Pat Legall laid to rest
By Faizool Deo
Stabroek News
July 20, 2004
Guyana's most outstanding under-19 national cricket manager Patrick Carmichael Legall was yesterday laid to rest.
Legall, who bowled his last ball on Thursday July 8th 2004 overseas, was spoken of as a legend in cricket by all who spoke at his church service at Our Lady Fatima Church in Robb and New Garden Streets, prior to his burial.
The 67-year-old Legall, was given a cricketers' farewell, a sixteen-bat salute by Guyana's current batch of under-19 cricketers when his body entered the church. Prior to that, his body was at the GCC ground for viewing.
The former fast bowler's coffin contained a miniature bat and a cricket ball.
At the Church service, Terry Holder, Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) who spoke on behalf of the GCB, noted that Legall was a true hero of Guyana's cricket.
"Legall bowled his heart out for this country, and, having hung up his boots, he decided to put something back into Guyana's cricket, by becoming a manager," Holder said.
Former fast bowler Carlyle Miller, who played with Legall, read the Obituary, while professor Aubrey Bishop did the Eulogy and former Malteenoes Sports Club president Rudolph Harper, reminisced on Legall as a player in the sports club.
President of the GCB, Chetram Singh, who also represented the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday,told Stabroek Sport that Legall's legacy will live on forever in Guyana.
"The story of Legall will be in our cricketing history forever, cricketers who are not born as yet will know about this great manager.
"Legall was so successful because of his attitude towards youngsters. He was more than a father-figure. It does not mean that other managers were not like that but, he had some knack about himself, that got the job done."
When asked what he would say to the upcoming managers, the GCB President replied, " I would say to current and aspiring managers, do as Pat did, do only half of what he did and you will be a successful manager in cricket."
Senior coach, Albert Smith, who was assistant coach for the under- 19 side in 1992, and then head coach from 1993-98, remembered Legall as inspirational when it came to cricket.
"He was always inspirational to the Guyana team. His emphasis was always on hard physical training preparation before a tournament. Oh, he was always keen on that, even to me he was an inspiration, he guided me along and shared his experience. He was more like a father-figure to me.
"When we worked as Coach and Manager our relationship was always competitive, if I had one day of net session that he was not satisfied with he would tell me and I would have to improve on it."
Vice-captain of Guyana's 1997 under-19 team, Azeemul Haniff, was of the opinion that Guyana has lost a cricket legend.
"Legall was always a good manager. He was a good man. He lived the same way with all the players. Discipline was the main thing. He was serious with training and everything concerning cricket."
Haniff, and executives of the GCB were among persons who were Pall Bearers from time to time yesterday at the funeral.
Legall represented the country for nine years during the 1950's and 60s. He managed and coached the Guyana under-19 team from 1990 to 1997, leading them to six straight wins from 1992-97, while leading the senior team from 1999 to 2002 successfully.