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A Caribbean Hero Personified – The UWI Celebrates The Centennial Birthday of Sir Frank Worrell

For Release Upon Receipt - August 22, 2024

St. Augustine


 

ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. August 22, 2024 – The UWI St. Augustine Academy of Sport (SAAS) commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of Sir Frank Worrell, one of the Caribbean’s most legendary cricketers, through a lecture delivered by leading cricket historian Vaneisa Baksh. Titled “A Caribbean Hero – On and Off the Field,” this lecture marks the inaugural edition of the SAAS Public Lecture Series, which will take place on Saturday 24 August, 2024 at The UWI St. Augustine Campus.

At the much-anticipated lecture, Baksh will reveal the rich history of Worrell’s short life (1 August 1924–13 March 1967), his undeniable impact upon the Caribbean, and debunk the pervasive myths surrounding his legacy by reading excerpts of her acclaimed biography, “Sir Frank Worrell: Son of Grace.” The 2023 book was shortlisted for The Cricket Society and MCC Book of the Year Award as well as The Charles Tyrwhitt Cricket Book of the Year Award, which is held in partnership with the Sunday Times.

Attendees can look forward to details about the difficulty Worrell encountered as the first black man officially appointed West Indian captain for the famous 1960–61 tour of Australia in the face of rampant racism. Worrell’s continued grace in his play, style, and demeanour will also be examined, as well as how his “natural authority” and generosity allowed him to transition into an exemplary leader on and off the field.

In Baksh’s own words, “As we mark a century since the birth of Frank Worrell on August 1, 1924, it is fitting that we reflect on his remarkable contribution to West Indian society. He embodied the qualities that were seen as ideal for a citizen of the modern world, and as we tumble down a road of despair and disappointment over the way our own civilisation is degenerating, it is worth recalling the presence and personage of the man who was a legend in his time."

Baksh will be joined by Dr Ronald Noel of The UWI St Augustine’s Department of History. Dr Noel's areas of historical expertise include Secret Societies, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Pan-Africanism.

The Sir Frank Worrell Public Lecture will be from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (noon) at the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) Lounge. This FREE lecture is open to the general public, staff, students, cricket-enthusiasts, and regionalists alike. There also will be an opportunity for audience questions to be addressed. To reserve your seat, please contact Bernadette Antoine at 662-2002 ext. 84381 or email bernadette.antoine@sta.uwi.edu or click the link here: https://bit.ly/UWI-SirFrankWorrell

About The UWI’s St Augustine Academy of Sport (SAAS)

The UWI’s St Augustine Academy of Sport (SAAS) is one of three that fall under the purview of the Faculty of Sport. Previously known as departments, the four academies (also at Cave Hill, Mona, and the Open Campus) represent a new era of commitment by the university to the potential of sport in the region. For more, please visit https://uwi.edu/sport/

About Vaneisa Baksh

Vaneisa Baksh is a former journalist and cricket historian. Her MPhil thesis in Cultural Studies at the St Augustine campus, was titled, “The Journey towards West Indian Identity, through the Eyes of the Cricketer.” She is the author of “Son of Grace,” a biography of Sir Frank Worrell, which was published at the end of 2023 by Fairfield Books in the UK. The book has received several positive reviews from local and international cricket writers.

About Dr Ronald Noel

Dr Noel is the holder of a PhD in history from Howard University, Washington, DC. His areas of special research interest include The Black Diaspora and History of the United States, among others. Dr Noel has taught numerous students in the United States of America and Trinidad and Tobago at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

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About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier, higher education institution. One of only two regional universities in the world, it comprises five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE).

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

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