Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

155 who saw him. Don Bradman rated him as the “greatest fieldsman ever.” Neville Cardus a famous cricket writer, paid glowing tributes to his cricketing abilities. In 1928, Constantine became the first West Indian to take a wicket in a Test match at Lord’s and two years later was the first to capture 5 wickets in a Test match inning, in our first Test victory, at Bourda, British Guiana (5-87). He saved one of his better performances for the Queen’s Park Oval in 1935 in a Test match against England, scoring 90 and 31 and taking 5 wickets. The WI won by 217 runs, thrilling the fans with the penultimate ball to take the final wicket. He scored 28 first class fifties (4 in Tests), held 133 catches and took 5 or more wickets in a Test match on 6 occasions. Both internationally and at home he fought against a selection process that favoured those of fairer skin. His efforts led to selectors being pushed towards the selection based on meritocracy . As CLR James put it: “He revolted against the revolting contrast between his first-class status as a cricketer and his third-class status as a man”. In 1944, he successfully sued the Imperial Hotel in London for refusing to receive him; such was his determination to fight racism and his own high moral values. In T&T’s general elections in 1956, he won the Tunapuna seat for the PNM and served as minister in the Ministry of Community Works and Utilities. From 1961 to 1964 he was the first High Commissioner to London, England, a position which also allowed him to take part in T&T’s Independence talks. • Wisden Cricketer of the Year, 1940 • MBE (Member of the British Order), 1945 • 1954 Lawyer, LLB, called to the Bar (UK); 1955 called to the Bar (T&T) • Knighted (Sir), 1962 • Freeman of the Borough of Nelson, 1962 • Honorary Master of the Bench, 1963 • Life Peerage, 1969 • Baron of Nelson and Maraval, 1969 • T&T Trinity Cross (Posthumous), 1971 • Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, 1984 • Featured on T&T Postage Stamp, 1988 • Millennium Award, Ministry of Sport T&T, 2000 • One of Nelson’s (UK) 2 men of the Millennium, 2000 • Learie Constantine Collection, NALIS, Port of Spain (19,000+ items) • Featured on popular BBC TV series “This is your life” • Learie Constantine Stand, Queen’s Park Oval