The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MULTI-talented Samuel 'Sammy' Gardiner was remembered on Saturday for his role as an "excellent" basketball player, champion table tennis player and a golfer turned "exceptional" administrator.

The former educator and retired Ministry of Tourism executive was laid to rest in Lakeview Memorial Gardens after his funeral service at Zion Baptist Church where host pastor Rev TG Morrison delivered the eulogy. Rev Sampson and Rev Dianna Francis, Pastor of First Baptist Church, presided over the service.

Tributes were made to 72-year-old Gardiner by a number of persons, including Olympian Iram Lewis, now the Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama, long-time friend Valentine Grimes, Rev Dr Simeon Hall and Agatha Delancy. While he was not present, a tribute was also read from Father James Moultrie.

Grimes relived their youthful years when they both played basketball in high school before they both went on to excel at the University of the West Indies, only to return home and continue the trend in the New Providence Basketball Association as they grew their characters.

"Sammy was, in fact, a very talented player and he shot the ball exceptionally well," Grimes stated. "Sammy was a tremendous basketball player." Together, Grimes said they played on a number of championship teams in college and he could remember Gardiner affording him the role as captain when he could easily assume the position because of the skills that he possessed on the team. As a result of their closeness, Grimes said off the court, their families became inseparable.

"He was a true gentleman," summed up Grimes, noting that Gardiner is now in the safe arms of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Rev Hall, noted for his fiery sermons as the Pastor Emeritus of the New Covenant Baptist Church, said a lot of people may not have known, but he was a great table tennis player, whose only desire was to beat Gardiner. He said every time he fell short of a victory over Gardiner, he was politely told to "stick to preaching."

Delancy, representing the Bahamas Golf Federation, said they have lost a giant in an administrator, who spent a lot of time at the Driving Range during his retirement, either improving on his game so that he could be competitive whenever he travelled, or he was busy working behind the scenes trying to further develop the sport.

She noted that it was some 20 to 30 years ago that she got acquainted with Gardiner on the golf course and they were able to develop a bond that she and so many other golfers will cherish for the rest of their lives as they keep the memory of Gardiner alive because he certainly made a difference in the sport.

Lewis, a former sprinter who represented the Bahamas at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, is now swinging the golf club and he admitted that a lot that he learned in playing the sport is attributed to Gardiner, who not only provided him with some tips to enhance his game, but he watched him play in tournaments as he tried to perfect his skills.

"Some people come in your season, some come for a reason and some come for a lifetime," Lewis said. "I can certainly say that Sammy Gardiner came into my life for a lifetime and in the time we spent together, I got a lot of experience from him. I will always remember him."

Gardiner is the brother of renowned Olympic and World Championship track and field coach Rupert Gardiner.