Old
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Old Articles
Football 1953
Old
Photographs
If anyone can help us identify any of
the individuals in the above photographs or if they have
photographs that would be appropriate for this
collection please send to:
KEN DAVIS
Chairman
253 Front Road
L’Orginal, On.
Canada
K0B 1K0
613-675-4414
e-mail turton-osborne@hotmail.com
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Old Articles
FOOTBALL. 1953
By R. R. from THE OLYMPIAN
IT IS a source of
great pleasure and joy to record from the citadel of
time over the panorama of the past, the achievements and
events of 'yester-year'. It was truly a memorable year
for Naparima in the field of 'Sport'. Before doing so,
however, I wish to pay tribute to some of 'our 'Football
Greats' who are still in 'Active Service'. Such players
as Noel Daniel, lan Seale, Bertrand Hills, Sam Joseph,
Toy Amarali and Son Ramroop have all had their muddy
baths on 'Naparima Swamp' at Broadway. Despite such
adverse conditions, they have gained selection on
'Representative Sides'. Since they have played under
such conditions, why can't you?
Boys of Naparima
and friends of our football team, I write not to praise
our victorious team but to record in our worthy magazine
the achievement of 'Captain' Carl Osborne and his band
of footballers who brought HONOUR. FAME, AND THE
CUTTERIDGE CUP to good 'Old Naps' after a lapse of ten
years. By a process of deduction our team can be
regarded as the 'Team Of The Year' in inter-College
soccer in Trinidad. Naparima defeated Presentation and
Q.R.C. in no uncertain manner. St. Mary's defeated Q.R.C.;
Q.R.C. defeated Fatima; but in an unofficial match
Presentation defeated St. 'Mary's. THEREFORE - WHAT? -
Q.E.D.
In 1953. Presentation and Naparima made Soccer History
at Skinner Park. Four games were played to decide the
winners of the coveted Cutteridge Cup. It was finally
captured by Naparima after four thrilling and gruelling
games. The figures were 1-1, 2-2, 2-2 and 1-0. By
winning this coveted trophy, Naparima qualified to meet
St. Mary's for the COW AND GATE CUP - EMBLEM OF SOCCER
SUPREMACY IN TRINIDAD. We are happy to record that
although we lost the game by a very wide margin, yet we
were not disgraced.
The year 1953
proved to be the best year ever within the last decade
in the history of football at Naparima. In addition to a
win over Presentation, we beat Q.R.C. by one goal to nil
in our annual fixture.
In our first game
against Presentation we played very good football by
adopting the third back system. Carl Osborne proved to
be the undoubted hero of the game; he scored with a
penalty kick in the first half. Presentation equalised
with a shot from Crawford late in the second half.
It was hard luck
for our boys; they should have won easily, but poor
shooting caused many goals to go abegging. Our second
game ended in a deadlock. Presentation dominated for
almost an hour; they gave indication of coming out
winners, but a very timely bullet from 'SONO'-"Dry
foot" Rambarransingh found the nets almost at full
time. Presentation led by one goal up to the 59th
minute; the game ended in dramatic fashion:
Rambarransingh was truly the hero of the game: Such
ending reminded me of the saying - There's many a slip
betwixt the cup and the lip. Hats off to 'Ramber'.
The third game
ended like the second. OUR VICTORY FLAG WAS BROUGHT OUT
IN THE 58th MINUTE; OUR MINIATURE COFFIN WAS SHOWN'TO
PRESENTATION; NAPARIMA HAD THE GAME IN THE BIG 'BAG':
Naparima led 2 to nil, according to a familiar latin
quotation 'Sed spec non fracta. est'. Presentation
fought back. In an instant there was a roar;
Presentation scored: SPECTATORS SCREAMED : Naparima's
defence cracked; Presentation scored again: More roaring
and screaming; the whistle was blown with the score at
2-2. THE SHOUT WAS, NAPARIMA: 'GO HOME'. NAPARIMA WENT
HOME WITH HEADS BOWED.
In our fourth and
final game we captured the Cutteridge Cup by a 1-0
victory. Clever play at centre-half by Carl Osborne;
good goal-keeping by Fred Thornhill, and a fine
combination by Barrow, Maharaj and G. Ballah helped to
bring victory to us. It was definitely and truly a
beautiful header by 'BIG HEAD GEORGE BALLAH' which
gave Naparima a well deserved victory, a WHOLE DAY
HOLIDAY; and a RIGHT TO MEET ST. MARY'S COLLEGE FOR THE
COW AND GATE CUP AT PORT-OF-SPAIN.
In our League
games, we gave a good account of ourselves. We gained a
convincing victory over a strong Oxford combination in a
Samaroo Memorial Fixture at. Skinner Park; the score was
3-0; George Ballah, V. Henry and R. Rambarransingh
scored one each. Our Intermediate side won two and drew
two games R. Grant, Zackoor, .Junior Ward, Wright, Edgar
McDonald and McDonald showed great promise. We are not
unmindful of the juniors who were given every kind of
encouragement and advice by the Games Master. We
hopefully look forward to see such youngsters as the
Kemkeran Brothers, R. Shah, A. Dymally, against very
strong combinations. Parris, Ramnath and Raffic-ali on
our future College eleven.
Among the Junior
teams, Hotspurs was the most outstanding. They won the
Master's Shield with a very good record. A report by F.
Kemkeran states in part: Hotspurs was formed by an
enthusiastic group of footballers from form 3B. The team
gained entry in the Junior League Competition. Although
they were newcomers they achieved an unbeaten record for
that season.
In conclusion our
boys wish to thank the Old Boys Association for the
medals presented to the footballers of 1953. Our present
players hope that the same thing will be done in 1954.
Football Colours were also presented to the members of
the football team.
VICTORS—1953
Fred Thornhill,
V. Henry, M. Byam, J. Barrow, H. Baptiste, S. Maharaj,
H. Bobb,
R. Rambarransingh, Carl Osborne, G. Ballah, S. Ramsankar,
D. Chadee
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