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Tributes light up Gerry's final innings

Published:Monday | May 2, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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The celebration in thanksgiving for the life of Franz 'Gerry' Alexander held at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Old Hope Road, on Saturday, April 30. (From left) former West Indies Cricket Board President Pat Rousseau; Jamaica Cricket Association President Paul Campbell; Alva Anderson, president of Kingston Cricket Club; and Emile Spence, Jamaica National Building Society executive, business development and research, pay their last respects to the former West Indies Test great. - photos by Winston Sill
Wavell Hinds (left), former West Indies batsman and treasurer of the West Indies Players Association, and Easton McMorris, another former Jamaica and West Indies representative, pay their due at the 'Celebration in Thanksgiving' for the life of Franz 'Gerry' Alexander.
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Former Windies captain awarded Frank Worrell Noble Spirit Award

Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

Hundreds of family and friends, mostly cricket fans, turned up at Sts Peter &Paul Church on Saturday afternoon to say thank you and farewell to former Jamaica and West Indies captain and wicketkeeper/batsman Franz 'Gerry' Alexander; and to their delight they left with something to cheer.

In the midst of a glowing tribute to Alexander, Jackie Hendriks, a colleague, teammate and friend, a former Jamaica and West Indies wicketkeeper, announced that Alexander had been awarded the Frank Worrell Noble Spirit Award.

The award, presented annually by the Frank Worrell Memorial Committee, which is chaired by Professor Baldwin Mootoo of Trinidad and Tobago, was awarded to Alexander before his death and was scheduled to be presented to him in June at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

The award will now be presented posthumously during the first Test match between the West Indies and India at Sabina Park.

significant award

The Noble Spirit Award, presented to commemorate the memory of the former West Indies captain, Frank Worrell, is awarded to a cricketer who "has contributed significantly to cricket and has espoused the values, principles and leadership skills which distinguished Sir Frank".

The criteria for the award also includes "performances as a cricketer that can be described as excellent or outstanding", and a cricketer that "has carried oneself with dignity, displayed integrity, courage and commitment as a team player and enhanced the reputation and image of cricket".

The thanksgiving service for the life of Gerry Alexander was a memorable affair as members of the Wolmer's family, the Kingston Cricket Club family, and the sports fraternity in general, turned out in huge numbers to say thank you to a man who served Wolmer's, Cambridge University, Kingston Club, Jamaica and the West Indies in sports such as cricket, football, hockey, track and field, tennis and boxing.

Among those present were Pat Rousseau, former president of the West Indies Cricket Board; Paul Campbell, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association; Easton McMorris, former Jamaica captain and West Indies representative; and Wavell Hinds, former Jamaica captain and West Indies representative.

wonderful stories

Apart from the tribute by Hendriks, during which he recalled some wonderful off-the-field stories which characterised Alexander the cricketer, there was one from the veterinary community which was read by Grace McDonnough-Lyon and the remembrance, which was delivered by Gerry's nephew, Phillip Alexander.

The vets praised Alexander for his brilliant and unselfish work as a veterinary surgeon; and his nephew remembered him as a "proud Jamaican, a staunch Wolmerian, an accomplished sportsman, a dedicated and loving family man, a loyal friend and an enthusiastic mentor to many".

He was also remembered as "intolerant of laziness and mediocrity", as a "disciplined, principled individual and the consummate gentleman", and as one who "displayed a true love and passion for cricket and gave his all for the good of the game".