By Charwayne Walker
Trinidad’s first division champions Woodbrook Limers created history when they accepted an invitation from the Raven’s Basketball Club to tour British Guiana in April 1956 and played four matches against local club side the Clowns and three matches against British Guiana representative sides.
It was the first international series for British Guiana and the Limers, led by Aldwyn Hislop, warmed up for the British Guiana mission with a 58-43 points victory against the touring Canadian navy team that was visiting Trinidad in 1956.
George Bailey led the Limers with 28 points, skipper Aldwyn Hislop scored 13 points, and Bert Henry 12 points.
British Guiana warmed up for the touring Limers with a 26 to 21 points victory against the Blackwatch Team at Queen’s College. The British Guiana team that defeated the Blackwatch team was Lawrence Taitt, Clairmont Taitt, Ken Corsbie, Carl Spence, Chee Hing, Pacon Cho Chin, Derrick (Bull) Burnett, William Fat and Roy Johnson.
The Woodbrook Limers won their opening match against local club champs The Clowns at the Queen’s College auditorium 60-26.
George Bailey led all scorers with 15 points and Lance Lashley supported with 12 while Roy Johnson top scored for The Clowns with 10 points.
The Historical British Guiana team that played in its first international series in 1956 was Roy Johnson- captain (Clowns), Derrick (Bull) Burnett (Panthers), Pacon Cho Chin (Clowns), Ken Corsbie (Ravens), Clairmont Taitt (Ravens) , Lawrence Taitt (Ravens), Stanley Devonish (Clowns), Lee Chenyong (Chinese Sports Club), William Fat (Chinese Sports Club) and Chee Hing (Chinese Sports Club).
In Game One of the international series, Woodbrook Limers defeated British Guiana at the Queen’s College Auditorium 59-31.
George Bailey, scored 14 points, Hislop 11 points and Lashley, 10 points.
For British Guiana, skipper Roy Johnson top scored with 10 points, Derrick (Bull) Burnett had nine points and Ken Corsbie eight points.
In Game 2: Limers won 51 to 36 with George Bailey netting 22 points, Ashwyn Pierre scored nine points and Hollis Roberts, six points.
For British Guiana, Captain Roy Johnson scored eight points, Burnett, five points and Pacon Cho Chin four points.
In the third and final game at the Queen’s College Auditorium Limers won 27-11 with Bert Henry, eight points, Ashwyn Pierre, six points and Hislop, five points the principal scorers.
For British Guiana, Burnett netted five points.
