BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The cricketing fraternity has been thrown into mourning following the death of Barbados’ National Hero, Sir Garfield Sobers, on Friday.
Sir Garry passed away at the age of 89 at his home in Highgate Gardens, 11 days shy of his 90th birthday.
Considered the greatest all-rounder in the sport’s history, his son Daniel Sobers, who was at his father’s side at the time of his death, said he had been ailing for some time.
“His breathing had increased, and we had him on oxygen. I couldn’t believe how powerful he was; he just refused to go.
“This morning his rate of breaths had increased, and it came to a point where it couldn’t increase anymore, and he let go, and he passed peacefully, and he is now with Jackie, his other half, in heaven at peace,” Sobers said in an interview on Starcom Network.
“But he put up a good fight. He is a very, very strong man, and he is deeply loved by his family and will be deeply missed.”
Sir Garfield St Auburn Sobers was born on July 28, 1936, and went on to become one of the greatest cricketers of all time.
He represented the West Indies between 1954 and 1974 and played 93 Test matches, scoring 8,032 runs at a spectacular average of 57.78.
He held the world record for the highest Test score of 365 not out for 36 years, before it was broken by Brian Lara in 1994.
Sobers also claimed 235 wickets at an average of 34.03 and an economy rate of 2.22.
By an act of Parliament in 1998, Sobers was named as one of the 11 National Heroes of Barbados.