Cricket Hall of Fame, First in the World 37th Annual Induction Ceremony
Mark D. Milward, MBA, AMP Director, Public Relations & Media Chair West Indian Social Club of Hartford, Inc. October 31, 2018
The 37th Annual Induction ceremony was held on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the Hilton Hotel, Jamaica New York. Honored and inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame on this day were the distinguished records of Dave Cameron (President of CWI), Councilman Alan Maisel (NY Councilman), Jimmy Adams (Fmr. West Indies Captain), Richard Staple (Fmr. USA Captain), Trevor Walke (well-known NY cricketer), Shah Zafar (cricket administration Canada), Rudy Persaud (President Eastern American Cricket Association), Byron Chambers (Founder, Cornwall Cricket Club, NY), John Mitchell (Pioneer Cricket Club NY), John Melbourne (NY Radio Announcer), Leonard Chambers (Jamaica & West Indies Rep.), Fitzroy Hayles (Fmr. President USA Cricket Umpires Assn.), and Curtis Clarke, (Fmr. President, Connecticut Cricket League).
The Cricket Hall of Fame, first in the world is located in Hartford, Connecticut. Michael Chambers, Executive Director hosted the event welcoming the latest inductees in the Hall of Fame.
The Cricket Hall of Fame was founded in 1981 in Hartford with a mandate to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport and to assist in helping foster growth and development in the United States.
The first recorded cricket match took place in Kent, England in 1646 and Connecticut cricket dates back to 1885, when a game was played between the Hartford Cricket Club and the UK based Norley Hall Cricket Club. Cricket is played in 142 countries and Connecticut is one of the top ten states in the US in terms of popularity of cricket.
The induction ceremony was witnessed by an audience of well over 300 which included cricketers, cricket fans and dignitaries from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ontario Canada, Pennsylvania, Florida as well as Jamaica and other parts of the country. Proclamations and citations were sent from the Hon. Nick Perry 58th Assembly district, Brooklyn, Hon. Luke Bronin, Mayor City of Hartford, Suzette DeBeatham-Brown, Mayor of Bloomfield, Ct., and Howard Berger, Vice Mayor City of Lauderhill, Fl. On hand for the evening to assist in presenting awards and the recipient of the Cricket Hall of Fame Appreciation Award was US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY).
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and author of his latest book, “Cricket without a Cause” was in attendance as a guest speaker. Sir Hilary who was inducted in February 2017 at a special function held at the Hall of Fame, received his Hall of Fame ring on this occasion. In addition to serving on several board director positions and holding credentials as an accomplished playwright, Sir Hilary has lectured extensively in Europe the Americas, Africa and Asia.
Dave Cameron, President of Cricket West Indies, (CWI) expressed encouragement on the performance of CWI in recent play anticipates significant support for the team and also the WINDIES Women who are the defending World Twenty 20 Champions.
Receiving the Presidential Award was Bishop Riley (Freedom Hall Church of God) and Dennis Hawthorne (Dennis Shipping, Brooklyn, NY).
A special award was presented to Executive Director Michael Chambers by the Cricket Council USA for his many years of service and support to the organization.
Hall of Famer Joe Solomon, famous for the tied test in Australia back in the late 1950s, received his Hall of Fame Blazer from Mahadio Ajodhi and Attorney Brian Ajodhi.
Patrons donated $2000 to the Cricket Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund which will support the newly instituted program at the University of the West Indies aimed at assisting cricketers in achieving their advanced education. The first recipient of the program is Stephan Pink. Stanford Walker, who was not able to attend the program due to illness, made a donation of $1000 from his hospital bed at Hartford Hospital, via satellite communications.
Full coverage of the event was recorded by “The Jamaica Diaspora Show®” and a DVD of the event can be obtained by contacting the Cricket Hall of Fame in Hartford, Ct. and providing a $20 dollar donation.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to the New York Cricket Hall of Fame Committee and the President of the West Indies Cricket Board and Mohammad Qureshi, President and CEO of Cricket Council USA of Florida, who live streamed the event throughout the West Indies on MAQTV.COM.
