The 21 honorees that will be inducted into the National Sports Hall of Fame on Friday were referred to as the foundation for sports, the builders who paved the way for Bahamian athletes competing today.
It was said that the members of the 2013 class all shared a common bond even though they came from different backgrounds. Among the 21 persons being inducted are former parliamentarians, reverends, sports writers, an author and historian; professional athletes and persons who coached and administered the daily governance of sporting organizations in the country. This year's class is Enoch Backford II, LeRoy Archer Sr., Jacqueline Barnett-Bethel, Sir Arlington Butler, Bernard Livingston Bostwick; Roscoe Davies, John Barry Farrington, Alpheus Finlayson, Errol Eugene Haven, Dr. Norman Gay, Maryanne Higgs, Osborne Lockhart, Oswald Moore, Kendal Nottage; Harold Munnings Sr., Dr. Gail Saunders, Garth Rolle, Basil Neymour (deceased), Hezron Moxey (deceased), Phil Smith (deceased) and Leroy Mitchell (deceased).
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. Daniel Johnson said that he was extremely grateful to all of the inductees. At a luncheon, held on Wednesday afternoon, Johnson thanked family members personally for lending their love ones to a country that had just started its journey in sports, during their era. The countless hours and sacrifices will never go unnoticed, Johnson noted. He encouraged The Bahamas, especially younger Bahamians to sit and talk with some of the inductees, as their stories are powerful and touching.
The sporting minister also revealed that photos of the members of the 2013 class and all the past honorees will hang on the walls of the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. According to him, this is one of the best ways to educate Bahamians as well as persons visiting the stadium about the many contributions of our sporting heroes, and where they came from.
Apart from honoring the 21 inductees on Friday at 6:30 p.m, at Government House, they received high praises from current Members of Parliament in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, and visited a number of schools in New Providence.
Lockhart, the first foreign player in the Harlem Globetrotters encouraged younger Bahamians to trust and believe in local coaches, while pressing the government to go into the Family Islands and recruit athletes.
"We have good, qualified Bahamian coaches..." said Lockhart yesterday at the luncheon. "There's nothing I was more proud of because I have been traveling close to 90 countries, than when the announcer said, 'and the first foreign born player to play for the Harlem globe trotters is from Nassau, Bahamas.' We really need to start honing all of the talents that we have on the outer islands, going there and scouting. With all of the avenues that we have this should be clockwork, easy. These kids should know if they work hard and do this and do that, it is a possibility. If kids believe and we can get them to believe anything is possible and that nothing comes easy, that you have to sacrifice and have commitment."
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