The Tribune

BAHAMIAN sporting icon Keith Parker, MBE, received another accolade in recognition of his legendary career, this time from the squash community as the sports continues its resurgence in The Bahamas.

Four Walls Squash and Social Club dedicated its championship centre court in Parker’s honour at an official ceremony last night hosted at the Village Road Complex. Parker, internationally renowned for his contributions to many sports, highlighted by athletics, was also a local pioneer in squash.

The Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame member was twice local squash national champion, three times national veterans champion, Caribbean veterans champion, semi-finalist in the 1977 World Squash Veterans championships, and twice runner–up in the US Open Age Group Championships.

He was instrumental in establishing a local home for the sport at the former Squash Club on Village Road in 1975. Now renovated as the Four Walls Club also includes three squash courts, boutique fitness studios.

Four Walls presented Parker with a plaque detailing his contributions to the sport to be mounted at the court named in his honour, along with a lifetime membership at the club.

“I appreciate the honour and the lifetime membership,” Parker told the crowd of supporters at Four Walls.

“Squash is a wonderful sport, an easy sport to learn and one of the best to promote national fitness.”

Parker said he was introduced to the squash in 1951 and brought his love for the sport with him when he came to The Bahamas in 1959.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, said that the multi-talented Parker is responsible for the development of many Bahamian sports, from his profile involvement in athletics to his pioneering efforts in squash.

“Keith Parker is a giant of a man in the sporting arena and has truly earned the title of ‘a man of all seasons’..of all the sports he has played or coached, it can be argued that perhaps he loved squash the most.” he said.

“This facility has been beautifully renovated and creatively renewed and rebranded.

“It is a pleasure for me as a minister and the executives of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, to see that the new principles of this facility demonstrates its appreciation for the valuable contribution of Mr Parker for this sport and sports development.”

Throughout his athletic career, Parker also represented England and Great Britain in the decathlon and long jump in athletics, played soccer for 3rd division team Bury, cricket for his home town of Morecambe, rugby for the Vale of Lune Rugby Club, and during his national service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) competed in the RAF Championships in athletics, tennis and badminton.

In The Bahamas he represented his adopted country in athletics in the West Indies Federation Games and was The Bahamas’ record holder in the javelin and long jump events. He also represented The Bahamas in field hockey, badminton, darts, and squash, and racketball.

He also played in the local cricket league for the Commonwealth Wanders and Westerns teams and raced in the popular Speed Weeks at the old Oakes Field airport, now the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre.

In athletics he was also a Bahamas national team member in the 1960s, holding the Bahamas record in long jump and javelin in 1960. Parker is internationally recognised as a world-class track and field coach, serving the Bahamas national teams at Four Olympic Games from 1984 in Los Angeles, USA, to 2008 in Beijing, China, at five IAAF World Championships from 1983 to 2005, at six Pan American Games from 1975 in Mexico to 2007 in Brazil, at four Commonwealth Games from 1978 in Edmonton, Canada, to 2006 in Melbourne, Australia.

He was honoured by the Queen in 1978 as a member of the British Empire (MBE) for Service to the Community. He was inducted in to the BAAA Hall of Fame in 1997, received the International Olympic Committee diploma in 2001 and, in 2010 was inducted into both the CAC Hall of Fame and Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame.