The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BUSINESSMAN and golfer Craig Flowers has called this one of the most difficult periods of his life, having lost his childhood friend and sporting legend Prince 'Zorro' Stubbs on Christmas Eve.

Stubbs, 80, died at the Princess Margaret Hospital as a result of a stomach cancer.

"I had the fortunate acquaintance of knowing this young man, who at the time, was not Zorro," said Flowers about their connection at the age of 13 growing up on two separate corners.

"We grew up, not just as friends, but as family. Neither of us had a mother growing up. Prince lived with his aunt in Ross Corner and I lived my dad in Quakoo Street, then known as Laid Street. That made us bond even closer together."

Reflecting on their journey through life, Flowers said he got attached to Stubbs through his association with Flowers' older brother, Arnold. During those days they were able to frequent Flowers' father's restaurant, bar and pool parlour where everybody was attracted to the game of billiards or pool.

"The thing I remembered was Prince was allowed to go in and play pool, but I wasn't because I was a little too young," Flowers recalled. "He would tell me how good he was and sure enough, he became one of the most dominant pool players in the country.

"He played on several tournaments in the pool parlour. I eventually got to travel with Prince and another dear friend Ivan James, who got the permission from my father, like Prince, for me to travel with. Ivan's credentials were his father was the Rev CB James on Market Street."

At the time they were growing up as a foursome, Flowers said they all got their nicknames as they travelled to the various tournaments around the island, dressing up and walking alike, not just playing sports, but participating in stakes and kite flying competitions.

The late James, according to Flowers, was responsible for coining Stubbs' nickname 'Zorro' after the television character, who was dressed in black with a mask covering his face. He said James was impressed with Stubbs' smooth black complexion.

Stubbs, at the time, was nicknamed 'Death' because of his diagnosed with asthma. Arnold Flowers, who was a skinny boy, was aka 'Skinny." Ask for Craig Flowers, who developed long legs with his short pants on, was given the name "Lizzy."

Flowers said it was Stubbs who encouraged his brother to go to college in Canada and study chemistry because they were always enthused about what was going on around them and Flowers eventually went to Chicago to study. Stubbs was unfortunate to go, but Flowers said they remained closely connected.

"Zorro was also one of the country's best cricket players. He went to four times that went to Jamaica and two teams that went to the Turks and Caicos Islands," Flowers said.

"I went on two of them. Zorro was a devastating spin bowler and a great batsman. He was the key person in any victory that we had because of his great bowling."

At the time, there was also table tennis where the ex patriators came to town for jobs as Policemen to play. Within three years, Flowers said he got to watch as Stubbs emerged as the top Bahamian tennis player in the country.

From there, they went to the driving range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Center where they played pool and table tennis. That eventually led to them getting associated with golf and as they say, the rest was history.

"Like any other sport he got involved in, Zorro excelled to the top," Flowers said. "He would look at his opponents' weakness and he beat you by taking advantage of their weakness. He had a tenacity to look at his opponent and found a way to bat him.

"He always believed that before the game was over, there was going to be a door opening for victory."

Considered a "giant of a man," Flowers said Stubbs will be remembered for the way he changed the scenic view of sports for so many people in general, whom he came in contact with on a daily basics.

"After he started to develop stomach cancer and he started to lose weight, he never tried to put any pressure on anybody," Flowers said. "Three days before he was admitted to hospital, I had to break down the door to his apartment after I hadn't seen or heard from him and I found him unconscious on the ground.

"He spent two weeks conscious with his family, but the doctors were really realistic with his chances to recover. He had gone past any position of repairing or anything else. He had lost too much weight. I was there three days before he passed and I went there the night before."

During their final union, Flowers said Stubbs was very alert and in a jovial mood and they laughed and joked about everything from their childhood days to their times together as adults. Flowers said Stubbs advised him to thank Bruce LaFleur and the boys, Horace Miller and Kevin Marche thanks for everything they did for him.

"As I walked away, he said 'Lizzy,' I appreciate everything. I said no big deal and I walked away at about 10:30 pm that Saturday night," Flowers recalled. "Sunday morning around 9:30 am, his daughter called and said the nurse wanted the family to come right away. She called about 15 minutes later to say he passed away."

Flowers said he immediately went to the hospital to confirm thedeath of his long-time friend and confident.