An outstanding Arima sportsman

THE EDITOR: I join all Arimians in paying tribute to the late Sheldon Gomes, who died on September 15 at his daughter’s home in Las Vegas, USA. His funeral is scheduled for Sunday.

Sheldon was an outstanding all-rounder, excelling in both cricket and football. A former student of Arima Boys’ Government Primary School, Holy Cross College, and Queen’s Royal College (QRC), Sheldon was an excellent footballer and was labelled “Bound to Score” for the latter two schools. At QRC, Sheldon played alongside his neighbour, Brian Bain, who was the school’s goalkeeper.

In cricket, which became his preferred game later in his sporting career, he went on to represent TT and was considered one of the best fielders in the West Indies – having been chosen as 12th man on many occasions. In the field, Sheldon was awesome and took some superb catches which prompted sport writers to describe him as one of the best in world cricket.

He made his debut on the national cricket team with fellow Arimian Prince Bartholomew, who later skippered the national team in the then Shell Shield competition.

Sheldon played for Sporting Club in the Arima District Cricket Association and was a key member, having steered the team to several victories in the Championship Division under the captaincy of his elder brother, the late Lester Gomes.

Sheldon also captained the East Zone cricket team in the then Wes Hall Youth League, following in his brother Lester’s footsteps. Lester skippered the team prior to Sheldon’s captaincy.

Arima was always proud of this versatile son of the soil who hailed from a sporting family that also produced West Indies cricketer Larry Gomes, his younger brother. His elder brother Lester was also well known in lawn tennis circles. His father, Cecil Gomes, a councillor in the Arima Borough Council in the 1950s, was also renowned for having moulded several young cricketers in Arima.

The Gomes family lived a stone’s throw from Princess Royal Park, off Pro Queen Street, an area that was known locally as “The Neighbourhood.” The area produced athletes like West Indies cricketer and current coach Phil Simmons, who lived opposite the Gomes family, and other national sportsmen like Ainsley Armstrong and Anthony Husbands, as well as lawn tennis players like the Boyce and Auguste brothers, footballers Brian and Brendon Bain (their father CZ Bain was a test umpire) and Gordon Draper, a former government minister whose father was a top sport administrator who also nurtured many young people in Arima.

Shelly, as he was fondly called, was a gentle and humble person. His other brothers, sisters and parents were very supportive of him during his glory days, especially when he experienced a very difficult period on the national cricket team.

He died aged 69 and would have celebrated his 70th birthday this month. He leaves to mourn his four children – two boys and two girls.

Shelly will be listed among some of this country’s outstanding sportsmen and women of years gone by. He is in esteemed company, alongside the likes of George Lewis, Cliff Bertrand, Lennox Yearwood, Winston Shortt and Laura Pierre in track and field, Brandon Bailey (weightlifting), Rudolph Atkins (bodybuilding), Hyacinth Edwards (netball), Eden Noreiga and Keith Gay (basketball), Kewsi Brown (cycling) and several others, including boxers and swimmers, who all made Arima proud over the years.

We salute you, Shelly, for your excellent contribution to sports in Arima and TT as a whole.

Rest in peace, my brother, you will always be loved and cherished.

ASHTON FORD

former mayor and MP, Arima