FORMER NATIONAL captains Daren Ganga, Rangy Nanan (cricket), Clayton Morris and Angus Eve (football) are among a group of 11 sporting personalities who will be inducted in the First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.
The ceremony will take place on November 20, from 6.30 pm, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Portof- Spain.
In a media conference yesterday, at the First Citizens Corporate Box, Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair, veteran journalist and Sports Foundation member Dave Lamy announced that the quartet will be joined by Stern John (football), Bryan Davis, Stephanie Power, Louise Browne (cricket), Brian Harding (horse racing), Bridget Adams (netball) and Douglas Barzey (administrator).
Another Hall of Fame inductee, quadruple Olympic medallist Ato Boldon, will be the guest speaker at the event, while President Anthony Carmona and Sports Minister Darryl Smith are expected to attend.
Eve, a former midfielder/striker, has 117 international appearances for Trinidad and Tobago, the most by a national footballer, from 1994-2005.
Harding, according to Lamy, is “the first Trinidad jockey to ride 1,000 winners. He won the (national) championship seven times, he won the championship in Jamaica twice, he won the championship in Panama. He’s now training as a young trainer and we’ll hear more about him in that area.” Adams, from Mayaro, “has done yeoman service and (has been) outstanding in netball” while Davis “played not only for Queen’s Park and Trinidad but Glamorgan (in England). He’s also a very good administrator and a coach, and one who has made a lot of national heroes like (Sunil) Narine and (Kieron) Pollard. He should have been in the Hall of Fame long ago.” Morris was the captain of the Strike Squad team who narrowly missed out on qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. The ex-central defender now works as technical director of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT ) team. “This (awards) is going to be on November 20, the night after November 19, (but) that was not planned,” added Lamy. “We cannot forget what Clayton had to offer and he still has a lot to offer.” Another UTT sporting official is Ganga, who led TT to distinction, both in the Four Day and T20 level, during the 2000s. He also captained West Indies in three Test matches in England in 2007, and now also serves as a cricket commentator.
Browne, sister of the legendary Ann Browne-John, was “one of the pioneers of women’s cricket.
She lives abroad but she was a captain of the West Indies team as well and took women’s cricket out of the doldrums.” Barzey, according to Lamy, was a livewire of the Southern Games and an administrator in the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.
Nanan was an ace off-spinner for Preysal, where he still resides, as well as Trinidad and Tobago who has captured 366 First Class wickets from 1973-1991.
Power “was outstanding and certainly made her presence felt,” while John, who was a key member of the Soca Warriors team who qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, netted 70 goals in 115 internationals from 1995-2012, the seventh highest international goalscorer in the game’s history.
Eve, when contacted yesterday, stated, “I’m really humbled by the nomination (of) the induction. I really didn’t expect it. It came out of the blue. “I know normally in our country we honour people when they’ve already died. So this is a great honour for me and for my family, and for all the people who have supported me all these years, and really stood by me through thick and thin. I really thank God for all that he has done in my life so far.” Eve is currently the coach of Naparima College in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and St Ann’s Rangers in the TT Pro League, as well as a part-time football analyst.
Asked if his achievement will fuel his desire to succeed in his roles as coach and analyst, Eve replied, “of course. I’ve been honoured as a player at this occasion and hopefully, down the road, they might see my work in broadcasting and in the coaching sphere, because I want to continue to be the best that I can be.” And Davis was in a modest mood when asked to comment on his achievement.
“I am honoured to be even considered that highly to be in the Hall of Fame,” he said. “I never even considered that because in my whole life, which I gave to cricket, it was for the love of the game, and for no other reason.” He added, “so, to be recognised for the love I gave to cricket, I feel very proud.”