T Hall of Fame, a few of them footballers who were either my contemporaries or players whom I had the pleasure of managing as members of the national football team.

Two of those contemporaries, Richard Nieves and Aldwyn Ferguson (deceased), were members of national teams for a number of years. “Fergie” was a member of the first T&T team to play in World Cup qualifiers and that was in 1966 against Suriname at the Queen’s Park Oval. He was also a member of the only T&T team to have won a medal (bronze) at the Pan American Games and that was in Winnipeg in 1967.

In addition to being selected for football, Fergie, like Richard, was also selected for hockey. The hockey team won a silver medal in those same Games in Winnipeg. I had the pleasure of playing with Fergie for a number of years in old boys’ football for BWIA Graduates and one could not have wanted a better teammate. May his soul rest in peace.

Richard was the nemesis of many rival teams. He never seemed to stop running and always popped up anywhere the ball happened to be. A difficult forward to mark

I remember the first time this team toured to Suriname that Richard was selected as a forward but the team had a number of forwards in Alvin Corneal, the late Arthur Brown, Carlton Franco, Kelvin Berassa and Ronnie Gray, so Richard was not selected in the first match of the three-match series. At that time, the system we played was the third back system but it did not work well against Suriname and they beat us 3-1. So, a decision was taken that we would try the 4-2-4 system after convincing Coach Noel Pouchet to try something different.

Richard was suggested to play the midfield role with yours truly and this was exactly what the doctor ordered. Suriname was shocked; it was a different cup of tea. Richard never stopped running and when he was substituted late in the game, victory was assured for us – something that a T&T team had not achieved before in Suriname. I always preferred to have Richard on my team than to have to play against him. The teams that were unfortunate to meet his team Shamrock in 1959 came out on the losing end, as Shamrock made a clean sweep that year. Richard eventually decided to play hockey instead of football.

Dwight Yorke and Russel Latapy need no introduction and thoroughly deserved being inducted into the Hall of Fame. In addition to representing the country on a number of occasions, they have both played at the highest level – Dwight in England and Russel in Portugal and Scotland.

Russel was one of the most skillful footballers to have graced the football fields in T&T and outside and it was unfortunate that Coach Leo Beenhakker did not see it fit to introduce him in the World Cup in Germany in 2006 earlier than he did. He was also coach of the national team for a short period and although he was not successful, I don’t think he was to blame. He just did not have the material with which to work.

Dwight, on the other hand, made a name for himself in England, his glory coming during his time at Manchester United when the club was victorious in the English Premier League and also in Europe. The climax of his T&T career was his election as captain of the national team in World Cup 2006. How deserving and probably the greatest honour in his T&T career.

These two giants certainly deserved being made members of the T&T Sports Hall of Fame and the members of the Sports Foundation were very happy that they and most of the others were present to receive their awards.

Another footballer for whom I have the greatest admiration, Victor Gamaldo, was unable to be present to receive his award but he was extremely honoured to have been inducted. Again, I was fortunate to have had the honour of playing with Victor for a number of years before he migrated to the US. He was a stalwart for QRC and the Regiment and he also played professionally in the US.

Congratulations to all those honoured at last week’s function and I’m hoping to see some of our youngsters emulate the stalwarts of the past.