The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IF we are going to go so far back to honour and recognise Sir Sidney Poitier for his contributions to the fine arts, then why can’t we go back in time and do the same thing for Sir Durward ‘Sea Wolf’ Knowles in sports?

Knowles, who will celebrate his 95th birthday on November 2, has not only made a significance in the development of sports - both as a competitor and an administrator - but in the country as a whole as a philanthropist and a true nationalist, regardless of the side of the political party in power.

While there has been much debate since the announcement that the new Paradise Island Bridge and the National Center for the Performing Arts will be named in honour of Poitier on November 1-2 during the lead up to the nation’s 40th Independence celebrations, I’m sure there won’t be much argument for anything that will bear the name of Knowles.

Considering the fact that he lives on the Eastern Road and he has an affinity for sailing, two things quickly come to mind.

Firstly, why not rename the Eastern Road the Sir Durward Knowles Way, the Sir Durward Knowles Drive, the Sir Durward Knowles Road or the Sir Durward Knowles Highway.

Then secondly, the new Arawak Cay Port Development, Potter’s Cay or even Montagu Beach could also be recommended as a venue for Knowles.

I don’t think there is any other Bahamian with the kind of national and international acclaim like Knowles, who has been able to transcend beyond all political and racial barriers to make the kind of impact that he has made over the years. Yet, he has not been given any type of national acclaim in the form of anything named in his honour.

Yes, he has been knighted in 1996 and awarded the Bahamas’ Order of Merit.

But there should be more given to Knowles, who won a gold medal with the late Cecil Cooke at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Prior to that, Knowles teamed up with the late Sloane Farrington to win a bronze medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Maybe, as the government looks at honouring Poitier, who in 1963 was the first black person to win an Academy Award for best actor in his role in Lillies of the Field, they could consider a special honour for Knowles, who also made history as the first competitor to have made an appearance in six or more Olympics.

If John F Kennedy Drive could be re-named the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway for her achievement as an Olympic gold medallist and World champion and the baseball, softball, swimming and basketball arenas bear the names of Andre Rodgers, Churchill Tener-Knowles, Betty Kelly Kenning and Kendal Isaacs, there’s no reason why Durward Knowles can’t be considered.

At the same time, we might as well put in a plug for the ailing Elisha Obed, who in 1975 became the first Bahamian to capture a world boxing title when he defeated Miguel de Oliveira for the World Boxing Council (WBC) light middleweight title in Paris, France.

Obed, now 60, has been one of our unsung heroes that certainly deserves his national recognition.

If we can revisit and honour Poitier, let’s take a look at doing the same for sporting personalities like Knowles and Obed.