Garner, Cummins among CCFS Sports’ Hall of Fame inductees

By Keith Holder

Former international cricketers Joel Garner and Anderson Cummins are among eight inductees in the inaugural Christ Church Foundation School (CCFS) Sports’ Hall of Fame.

It was a truly, historic occasion in the hall at Church Hill last Saturday night as Foundation became the first school in Barbados to establish an exclusive Sports’ Hall of Fame.

The other inductees were Chris Gibbs, a national swimmer and water polo player, late physical education teacher Molly Crowcroft, Olympic Games athletes Cheryl Blackman and Hamil Grimes, versatile national representative in netball, basketball and track and field, Marlene Bascombe and Fernando Skeete, a technical studies teacher and volleyball coach.

Garner was unable to attend the awards ceremony, as he is overseas. He was represented by former Boys’ Foundation schoolmate Orson Simpson, while Crowcroft was represented by Dr. Allyson Leacock, an outstanding athlete at Girls’ Foundation under the tutelage of Crowcroft during the 1970s, and also a Barbados track and field representative.

There was also a presentation for Hall of Distinction Inductees for their contribution to the school over the years. Recognised were old scholar Dr. Adrian Lorde, the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), Banks Holdings Limited, the National Sports Council (NSC) and Infinity On The Beach.

Among those present were Minister of Sports Charles Griffith, who delivered the Feature Address; Deputy Chief Education Officer Joy Adamson, who gave remarks; CCFS Principal David McCarthy, who delivered the Welcome; his deputy Dr. Albert Bartlett; Education Officer for Physical Education, Janelle Denny; chairman of the Organising committee Seibert Straughan, himself an Olympian and Murray State Hall of Fame inductee; former CCFS deputy principal Dr. Yvette Mayers; CCFS Board member, Reverend Sonia Bynoe; NSC chairman, MacDonald Fingall; president of the Parent Teachers Association, Diane Weekes-Marshall, past and present teachers and students, as well as specially invited guests.

Straughan, who is also the Head of Physical Education and Sports at CCFS, thanked the sponsors including the Barbados Olympic Association, BCA, Banks Holdings, Infinity On The Beach, Bougainvillea, Burger King, Printmax, City of Bridgetown Credit Union, SigniaGlobe Financial, Pine Hill Dairy, Co=operators General Insurance, C.O. Williams Construction Limited, Barabdos Bottling Co. Ltd and Memorabilia Designs & Graphics Inc, as well as supporters Newtech Inc, Trophy World, Starcom Network, Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, Barbados Today, Barbados Advocate, Nation Publishing Co. and Movelle Jordan Caterers.

He also expressed his appreciation for the work done by the CCFS Organising committee, Master of Ceremonies, Captain Michael Jules; Everton Straughn who created the logo, as well as the auxiliary staff who assisted on the night of the event.

The members of the Organising committee were: Seibert Straughan (chairman), David McCarthy, Roger Moore, Denise Blackman (a Southern Illinois University Hall of Famer), Ingrid Folkes (secretary), Donna Evelyn, Lois Yarde, Neil Murrell, Adrian Donovan, Keith Holder, Clifford Gooding-Edghill and Ezra Stuart.

Following are edited bios of the Sports Hall of Fame inductees:

JOEL GARNER

Garner is one of the greatest-ever fast bowlers the game of cricket has known.

At Boys’ Foundation School, he played in the BCA Ronald Tree Cup Under-15 Tournament, later moving on to the school’s Second and Intermediate division teams.

He also turned out for the Barbados Under-19 team before joining Cable & Wireless, where he was an employee as well. He next played for YMPC in the BCA First division Championship (now renamed the Elite division) before making his first-class debut for Barbados.

Garner represented West Indies in 58 Test matches between 1977 and 1987, claiming 259 wickets at a remarkable average of 20.97.

Affectionately called “Big Bird” with an amazing height of 6ft 8 inches, Garner was part of a very formidable West Indies fast bowling attack, which included the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Colin Croft and the late Malcolm Marshall.

Garner also took 146 wickets (ave: 18.84) at a stingy economy rate of 3.09 runs an over in 98 One-Day Internationals. He was a member of the 1979 World Cup West Indies side, who won the Championship and his five for 38 in the Final against England at Lord’s remains the best performance by a bowler in a World Cup Final. He also played in the 1983 Final.

In 214 first-class matches, Garner grabbed 881 wickets at 18.53 runs apiece. He was also a sharp fielder at gully and would argue as well that he was no slouch with the bat, boasting of a first-class century.

