The Sunday Gleaner, December 2, 2007. p. B5

M�:ke�f�Y�at ruly great Jamaican

ON MONDAY evening, I was "in chased and caught in the race of his my bedroom watching one of my life, was going great guns at 46.3. favourite western movies when my To me, however, McKenley's wife shouted to me from the sitting greatness went beyond the track. room: "Tony, Tony, Herb Very few who were so great in the McKenley is dead'.'. arena contributed so much away "What?" I shouted back. from it asMcKenley did as a coach "Herb McKenley is dead. It just to Calabar High School and to came on the news," she replied. . A lump rose in· my throat, goose As a motivator to Jamaican pimples covered my skin and I athletes from all walks of life and as closed my eyes for a few moments. an administratorin Jamaica and while Herb had been ailing for some serving the InternationalAssociation time so obviously it was not a of Athletics Federations, McKenley surprise. It was, nevertheless, a was one of a kind - the kind who shock.Although he was ill for some inspired others to greatness, who time, McKenley was one of those opened the doors of opportunity to men who were so great you almost others so that they may also achieve, believed he could never die and that and who gave of his time and his he would live forever. money to those in need. THE GREATEST I will never ever forget that rainy night at the airport in Canton, As an athlete, a China, in 197 3 when, with the athlete, he was the greatest this Jamaica table tennis team stuck country has ever produced. As a because of the weather, the Chinese sportsman, he was, along with liaison officer for the Jamaica tearri cricketer George Headley, came to me and started asking ·1umbered among the two greatest questions aboutJamaica. his country has ever produced. As He asked ,every question possible ·· as the whole wide world is ' before asking me where did table oncerned, he is, all things tennis, as a sport, rank in Jamaica? I considered, from the to ticked them off as cricket first -in the 400m, arguably the greatest those days - followed by football, all sprinter of time. and by the time I had finished In winning a silver medal in the saying track and field, the little lOOm at the Helsinki Olympics in Chinese man shouted, "Ah, 1952, in winning silver medals in McKenley, Wint,Helsinki, 1952." the 400m at both the London This was the man who did not Olympics in 1948 and the Helsinki know where in the world Jamaica Olympics, Herb, was located, did who lost the not know · short in a whether Jamaica controversial Tony was hot or cold photo-finish to Becca and did not American Lindy know who the Remigino and prime minister the one-lap FROM THE BOUNDARY of Jamaica was. events in two I will also surprise results never forget that day some fiveot to countrymen and six years ago, when, after the , never won an Rotary Club of Kingston had made individual gold medal at the a presentation to McKenley at one Olympic Games. of its regular monthly luncheons at However, in becoming the first a New Kingston hotel, when, after man to run the 400m under 46 the president of the club had asked seconds, in breaking the world for friends of the members to stand record for the 440 yards and the and be introduced, a visitor got up 400m on a number of occasions, in and introduced himself. The visitor becoming the -only man in the was uninvited. history of the Olympic Games to MEMORIES reach the finals of the 100, 200 and the 400m, and after finishing in According to him, he was from ourth position in the 200 in Finland, he was at the stadium in 1Jondon, after also becoming the Helsinki in 1952 when McKenley only man in the history of the ran that memorable relay leg, he Games to win medals in both the had vowed on that day that one day 100 and the 400, McKenley, who he would visit the land of won a gold medal in Jamaica's McKenley the land that produced world record-breaking run in the McKenley -he had finally made it. 4x400m relay in Helsinki, left He was at the luncheon because he behind a record almost .second to read in the newspapers that morning none - and especially so after his that McKenley was being honoured magnificent run in that relay. at a luncheon and he decided to buy After losing the 400 race once a ticket and, after all the years, say again, after failing to deliver twice thank you to the man who ran the in his pet event, after that one black greatest racehe had ever seen. mark on his illustrious career and To the Honourable Herbert left with one last chance to win a McKenley, OJ., O.M., thank you gold medal at the Olympic Games, for all the memories, for your McKenley, grabbing the baton on unforgettable contribution (on and the third leg from Les Laing 15 offthe track) to Jamaica's greatness metres behind Charlie Moore of the in the field of spotts, and for your U.S. ran the race of his life and, assistance in the development of.so after clocking an amazing, an many Jamaicans, on and off the unbelievable 44.6 seconds, handed track. Rhoden the baton one stride ahead You will be remembered as a of .The rest is history. truly great Jamaican. That golden run, in a word record 3:03.9 on Sunday, July 27, is best WHAT'S YOUR appreciated when it is remembered that Wint clocked 46.8, Laing VIEW? 4 7.00, Rhoden 45.5, and that LET US HEAR F..ROM YOU :V 'ore, the man who McKenley Fax:922'·6223 or email: editor@gleane�m.com

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