Oscar's almost there

With one hundred years in sight, Oscar Joseph, now ninety-nine, may live to become the first Dominican footballer in living memory to reach one hundred years.

I have always tried to keep a sense of value of standards, believing always that a sport is rather of more lasting consequence to any player in any period. Any man who has reached the age of 99 and seeing his picture of 61 years ago featuring in a game of historical value is bound to be a happy man.

The picture, on this page, shows members of the Thunderstorm Division One Team which included Ashley Roberts, Glennis Norris, Carlton Buntiff, Ferdinand Frank, Hayden Dorival, Reynold Welsh (standing); front row, Vantil Fagan, Kent Benjamin, Oscar Joseph, (ball in hand) George Murphy; not in picture, Godard Doctrove.

In 1953, Thunderstorm teams First and Second Divisions made a clean sweep by winning all four trophies of the season's competition becoming the first team to achieve this feat. Those of us who were members of the Thunderstorm Sports Club will remember how flexible Oscar was between the bars and this contributed to his success as a custodian. To this day he maintains the same physical body.

Among the top goal keepers of his day were Sydney Dyer, Clifford Severin, Robert Clerk, Hugh Toussaint, Alphonse George all of blessed memory. Waddy Astaphan is the only surviving member of that group. I am certain that all past members of Thunderstorm Sports Club will join me in extending congratulations to Oscar, with the hope that he will reach his 100th birthday and live to celebrate many more.