Garner captained Barbados for the first time in 1986 when the team won the Shell Shield first-class Championship and was again the skipper the following season.

He played for Littleborough in the Central Lancashire League in 1976 and 1977, and represented Somerset in the English County Championship from 1977 to 1986. He also played for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield Championship in 1982-83.

Garner was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1980 and was awarded the MBE in 1984 for services to sport. He was named among the West Indies Cricket Annual Cricketers of the Year on four occasions (1977, 1982, 1984 and 1986).

In 1990, he attended Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education and completed a diploma in Management studies.

In 2010, Garner was inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Hall of Fame, by the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA).

After retiring from international cricket, Garner was employed at the NATION Publishing Company in Customer Relations, and later at the Advocate newspaper as distribution manager.

He was also a newspaper columnist for both the NATION and Advocate. His column was titled, The Bird in Flight.

Garner worked at the National Sports Council from 1997 until his retirement in 2019.

Garner served as a member of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Board of Management before becoming president for ten years, from 2007 to 2017. He was also a director of the West Indies Cricket Board (now renamed Cricket West Indies). In addition, he was a Barbados and West Indies selector, as well as a West Indies team manager.

ANDERSON CUMMINS

Cummins was a fast-medium bowler, who played five Test and 76 One-Day International (ODI) matches.

Apart from West Indies, he also played ODIs for Canada and had the distinction of becoming the second man in history (after Kepler Wessels of Australia and South Africa) to play World Cup cricket for two different teams (West Indies 1992 and Canada 2007).

All told, Cummins took 99 wickets in international cricket including 91 in ODIs.

Cummins also had stints in the English League (Blossomfield CC, Bromley CC) and County Cricket (Durham).

He started his cricket career at Foundation, before moving on to Combermere School. This was followed by stints with the University of West Indies (Natural Science), YMPC and the Barbados team. After finally retiring from cricket, he coached basketball from 2011 to 2017.

Cummins is a Senior Director, Compliance at Avast, leading a team of Compliance, Security Operations and Application Security Engineers.

He has worked for major Financial Institutions in Canada, as well as leading Telecommunications, Rewards Management, Public Utility and Publishing companies, and has built Security Programs, modernized eCommerce and Content Management Platforms and assisted clients in improving the Security Posture of specific systems.

Cummins is a passionate Renewable Energy crusader, and started a small company helping homeowners with Solar Panel install and management. An avid gardener, his gardens are the pride of the neighbourhood.

CHRIS GIBBS

Gibbs entered Boys’ Foundation School in 1956 and later formed the Foundation Water Polo team, which went on to win the championship. He represented Barbados in Water Polo and swimming in the 1960s at the Pan American and Central American Games.

He was the winner of many long distance open water swimming races.

Gibbs swam the English Channel in 2003 becoming the only person from the Caribbean to do so – a distance of 21 miles and water temperature of 15 degrees in 11 hours and 30 minutes.

He was a member of the Merrymen band for over 50 years, which produced many international hit songs.

MOLLY CROWCROFT

In the early 1960s a young Crowcroft left England and arrived in Barbados where she joined Girls’ Foundation School as an international teacher to begin a new era in the school’s Athletics, Gymnastics, Swimming and Dance programmes.

It was the petite and muscular Crowcroft who introduced hurdles to Barbados, using broomsticks initially, until Girls’ Foundation became the first school in Barbados to have its own professional hurdles and a Foundation girl, Allyson Leacock, the first person to represent Barbados in 100-metres hurdles at the CARIFTA Games in 1972.

Multi-skilled, with a degree in Physical Education, Crowcroft also had specialised training in dance amongst others, but dance and athletics were the spheres where she excelled. She was a grafter and had the drive some people found overwhelming.

For several years, Girls’ Foundation dominated inter-school sports, often winning their events by wide margins. Again, it was Molly who was the trailblazer that transformed the 4×100 relay baton changes and the uniforms of school teams at Inter-School Sports.

HAMIL GRIMES

Grimes took up athletics in second form at Boys’ Foundation. His early events included the long and triple jump and the sprints and the School championship in the 100, 200 and 400 meters.

He later became a member of Wibisco Stars Athletic Club and first represented Barbados at the 1974 Carifta Games in Jamaica. Later that year he was a Barbados team member at the CAC Junior games in

Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Grimes was awarded a track and field scholarship to Kentucky State University in January of 1976 under Coach Dr. Kenneth D. Gibson.

