Tony Becca - FROM THE BOUNDARY WEDNESDAY's memorial service to celebrate the life of Alfred Valentine was a touching affair.
On a bright and windy morning, cricket fans gathered at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Kingston to say thank you to one of the greatest cricketers this country and the West Indies have ever produced.
Jackie Hendriks, former player and now president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, reminded the gathering that Valentine was a left-arm spin bowler who was the first West Indian to take 100 wickets in Test cricket.
In his message, Teddy Griffith, president of the West Indies Board, was quoted as saying Valentine contributed to the greatness of West Indies cricket.
"It is not overstating the case to say that the exploits of Alfred Valentine and his immortal partner, Sonny Ramadhin, were decisive to the evolution of West Indies cricket," said Griffith in a message read by the JCA's first vice-president, Paul Campbell.
Without a doubt, Valentine was a great cricketer. As a pioneer, one of those who made the world stand up and applaud West Indies cricket. He was one of those who set the stage for the greatness that came afterwards and deserves a permanent place in the history of West Indies cricket.
To top that, although it has been 54 years since he and Ramadhin, as two unknown 20-year-olds, bowled their first delivery in Test cricket, there has only been one West Indies spin bowler to rank with him and not one left-arm spin even nearly as good.
CELEBRATION
That is greatness and what prompted the JCA to organise the service and also why a number of former Jamaica and West Indies players, a politician or two, friends and fans turned up for the celebration.
It was the gathering of a brotherhood as the people remembered when, where and how Val performed his brilliant feats.
There was, however, one disappointment.
As I sat in the church listening to the glowing tributes and seeing the nods of approval, as well as in the church yard witnessing past players greeting each other and even while driving away, I wondered where were all the players of the recent past and present.
The fans and players present were all from the distant past. There was not one fan, not one player from the present generation. There was none from St. Catherine Cricket Club, where he started playing the game at club level, not from Kensington Cricket Club, where he played for so long and not from Jamaica or the West Indies.
Based on the attitude of the players of today, an attitude that suggests the game started with them, players before them were no good and that the game will end with them, their absence was not surprising.
DISAPPOINTING
As the Reverend Mr. Oswald Tai said in the Homily, even though it is the tendency of the young to forget the past, the absence of today's players was disappointing, very disappointing, and there can be no excuse for it.
In respect for one so great, who, as a player, contributed so much to Jamaica and West Indies cricket. As coach, he contributed so much to the development of young cricketers, some of whom went on to represent Jamaica and the West Indies.
For such a gentlemen, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity should have been packed on Wednesday with cricketers, young and old, whether they knew him or not, if only to say thanks, especially those who are enjoying the fruits of the labour of a pioneer such as Valentine.
Apart from the fact that there should be a bond between those who play the game, a bond that should transcend generations, the cricketers of today particularly those who are being paid to play and are labelled as professionals need to understand and appreciate that, but for players such as Learie Constantine, George Headley, Valentine, Ramadhin and others of the past, they would not now be enjoying such a tradition.
