• Adios Arjuna
• letters
• Wilma, the Jesse Owens of Women's track & field 
• The ramparts at Galle
• What ails National Amateur Aquatic Sports
• The importance of the media 
• Tea Traders' get-together
• Markham boy to tee it up with lil' Tigers
• Tennis gets major boost from Ole

Adios Arjuna

By Bernie Wijesekera

It was a trail blazing career for 'Sri Lanka's man of steel', who fought a relentless battle to uplift the country's image be it at home or away despite controversies. 

He started his career with the inaugural Test match against England in 1981, at the Sara Stadium. He may be tagged as the most controversial cricketer to have played in Australia since 1989. As a kid he practiced at Nomads CC grounds and later turned out for for Ananda College.He played his heart out be it for his school, club and for the country.

It was in Australia that he created a sensation on and off the field fighting for justice and fairplay. At times his emotions took the better of him.

The alleged ball tampering incident in Perth. The calling of Muralitharan in Adelaide for a bent elbow against England (one-day game). He took up the challenge when others were back-pedalling, to preserve the country's image and to erase the stigma that befell his fellow player. In the end it was admired by all and sundry.

Fittingly in the very country that Ranatunga became the first Sri Lankan player to have given some stick back from whatever quarter. His outbursts may have soured or may not be perfect judgements. But the mental toughness was there to fight for a just cause.

Gullible characters

He fought for 'Murali' sans prejudice. At home some gullible characters apparently striving to be 'Patron Saints' of Lankan cricket were openly critical of Murali's action. But Arjuna had to swallow many a bitter pill and was at the receiving end not for his personal well being, but for a just cause.

David Cruse, one of the trustees of the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation in Victoria told The Sunday Times, it's not only the Lankans domiciled in Australia, but the Aussies, too will be joining forces with them to honour Arjuna and his wife Samadara on Aug. 19 for dinner at Knox Tavern, in Victoria. It's a farewell to a great cricketer who caused a sensation worldwide that, too beating Australia in the World Cup final in 1996 at Lahore.

The Lankan organisers led by evergreen Eddie Gray, Bertie Ekanayake, Quintus de Zylwa, David Cruse, and Nigel de Kretser are the ones for this great happening. Former Chairman of the ACB, Bob Parish, Ian Crawford, Astor de Silva, Fred Van Buren and other distinguished personalities will be there to mark the occasion. 

Former England captain, now turned commentator Tony Greig, will be the guest speaker. Arjuna, will also be a guest at the ACB Colonial stadium from 2 p.m. onwards.

Ranatunga, blessed with children, has a loving affection for kids at home and away. He knows what suffering is all about - especially down-trodden kids. On Sunday Aug. 20 he will make a trek to meet kids at 2 pm. at the Pickett Reserve Cnr. Commercial Rd., and Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully. The Ranatunga family will be the guests of the Cricket Foundation in Queensland. This will be handled by Mervyn Samaratunge, on Aug. 26. It will be followed by a dinner and a get-together.

Bowl of cherries

Arjuna, knows, too well that 'life is a bowl of cherries'. One must strive to live with loving kindness and compassion. Once you are gone out of this world then all around us start weeping. Do something when you are alive. No one is perfect. 

Arjuna has had his ups and downs. He has realised it. It's never, too late to adjust it.

He respects elders and the ones, who had helped him to climb the ladder. It may not be with men and material, but with kind words and guidance. Even at the height of his career he has not forgotten them. There was an award ceremony for Ananda's legendary cricketer and coach - P.W. Perera, at Kularatne Hall. P.W. may have not done much for him, but still he went on his knees and worshipped him. Seeing was believing. 

If he had lapsed or showed arrogance or marred by temper tantrums, at times apparently due to those around him, who used him as cat's paw he has regretted now, and more matured.

There were outbursts apparently against a section of the media, who was responsible. They failed in their duty by not writing the truth. Thereby he drifted away. He says if he has erred, then he will take in the correct spirit. 

In his first tour as captain to Australia in 1989, he was involved in controversial headlines - sledging. He said, "a journalist whilst watching on T.V. wrote about my sledging where an Aussie cricketer too was involved. You need two hands to clap. It may have happened during the spur of the moment. But why put the blame only on me. This is blind reporting. This escalated to some extent. Midfield spit spat is nothing but comical. But must be minimised."

There were incidents when he was involved in Perth, (test match) and the second one day final against Australia in Sydney. He called for a runner. Ian Healy, one of the finest keepers to play for Australia had a sense of humour. He said 'You are not fit, can't have runner'. Arjuna shot back, 'stay out of this.' Healy responded, "I am sorry. All forgotten." At times he lost not for his personal advantage, but whilst fighting for the team's cause. 

In Calcutta - in the Hero Honda international one day series, the practice pitches were in poor condition - not fit for play and dangerous. Even Windies skipper Ritchie Richardson, too agreed. The Indian media was always behind Arjuna. 

He said let them come to Sri Lanka we give them the same dose. He spoke his mind out on behalf of the team's wellbeing. The media went to town and in the process stirred a hornet's nest.

Whilst on tour with the Lankan team in their tour of Pakistan early this year had an opportunity of meeting him and had a meaningful dialogue at a reception hosted by H.E. Alfred David in Islamabad.

Unwelcome

It was also after his heroics with a fractured thumb, helped Sri Lanka to win in a close finish. He was with Aravinda de Silva. Arjuna said 'failure in any walk of life is an unwelcome companion'.

Ironically he is being honoured for the first time after his retirement, in Australia where he was involved in many verbal duels. It's a just tribute to a lion-hearted cricketer. The Aussies do play hard on the field, but all is forgotten after the match with a pint of VB lager.

