Barbados declares days of national mourning in memory of cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados declared Friday a day of national mourning following the earlier death of former West Indies cricketer and National Hero Sir Garfield St Aubyn Sobers.

He died at his home at the age of 89.

“Sir Garfield Sobers has completed his final innings, but his legacy will forever endure in the hearts of our region, and in the story of the cricketing world,” said President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow.

Sobers played 93 Tests between 1954 and 1974, scored 8,032 runs and took 235 wickets.

He scored 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958 at Sabina Park in Jamaica, a record that stood for 36 years until it was broken by Trinidad and Tobago batsman Brian Lara.

“The Government of Barbados has declared today, July 17, a day of national mourning. There will also be a day of national mourning on the day of the interment of Sir Garfield Sobers,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a radio and television broadcast.

“On these two days, there will be no official functions. The flag will be immediately flown at half-staff and will remain so until the interment of Sir Garry. Further information regarding the place and date of the state funeral and all other arrangements will be provided by Senator Lisa Cummins, who has been given the responsibility of coordinating the funeral with the Cabinet Office and the Barbados Defence Force,” a sombre Mottley said.

“Sir Garry, Barbados stands for you. The West Indies stands for you. The world stands for you. For an innings that was so well played, Sir Garry. So well played. We will always love you,” Mottley added.

Sir Garry passed away at his home in Highgate Gardens, 11 days shy of his 90th birthday.

Considered the greatest all-rounder in the sport's history, his son Daniel, who was at his father's side at the time of his death, said he had been ailing for some time.

“His breathing had increased and we had him on oxygen. I couldn't believe how powerful he was; he just refused to go.”

Mottley said that for every corner of the world, “this is a solemn hour for our nation,” as she announced the death of “our beloved Sir Garry”.

“Across Barbados and across the world, we hold him with gratitude, with reverence, and with a tender sorrow that comes when the people have to say farewell to one of their greatest sons.

“Sir Garfield St Aubyn Sobers, our Sir Garry, did not begin life among privilege or parade. He began in Walcott Avenue, Bayland, a boy of Barbados, shaped by family, community, loss, discipline and faith,” Mottley said, noting that he had travelled from Kensington Oval to Sabina Park in Jamaica and “on to the world stage, carrying his country, Barbados, carrying the West Indies, and carrying the Caribbean as a whole with distinction.

“Long before people spoke about the GOAT, the greatest of all time, the Mighty Sparrow settled the debate in song. He asked, 'Who is the greatest cricketer on Earth or Mars?' Anyone can tell you it is the great Sir Garfield Sobers,” she quoted from Sparrow's tune.

Mottley said that Sir Garry is remembered as the greatest cricketer, the greatest all-rounder the world has ever seen, not simply because of his records, but because he became the standard by which greatness would forever be measured.

“We remember the image of Sir Garry kneeling less than a mile from where he was born to receive his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth, knowing full well that his people had already crowned him in their hearts.

“For many years, Sir Garry was our only living National Hero, though the world had already recognised him long before we in Barbados made it official,” she said, adding, “Every innings, however great, must at some point come to a close.

“The finest innings do not end in silence. They end with a whole ground rising and with a grateful people saying, 'Thank you,' and, 'Yes, we love you,'” Mottley said, extending condolences to Sir Garry's children, grandchildren and other relatives.

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