Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
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Dear Friends,
The first Circular of the New Year 2007, by none other than George Mickiewicz.
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From: "George Mickiewicz" <amickiew@midsouth.rr.com>
Subject: 1956-1962 REFLECTIONS - SPORTS
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 05:35:59 -0600
Continuing with the S……… themes
Thinking back to other MSB highlights, the topic of SPORTS comes up front and centre.
It is a tribute to how one person, Brother Vincent (Mr. Lionel Roberts), could have so much of a positive impact on so many.
He single handily organized the 3 Houses and all the sports that we all competed in the different age groups (football, cricket, tennis, ping pong, basketball, volleyball, Sports Day, Swimming Day, Parents Day, etc.).
When he left us to pursue his new life in Brazil
My love for sports and its competitive spirit that I still possess today was born thanks to Mr. Lionel Roberts.
Before moving on, would also like to recognize that Mr. Roberts made additional significant impacts and contributions to our lives in non sporting related aspects too.
The sights, sounds, feelings, smells and related recollections (again my apologies to those sports heroes that I left out but my brain’s memory bank has “crashed” a few times in the last 45 years) :
Ø The cracking of the bat when David Bratt and Enrique Castells drove a six into the heavens.
The obliteration of the wicket when these friends bowled out an opponent.
The joyful sting on one’s hand and fingers when catching a batsman’s tip coming off a fast ball in one’s outstretched arm.
Ø Ernest Castillo floating sweetly way up above terra firma with his legs bent at the knees and tucked against his derriere, his head looking first left, then right and then dropping the basketball gently into the basket; what a Michael Jordanesque sight!!!!
Ø Ladislao Kertesz lofting the javelin into the sky with the same grace and fierceness that the Greeks displayed in the Trojan Wars.
Ø Peter Laughlin, the shark, winning every single swimming race that he entered by chewing up his competitors.
Ø Gerhard Most diving across the goal and making one of his trademark impossible saves with the tips of his fingers guiding the wall away from potentially contacting the net and deflecting it over the bar for a corner kick instead of what initially appeared to be a sure goal.
Ø Juan Marini crushing the volleyball across into the opponent’s side with gusto and vigour.
Ø Donald Mitchell stubbornly refusing to participate and being clobbered for this unusual attitude among the boys.
Ø Howard Ho smashing a cross-court backhand shot with his opponent gaping in wonder and admiring the impossible-to-return shot.
Ø Roberto Bodington playing and scoring a goal while in tremendous pain and discomfort from boils under both of his armpits.
Ø Manuel Prada running through rather than around an opponent.
Ø Myron Lew, aka Nazi, beating me by the length of his chin in the walking race during Sports Day with the crowd in the stands stomping and cheering their favorite choice.
Ø The joy of playing football on a muddy field while it was raining; it was quite a sight to behold the physical state of the players and their uniforms after one of those games.
Ø Brazilian bikini clad statuesque marvels……I thought that this would gain your attention if you, the reader, were beginning to lose interest.
Ø Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the field playing or competing in the sport du joeur.
This was mandatory but it became voluntary after Mr. Roberts left us.
Ø Very proud to wear the red of Saint Anthony.
Ø Racing against other boys down to the field in my early years to see who would get there first.
Coming back up that steep pathway was quite a challenge.
Sneaking away and taking the long road one and then.
Mr. Roberts was kind enough to take us with him via the long road sometimes.
Ø The pool was a big deal after it was built and opened; by the time I left in ’62 hardly anyone used it.
Ø Volleyball games after lunch led to some very “perfume” odours exuded by the players while they attended the afternoon classes afterwards.
Ø Basketballs rolling down all the way down to the river if a pass or shot at the court happened to go just the wrong way.
Ø Competing against teams from other schools in Trinidad ; my recollection is that MSB usually did not fare very well in these events.
Ø Attending cricket Test Matches in POS.
Recall that Gary Sobers was the top WI player at the time and considered one of the best in the world.
Today I hear that a gentleman by the name of Brian Lara holds that distinction.
Ø Mr. Thomas, the groundskeeper, was keeping everything in tip top shape.
Ø “Parents Day” cricket match; to my surprise beer was served during the “tea” break and each AS player was allowed to drink one beer.
Ø Us “pagnols” playing baseball down in the field as we brought bats, gloves and balls upon returning to MSB from our vacations in the different cities of Venezuela.
In my time, majority of the guys from Venezuela lived in Caracas or the eastern region of Venezuela
Ø Personally, I was not a naturally gifted player but persistent and practiced hard.
This gave me the opportunity to represent the Abbey School (AS) in a few cricket and tennis matches against other teams.
Ø A few weeks ago during a consulting trip to India
It was my first cricket game in 44 years since I left the mount in 1962.
It was a lot of fun and I was undeservedly named the “Most Valuable Player” for displaying a positive attitude and spirit.
Attached are a few pictures describing my “heroic” actions on that day.
Looking back versus what is reported today regarding physical health; it certainly gave us the basis and foundation to be healthier young men and provided us with a better physical shape to start our lives with than most children are able to have in today’s world.
Sports also played an important part of my formation in that it taught me the importance of teamwork and the recognition that many working together and focusing on one goal will always be more successful than just one person working alone to attain the same goal.
A philosophy that I applied successfully to the different environments in which I have been involved in life (family, church, community, work).
Be blessed, be good and be safe y’all,
George
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[THE FOLLOWING INQUIRY CANNOT BE MET.
The photo in question was copied from a jubilee booklet, thus the microdots that are used in printing photos.
The scale is as large as possible under the circumstance. Ed]
Hello Jan,
This I believe to be the first one you request a copy of, and which you title "Brothers of MSB".
I got it from Ladislao's Circular, so it will not be a very strong copy.
I do not have an original scan.
Perhaps we can find out from Ladislao where he got it and ask the owner of the original to let us have a copy of the original.
Don
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From: Gmail Jan
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 5:30 AM
Hello Don,
I mean these pictures.
I think I got the larger ones too, I am not sure, but this is what I copied.
If you have bigger ones of these with the names I would be very glad.
Yesterday I mailed my class-picture to Ladislao to show in the circulars, but it is a lot larger.
Only this picture I scanned big for good quality and reduced it to 3 Megabytes.
I put it in a separate mail.
If the mailing fails I will reduce it and try again.
Tonight I will be off to Munich
Groeten van Jan
(The copy was received. Ed.)
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From: Don Mitchell CBE QC
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 2:53 AM
Subject: Newcomer newsletter
Hello Jan,
Thank you for forwarding this message to Ladislao.
The photos on the website can be enlarged just by clicking on them.
Some of them will still not enlarge to the extent that I have stored them in .jpg.
If you let me know which ones specifically you would like to see, I could email them to you.
All the best,
Don
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We shall wait for the next S topic, coming soon in your favourite Circular.
FEBRUARY.
Thanks to George for the Cricket photos, he is the only ALUMNI that played and had photos taken.
I am sure Nylon must have some?? Enrique Castells some others?
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photos in this issue:
06GM0001GMIIND, George Mickiewicz, bowling
06GM0002GMIIND, George Mickiewicz, on the ground
06GM0003GMIIND, George Mickiewicz, dough out
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