Staff Writer - Carey Christian
Sir Frank Worrell’s leadership continued even after his retirement from West Indies cricket. Frank Worrell served as Warden at Irvine Hall in the University of the West Indies from 1961-1967, was appointed to the Jamaican Senate and was knighted for his services to cricket in 1964. He went on to managing the West Indies Team in the 1964/65 Australia series in the Caribbean and the winter tour of India in 1966/67. Unfortunately the great man died in 1967 after being diagnosed with leukaemia. Sir Frank Worrell’s memorial service was performed at Westminster Abbey, the first sports man to be bestowed this honour. What did Frank Worrell represent? Sir Frank represented excellence, leadership, consciousness, pride and the clear recognition that he was a Caribbean man of African origin at a time when such a move would not merely have normally been discouraged, but even punished. This passion according to Sir Hilary Beckles ‘made him attuned to the historical and ideological nature of his location within West Indies cricket.’ He was diplomatic but firm, a Caribbean intellectual and in the words of Richie Benaud a ‘good tactician of the game’. Sir Frank Worrell challenged the West Indies Cricket Board and championed the cause of better wages for the players. The young and dynamic Worrell struggled against the board, leading to him being severely criticized in his home country, Barbados. The Board saw him as an arrogant and radical upstart. This was one reason why he decided
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to leave Barbados and settle in Jamaica and Trinidad where the societies seemed more liberal and accommodating to his beliefs in honesty and racial justice. Sir Frank’s work continued after cricket. He served as an administrator at the University of the West Indies and later became manager of the West Indies Cricket team. Worrell lobbied for Caribbean integration, supporting the failed West Indian Federation. He was seen as the man who brought together a much divided ‘Windies’ team. Another cricketing superstar, Brian Lara, in a YouTube interview said this about Worrell: ‘Sir Frank paved the way for the success of the West Indies in the 70s and 80s; he was definitely the man who laid the foundation for our rise to glory.’ Sir Frank Worrell was a true Caribbean patriot, a committed captain, resilient individual despite the many challenges he faced.
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