Zeno Obi Constance is by far the best in the Caribbean and beyond. This article is part of an attempt to reach, teach, and increase our knowledge and commitment to our development.
Sparrow was dead. Sparrow was killed. Problem with his bladder and a double dose of leukaemia! Worse, two gossip mongers were gossiping and before anybody could ask who they were talking about, a newspaper boy started to shout. “Paper! Extra!/ Read all about it!/ Paper! Yeah! Worse, people all around in places in the Caribbean were crying, bawling, shouting, and upset. Sparrow the great calypsonian was dead and the questions were,
Who kill the Sparrow?”
Nobody know… (“Sparrow dead!”)
If you see this woman (“Sparrow dead!”)
With a flag in she hand (“Sparrow dead!”)
She ban she belly (“Sparrow dead!”)
Telling everybody, “Sparrow dead!”
Who kill the Sparrow? Nobody know… Oy!
Fortunately, Sparrow was still around and alive. He and I actually sang together while we were waiting to fly to other countries from Trinidad. What was incredible for so long after was that Sparrow was still around when Sir Garfield Sobers, the great West Indies Barbados cricketer, and Sparrow’s friend, died. All of us were stunned when we heard that the greatest all-rounder in the Caribbean, if not the entire world, died age 89. His death, only 11 days shy of his 90th birthday, was considered by many as “a great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers.” The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, paid tribute to Sobers in a post on social media. She made it clear that Friday July 17 was declared a day of national mourning, and flags were flown at half-mast. In addition, no official functions took place and a state funeral would follow in the future. But for us in the Caribbean, we remember Sparrow and his song about Sir Garfield Sobers:
Who’s the greatest cricketer on Earth or Mars?
Anyone can tell you, it’s the great Sir Garfield Sobers
The handsome Barbadian lad really know his work
Batting or bowling he’s the cricket king, no joke
Three cheers for Captain Sobers!
Win or lose, the spectators are always pleased
With the greatest team on earth, who else but the West Indies
Men like Butcher, Joe Solomon, Kanhai and Davis
Nurse and Rodriguez, Conrad Hunte and White
Gibbs and the wicket keeper Hendricks
Australia, you lost, the West Indies is boss
The trophy belong to us!
I say you lost, and you know you lost by us!
Australia speak your grind, Australia don’t mind
You lost, better luck next time.
Then one by Anthony Carter (born March 30, 1948), better known a Sir Gabby or simply Gabby, as a Barbadian calypsonian and folk singer, as well as a cultural ambassador for the island of Barbados, sang on behalf of his colleague: “Yes Sir Garry coming from me Gabby/ You de greatest one we could ever see/ But what really made me feel nice for true/ Is when I stand up and watch your own statue…”
My friend, ah could tell you know no pain
Could make Gabby get out there, out the rain
Ah mean you under the things true
The statue looking everything like you
Ah really saw the statue just yesterday
And this is just what I have to see
What Gabby sang just now, it is true
Well I know the statue looking just like you
This is something we will never forget
The ease that you used to play your cricket
And what I say is guarded and true
I wish the West Indies had another like you.
After those leaders, Cy Grant, in 1966 sang, King Cricket/ Sobers with his Chorus:
King Cricket, King Cricket
Garfield Sobers is his name
King Cricket, King Cricket
Sobers is his name
As he said, “Never in cricket history/ Has there been a player like Sobie/ He is the greatest of them all/ The greatest all rounder of them all time/ Greater than Hammond in his prime/ Even the great W. G. Crace/ To Sobers must lose his place.”
And to end it, from the Merrymen, 1971, Garry Sobers, “When a man good, he good/ What a man great, he great/ So I want to assure you/ The kind of trills that he gave us/ The many, many, many times he saved us/ With ingenious bowling and exciting, glorious batting …” HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY!
All of us know the truth, Garfield (Garry) Sobers is the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen! Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.
