“What the earth swallows is soon forgotten.” In his era, A.E. ‘Bertie’ Harragin, my uncle Bertie was the greatest all-round sportsman by far in Trinidad. Lieutenant-Colonel Harragin, my mother’s uncle, was also a distinguished soldier and fought with extreme gallantry and dedication in Palestine in World War I. At the battle of Damieh on the Jordan he was awarded the D.S.O for his leadership and bravery and earned the special praise of the Commander in Chief General Allenby.
Subsequently he had a fine career in the Police Force in Trinidad and rose to be Deputy Inspector General – much admired in his profession.
But his fame was truly in the field of sports. He was an outstanding athlete. At one time he held West Indian records in the 100 and 220 yard sprints, the hurdles, the shot put, the pole vault and for throwing the cricket ball and the Trinidad records for the 440 and 880. It intrigues me that his record of throwing the cricket ball 128 yards 4 inches may be the longest such throw ever officially recorded since around that time throwing the cricket ball stopped being an event in official competitions.
He was a leading footballer. He was a champion amateur jockey. He was an outstanding oarsman. He was one of Trinidad’s best cyclists. I wonder what else he excelled at? It seems unreal.
Yet all these exploits are not what bestowed on him the greatest fame. Because cricket was by far the most popular sport in Trinidad and indeed the West Indies, the ordinary man’s obsession, it was Uncle Bertie’s extraordinary prowess as a cricketer and Captain of the national team which made him universally celebrated. In that role it is not too much to say that he became a legend. He first played for Trinidad in 1898, captained for the first time in 1901 and thereafter was a dominating figure in inter-colonial play until he retired in 1921. Only to be induced to come out of retirement in 1932 to lead Trinidad against perennial rival, and recently unbeatable, Barbados. Uncle Bertie was 55. He led Trinidad to victory. I like to think of it.
In 1906 he toured with the West Indies team in England as Vice-Captain. In the first match of the tour the West Indies played W.G. Grace’s XI. Uncle Bertie – I have seen the report – hit the Grand Old Man of cricket for six sixes in a swashbuckling innings of 50. I like to think of that too.
How can one measure the full nature of any man? When Bertie Harragin died it was said he was by far the most popular sportsman ever produced in Trinidad. It was said of him that he epitomized honesty, grace, charm, strength of character mixed with modesty and sympathy for others that never failed him. Fine words indeed but even finer for me is what C.L.R. James wrote – C.L.R. James, the great West Indian historian and intellectual, author of Beyond A Boundary, the best book ever written about cricket:
“Old Constantine was an independent spirit. Cricket must have meant a great deal to him. Yet when some dispute broke out with the authorities he refused to play anymore. One who saw it told me how A.E. Harragin left the Queen’s Park pavilion, walked over to where Constantine was sitting in the stands and persuaded him to come back. Few people in Trinidad, white or black, could refuse Bertie Harragin anything. He was an all-round athlete of rare powers, of singular honesty and charm. I would have accepted any cricket pronouncement of his at face value. He was one of the very few white men in the island at the time who never seemed aware of the colour of the person he was speaking to.”
Just to think that a little of Uncle Bertie’s bloodline may have leaked into mine makes me feel better than I am.
