Sir Wesley Hall statue unveiled at Kensington Oval

At the end of four innings an eight foot statue of the legendary West Indies and Barbados fast bowler The Reverend Sir Wesley Hall stood tall to forever be immortalised next to his friend and teammate Sir Garfield Sobers.

The statue captures the moment of one of Sir Wes’ many delivery strides and was unveiled by Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and Sir Wes who cut the string during a ceremony attended by approximately 200 people.

Present at the  event included The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, retired cricketers Ian Bradshaw, Joel Garner, Vasbert Drakes, and Floyd Reifer as well as Barbados Cricket Association President Conde Riley, Calvin Hope and Roland Butcher.

Sir Wesley Hall’s children, Dr Kerry Hall, Sean Hall and Remi Hall were also there as well the sculptor Jason Hope.

On the eve of the celebration to mark Barbados’ 54th year of Independence, the celebration of one of the legends of the game was held outside Kensington Oval.

There were four innings on the night which depicted that of a Test match and each held a title to showcase the passage of Sir Wes in his career.

The first innings was the Making of a Legend, followed by the second innings – Pace Like Fire, the third innings was Politician and Faith and the fourth and final innings was the Legacy.

Each innings had a recorded video tributes from West Indies legends Sir Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Rawle Brancker, Dereck Murray, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Desmond Haynes, Sir Charles Griffith, Lance Gibbs  and current West Indies captain Jason Holder.

Brandford Taitt also gave a video tribute and there was also a recording of Sir Wes giving an interview as well.

Prime Minister Mottley said in her address that “the measure of the man that causes me to reflect on his being, [an] absolute gentleman is what occupies my own adulation and adoration of you, Sir.”

“It is easy for many to perfect the art of a particular discipline but it takes a giant of a man or a woman to reflect character throughout every endeavour of their lives.”

The Prime Minister said that as Sir Wes’ political career was coming to an end she had started her journey and he taught her something which she remembers to this day.

Reflecting on the evening in Parliament the Prime Minister said, “You taught me as you quoted from the Bible that above all else the future and stability of this nation must rank over everything else that we come to do.”

“I believe that those of our generation whether as cricketers, politicians or just as Bajans that we would do well to understand and learn from the example of your life and the example your character.”

“Our ability to continue to punch above our weight is not simply rooted in those who have led us politically but it is equally anchored in those who have shown the world what it is to be best in class.”

She revealed that the current Government hopes that that site across diagonally from where the statue now stands should one day become a location in the near future for a hotel that can be branded after the Legends of Barbados.

“The best of our past, the best of our present to also help us earn and to create opportunities for average Barbadians to invest and own that hotel which we want to do there in the shadow of what is one of the three most iconic cricket grounds in the world.”