He represented Barbados at the 1976 Montreal and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and also competed in the 1983 Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

Grimes was inducted into the Kentucky State University Hall of Fame in 2006.

He worked as an Engineer at United Constructors and Engineers in Philadelphia following graduation from the University of Kentucky. He later worked as a construction and mechanical Engineer for the Stone and Webster Engineering firm in Boston MA, USA from 1988 to 1996.

Grimes joined Entergy, a fortune 500 company based in New Orleans, LA, USA where he held Supervisors and Engineering management positions in the Nuclear power plant field until retirement in 2019.

CHERYL BLACKMAN

Blackman was educated at Girls’ Foundation School from 1970-1975.

Under the guidance of Physical Education teacher, Molly Crowcroft, Blackman participated in the long jump, high jump and all track events up to the 800. She was victrix ludorum for many years and Shakespeare was the winning house.

Blackman also swam for the school team, danced as a member of NIFCA team and played netball for the school.

She participated in Inter-school Sports and was the most outstanding athlete on many occasions.

Blackman took part in the CARIFTA Games: 1973 in Trinidad – Under-17 girls – Gold medal 400 metres;

1974 – Under-20 – Gold Medal 100m Hurdles; Gold medal 4×400 metres; 1975 – Under-20 – Gold Medal 100m Hurdles; 1974 – CAC – Santo Domingo Bronze Medal Penthalon; Bronze Medal 100m Hurdles.

In 1976, she was awarded a scholarship to Kentucky State University; in 1983 she gained an Athletic Scholarship to University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez Campus.

Blackman was a member of the Barbados Olympic Team in 1984 – Los Angeles and a Competitor of the inaugural running of the 400m Hurdles for Women.

She attained a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & French from Kentucky State University, and also taught at The Lodge School.

Blackman is also a Juris Doctor – Attorney-at-Law (Brooklyn Law School) and worked in the District Attorney’s Office in New York County (1989-2000).

MARLENE BASCOMBE

Bascombe’s passion for sport made her the ultimate athlete representing Barbados in track & field, netball and basketball.

Her love for sports started with an interest in netball when she was only 10 years old, as a member of Bay Wanders team.

She entered Girls’ Foundation School in 1969 where her athleticism was further exhibited under the physical education teacher and coach, the late Molly Crowcroft, not only in netball, where she represented the senior team that was very successful, always finishing in the Top Three, but she was also a member of the swim team and a member of Foundation Dance Movement.

Bascombe also excelled in the high jump and long jump, winning several gold and silver medals and held school records in those events. She competed in the 1500 meters and 4X100 Relays as well.

She competed in the high jump, long jump, 4×100 relay and Pentathlon at the Texaco Southern Games in Trinidad; Carifta Games in Trinidad, Jamaica and Bermuda, Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Games in Venezuela from 1973 to 1975, winning gold, silver, and bronze medals, in addition to holding some Barbados records in those events that she participated.

In basketball, Bascombe was a member of the Barbados Inaugural Women’s Team (1985-1986) at the Caricom Games in Barbados and in Trinidad.

In October 1986, Bascombe migrated to South Florida, and currently works as a Senior Special Accounts Receivable Manager.

FERNANDO SKEETE

Skeete joined the Christ Church Foundation School in 1987 as a facilitator of learning in the Industrial Arts Department, rendering instruction in Metalwork and Technical Drawing.

Prior to coming to CCFS, Skeete, a Combermerian, facilitated instruction that started in 1978 at the St. Giles Boys Primary for two years, moving on to the St. Christopher Boys Primary, Roebuck Secondary and the Parkinson Memorial schools.

He is currently a graduate teacher and head of the Industrial Arts Department at CCFS, and a moderator of Mechanical Engineering Technology CXC SBA CSEC level. He holds a B.Ed degree Tech/Voc (technical & vocational) and a Level 1 international volleyball coaching certificate.

Since 1989, Skeete has been responsible for the volleyball programme at the CCFS, recruiting and preparing girls and boys for the inter schools Under-16 & Under-19 competitions. He is currently the President and Head Coach of the Foundation United Sports and Social Club (FUSSC) – a body formed in 1995 and comprised of current and past students, family members and friends. The Club participates in the Barbados Volleyball Association’s domestic competitions for women and men. He is the high jump Chief of the Barbados Secondary Schools Athletics Championships (BSSAC) and the school’s dominoes coordinator.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com