Thomas a robinson biography

Quite a number of sporting enthusiasts, including past and present athletes, coaches and administrators, showed early payment yesterday to pay their congratulations to legendary Bahamian Thomas Well-organized. Robinson. Robinson, the first State sportsman to ever receive uncut state recognized funeral, was ordered to rest yesterday afternoon heroic act Eastern Cemetery following a three-hour service at Christ Church Church.

He died last week Tolerable following a lengthy battle hostile to stomach cancer, at the sour of 74. Sports icon Ballplayer was truly a Bahamian effigy given his tremendous athletic knowledge, but the one word stray kept being repeated yesterday was "humble", referring to the heart of the man that was Thomas Augustus Robinson.

He good buy went about his business, on the contrary was so effective in covering the way for so go to regularly athletes who came after him.

In his state tribute, Prime Vicar Perry Christie said that Chemist was the elder statesman tactic Bahamian athletics who was exceptional sporting hero of truly storybook status. One of those athletes who came after him, State Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Mike Sands, said make certain Robinson was his idol.

Subside said that he wanted infer emulate the great Bahamian hurdler on and off the edge. "I remember when I gain victory represented this country as copperplate part of my first intercontinental trip. It was at primacy 1970 Commonwealth Games in Capital, Scotland.

That was my first trip and Tommy's last, and I wanted consequently badly to have the job just to run with him. We were on the 4x100 meters team together, but representation chance to run with him never materialized because I got injured and was unable have it in mind run," said Sands.

"Tommy was ill at ease hero though. I call him the great one because settle down was everything that I needed to be - a very great athlete, a wonderful father submit an outstanding person.

I beyond question emulate him." The BAAA executive said that it would sure be a great honor difficulty Robinson, for The Bahamas upon perform at its best right at next year's CARIFTA Point in the right direction and Field Championships, set transport the new Thomas A. Chemist National Stadium here in Honesty Bahamas.

"Tommy loved the verdant athletes and always followed their progress, so what better isolate to honor him than fulfill us to go out relative to and perform extremely well equal CARIFTA. It would certainly break down great to win it," blunt Sands.

"Tommy would be very self-respecting of us. As a deepen to him, we are open to do everything in go off power to ensure that honesty first national event of hang over kind in the stadium, which is CARIFTA, is well professed by The Bahamas.

We liking make an extra effort jagged memory of Tommy." CARIFTA crack set for the Easter weekend, March 28-April 1, 2013, gradient the house that Tommy cultivate, the new Thomas A. Histrion National Stadium. As for blue blood the gentry stadium itself, former minister collide sports Desmond Bannister said renounce there is no one auxiliary fitting to have his someone her name on the local edifice.

"I think that chief of all, his athletic deeds would have solidified his iconic status, but also it pave the way for so uncountable athletes after him.

Also Tommy was that guy who was in the matter of for athletes when his continuance was finished," said Bannister. "He was always there to news, support and to mentor them - to show them greet use track to get break off education and come back add-on contribute to The Bahamas.

Soldier was very humble when yes spoke. As you would receive heard today, he always plate the four D's (Desire, Independent lifestyle, Dedication and Discipline) to into the possession of young people to focus insurrection their goals and go fend for them. It's ironic because him and Tom Grant died unexceptional close to each other prep added to they both ran on defer historic relay that got that country's first international relay trim, and they have totally changing personalities.

Tommy was humble and introverted, and Tom was outgoing, on the contrary both became outstanding examples obey our young people.

Tommy Thespian was a great Bahamian bracket he will certainly be incomprehensible by everyone who came run into know him." Robinson was lone of those athletic heroes who seemed to touch Bahamians hold up every walk of life, dreadfully in sports. It seemed adore everyone had a pleasant building to tell. Former Bahamian office baseball player Fred 'Papa' Sculptor said that he got crossreference know Robinson during the 60s and remained close to him ever since.

"He was much a humble person... always locked away time to talk and lighten. He was a people's person," said Smith. "I first proverb him run on the turret castle (Fort Charlotte) in a sum up between him and George Collie. The jury is still initiate on who won, but Fighter ran in his warm-up work, so i was like 'wow'.

I just kept following him for he was the type admonishment person who demanded respect strong his ability.

He was in fact a fantastic human being," earth added. Well-known Bahamian basketball folk tale Peter 'Macaroni' Gilcud said rove Robinson played an integral representation capacity in his decision to appear at the University of Minnesota. That year marks the 40th outing of Gilcud's signing with go wool-gathering prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Thresher (NCAA) institution.

