Sir EvertonWeekes – ‘AWest Indian Immortal’
Sir Everton Weekes at The UWI 3Ws Oval.
The entire region was saddened by news of the passing of the great sporting icon of Barbados, the West Indies and the world, Dr. Sir Everton Weekes on July 1, 2020. He was admired as a genius and gentleman, who during his ten years of Test Cricket (1948 to 1958), was often officially recognised as the best batsman in the world. Sir Everton, together with the other ‘Ws’—Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott—constituted the world’s best batting combination, a West Indian fortress that gave the team a shot at the global top spot in the clash with Australia in 1951. In his tribute on Sir Everton’s passing, Vice- Chancellor Beckles, who also delivered the Eulogy at Sir Everton’s state funeral said, “The success driven by his genius was the key to the confidence required to ensure the rise of the nation. His performance displaced selectors’ resistance and signalled liberation from colonial imprisonment. It was the beginning of the regional recognition that the power of merit would transcend the machination of money. He was the symbol of the revolution that made the nation possible and sustainable. Here was a majestic man who withstood the pressures of the parochial to claim the victory of the global. Here was a human with the generosity of a gentleman who knew that he was sent with
a message which said, “behind me there are many others and I am here to pave the way.” The absence of hubris from any aspect of his living and legacy tells a narrative so pure as to invoke images of humanity at its finest, from subtle wit to the firm grip on the handles of principles not to be breached, but played with a straight bat. On and off the field, the display of dapper deportment spoke to a mind made up that elegance and eloquence should define the art of living. There is no greater gift a man can give his mentees than that of the highest standards. Sir Everton was eternal in his teachings. Our society was enlarged by his giving and seemed sophisticated with his presence. Cricket was his profession and art ordered his contribution as a citizen. The demonstration of gentleness and humility at the intersection of brilliance and greatness was the proof of his art, not as a craft, but as a way of being. His gentle manner remained a mystery to many who observed his moments and movements.” During the 20 th year of the Vice-Chancellor’s XI cricket match in 2019, The UWI honoured Sir Everton as a West Indian Immortal. Earlier in 2003 he was also conferred an honorary doctorate, and in the naming of the beautiful cricket ground at its Cave Hill campus, the ‘3Ws Oval’. He delighted in visiting the venue to watch the game, while serving as Patron of the Campus’ cricket team. The University grounds were the final point in his home going, with his interment there.
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