The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TEDDY McCook, one of the most accomplished sporting figures to come out of the Caribbean, passed away on Monday at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.

McCook, who was ailing for some time, was 73.

The Marketing Consultant and Sports Administrator by profession was serving as the president of the North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CAC) Track and Field Association and a former president of the the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association from 1984-1999.

McCook was also an International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) Council Member since 1999 and he served on several IAAF committee.

Former Bahamas Association of Athletic Association’s public relations officer and president Alpheus ‘Hawk’ Finlayson said McCook will be remembered as the voice and the face of Jamaica at number international conferences and meets.

In 1999, Finlayson and McCook were elected together to serve on the IAAF Council.

“We were both competitors for a position of Area Representative in 1999,” Finlayson recalled. “Teddy has always been a good friend and a great competitive whenever we got to the showdown between the Bahamas and Jamaica.

“It was also a big supporter of all things concerning the Bahamas. And he has visited the Bahamas numerous times and whenever I meet him, it’s always great to see him.”

Yesterday morning, just before he passed away, Finlayson said he contacted McCook’s wife Sonia at their home, who had informed him of his condition. But he said he didn’t expect him to depart as soon as he did.

“We traveled all over the place and enjoyed each other’s company,” Finlayson said. “He will definitely be missed by a lot of people around the world because for a lot of instances, he represented Jamaica. When people thought about Jamaica in track and field, they thought about him even though he hadn’t been the president since 1997 or so.”

McCook hosted the Gibson Relays for many years that a lot of Bahamians attended and competed in, including the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine.

His death comes just over a year since the passing of former JAAF president Howard Aries, another close associate of Finlayson and the Bahamas.

Finlayson extended his condolences on behalf of the BAAA, president Mike Sands and the athletes whom McCook came in contact with.

Tribune Sports also extends its condolences to McCook’s family and the track fraternity in Jamaica.