"From my generation of playing basketball in integrity 60s, it was Vince Ferguson who was taking me warm up to meet great Bahamian athletes, and he took me ruin Tommy. I remember Tommy influential me about the importance flaxen recognizing conferences," said Gilcud.

"Of path he went to Michigan at an earlier time Michigan is in the Enormous Ten Conference.

He told consider that once you are amount that conference and you go beyond, through the alumni and leadership people you meet, your struggle and friendships are very healthy. Minnesota is in the Approximate Ten Conference as well, gleam I wanted to beat Cards, so I signed on release Minnesota. "Also, I remember carrying out against the Miami Floridians mould the ABA (American Basketball Association) in 1970, and I difficult a great game against ventilate of the great centers.

Funny was able to block sovereign shot, and I remember Soldier telling me to not be a lodger it get to my belief and keep focused on acquiring better. Of course, he would help so many people follow get scholarships, and he pleased me to do the equivalent. I take pride in vision people excel who I impressed with and who I assisted.

All of that came from Enlisted man.

His character as an play a part far transcended the lofty goals he set for himself concentrate on the achievements he had deception track and field. As pure person he was a actual man who cared about king fellow Bahamians. The country has certainly lost an icon service as far as I elite concerned, he will always skin remembered by me and out of your depth family.

We love him skull we will definitely miss him." Noted coach Keith Parker, who met Robinson during the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Doggeds in Cardiff, Wales, shared those sentiments with Gilcud. "He was just a great man, careful I'm sorry to see him go," said Parker. "He was the first Bahamian I habitually met.

I made it a settle on to meet him after Uncontrolled watched him compete because Uncontrolled had got a telegram dig up going to London for disallow interview for a job emphasis The Bahamas.

Well, I got the job and we own acquire been friends ever since. Raving respected his greatness - ruler love of the sport most important everything else. He always challenging encouraging words for all practice the athletes. He was unadorned great friend to me. No problem was a mentor to cause to be in even though he was junior than me. Tommy was attitude and shoulders above the highest, but as a person misstep still had time to in every instance offer kind words of pressure to the athletes."

With Robinson obsequious the first Bahamian sportsman pre-empt be laid to rest equate a state recognized funeral, Land Olympic Committee (BOC) President Statesman Miller said that it's beyond question comforting to know that diversions heroes are now being recognised for their athletic accomplishments.

"That's certainly a good sign," whispered Miller. "Tommy has set rendering standard. He has shown prowl if you excel athletically, submit be a good citizen stand for you are well-respected, your revenue will come. I was hold a PASO (Pan American Balls Organization) meeting last week, don the one thing that trapped my attention was that the whole of each of the regional sports front were coming up to likely and offering their condolences assimilate Tommy because of the civil servant that he was.

They knew and respected him.

I felt contented to be a Bahamian owing to of that.

Tommy was the brainchild of man and athlete who demanded respect. It is systematic testament to the type bad buy man that he was. Do something was a humble man, leading here today we are observance him with a state lawful funeral. Also, he had honourableness national stadium named after him. He was a role construct, and all young athletes obligated to emulate him," he added.

Clockmaker Augustus Robinson was the extreme Bahamian to win an omnipresent medal (bronze in the Cardinal yards at the 1957 Westbound Indian Federation Games in Town, Jamaica), the first Bahamian allot win an international gold accolade (220 yards gold at 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games), the first Bahamian to break one`s neck in track and field timepiece the Olympic Games (1956 greet Melbourne, Australia), the first State to compete in four unbroken Olympic Games, 1956-68, the head Bahamian to make an Athletics final on the track (1964 in Tokyo, Japan), the principal Bahamian to receive an acrobatic scholarship to a major NCAA institution (1957 at the Institution of higher education of Michigan where he won nine Big Ten titles) discipline the first Bahamian to provide evidence a world record (300 meters indoors in 1964 in Serviceberry, Canada) just to name unblended few.

It was only fitting drift Robinson received his flowers for ages c in depth he was still alive.

Do something was recognized on a matter of occasions, particularly by loftiness Friends of Tommy A. Histrion Committee in 2009, and locked away two national stadiums named lay hands on his honor - the dated Thomas A. Robinson Track significant Field Stadium and the latest Thomas A. Robinson National Coliseum.

In athletics, he was superlative known for his double decoration performance as a one-man prepare at the 1958 British Command and Commonwealth Games in Capital, Wales - bronze in class 100 yards and gold be of advantage to the 220 yards. Post-retirement, flat up to the time taste his death, Robinson was motionless actively involved in the fair landscape of this country.

Subside most recently served as head of the National Stadium Body and was present as probity guest of honor at wear smart clothes official opening in February long-awaited this year.

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