After two decades of first class cricket he is more matured. He knows that be it power, lust or money are all temporary ingredients. He knows life is a long process of getting tired. Now he is tired of playing cricket.

What Javed Miandad has done to uplift Pakistan cricket, Arjuna is Sri Lanka's carbon copy. Even his worst adversaries will agree that his contributions may not be record-breaking efforts, but courageously help uplift the game to reach greater heights.

The Australians (Lankans domiciled) and others are the first to honour him, come Aug. 19. 

He showed his fighting qualities in the ongoing series against S.A. with his batting, scoring runs freely for Lanka's cause.

letters

I refer to Section 4 of the article written by Rover. 

Initially you say that Radeesha is Under-16 and I am Under-19 and that we do not swim in the same events. You have been very poorly advised in this regard. All National swimmers have to swim in the open events for all NAASU meets except for National Age Group Swimming and Diving Championship. Accordingly we both had been swimming in the same events, i.e., 100 metres and 50 metres for the last several years. This year we both were in the Under-19 Age Group for the National Age Group Meet. You could verify this from Mr. Annesley Ferreira, your sports editor. 

Secondly, you should realize by now who enjoys the patronage of highly placed and influential persons in the country. 

To confirm this fact we are enclosing a photocopy of an article published in your own The Sunday Times dated 6th December 1998. 

As stated the Senior Nationals Swimming Meet 1998 was the basis for selection for Asian Games in December 1998. I was first in both the 50 metres and 100 metres free style events. 

Radeesha was 3rd in the 100 metres event and did not swim in the 50 metres event at this meet to qualify. However, a new criteria was adopted for selections to eliminate me. At the Asian Games she participated in the 50 metres and 100 metres freestyle events for which I was the most qualified to swim. Your Mr. A. Ferreira will confirm same. This act was a total violation of my fundamental rights and all I could do was to cry over it. 

And now for the Olympics 2000, again there is an attempt to repeat the same injustice. Although I was selected by the NAASU Selection Committee, considerable political influence had intervened in an attempt to procure a review and/or a reversal. I appealed to the highest authorities, but since there was no response, the only other way available to me was to highlight injustice through opposition members of Parliament. This matter was taken up for debate on the 21st July, 2000 and the Minister of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports assured the Assembly that no injustice will be done. However, to date I am unaware of any further developments. Meantime, the government media is continuously used by these very influential persons to create a public opinion against me. It is so sorry to note that The Sunday Times is also contributing to achieve these objectives. A parallel campaign of vilification and character assassination is also being launched against me. Therefore I would kindly request you to give the same publicity to the above mentioned facts.

Sports Editor comments...

Rover received a letter (31/07/2000) from swimmer Theekshana Rantnasekera disagreeing to Rover's item 4, Sunday July 30th, while her letter is flawed in many respects. Rover would like to reproduce Theekshana's letter as it would create a precedent.

Rover responds to caller initiatives and when found information credible, facts reasonably represented and verifiable - puts across the point of view without any responsibility for the benefit of our readership. It appears Theekshana has misunderstood the popular role of the Rover column - driven, perhaps, by emotion, saw the debate not in her favour. Understandably, Rover empathizes with her point of view. Contacting the caller - this was that side of the issue concerning Theekshana.

"I based by submission solely on the fact that Theekshana won 12 of the 19 events swimming in her age group - never doubted her success in this respect - but she never won them swimming together with Radheesha! Her letter confirms and Rover is in agreement. Theekshana's contention that one race was denied, alluding that a win was possible for her, could be taken up with Naasu - for it was Naasu that faulted her in this respect. I assure that my call to you never intended to subordinate Theekshana's swimming skills or attribute disrespect - only pointed a serious anomaly in the selection, putting Radheesha to unnecessary stress after having excelled at the trials, the ultimate test for selection to the Summer Sydney Olympics. When you called I was hesitant to give my point of view rightaway as this has risen to an "ugly" situation and responded only after confirming with several of those who are in the know of swimming - sure would appreciate the point.

Kindly assure Theekshana that no injustice was ever intended nor did my humble and sincere opinion give support for adverse public opinion to Theekshana - if that were the case - it would have been a travesty of justice in itself."

Wilma, the Jesse Owens of Women's track & field 

Rudolph was a handsome, regal woman, 6 feet (1.82m) tall. Charming, graceful and gracious. Over seven days, she became the first woman to win three gold medals in track and field in one Olympics. She also became America's greatest woman sports hero since babe Didrikson Zaharias, a generation earlier. 

She competed in an era in which Olympic sports such as track and field were completely amateur. And for years thereafter, as a frequent spokeswoman for Olympic - family organizations and causes. She preached the idealism of that bygone era. "I love what the Olympics stand for," she said, "they'll always be a part of me". 

Skeeter was the nickname given to her by her high school basketball coach. Clinton Gray, who thought she was more mosquito than basketball player. 

"You're just like a skeeter," he said, "You're little. You're fast and you always get in my way". 

Her life story was so dramatic that in 1977 it became a two-hour primetime television movie. The movie was written, produced and directed by her friend Bud Green, the Olympic historian. 

She was the Jesse Owens of women's track & field and like Jesse, she changed the sport for all time," he said. She become the benchmark for little black girls to aspire". 

Wilma Golden Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940, in Clarksville, Tennessee, USA (70 km. north of Nashville, and grew up in Clarksville. She was the 20th of 22 children of Ed Rudolph, a railroad porter, from two marriages. Her mother, Blanche was a domestic. 

The child weighed four and a half pounds (about 2 kgs) at birth. At age 4, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever simultaneously and almost died. The illnesses left her left leg paralyzed, and once a week, on her mother's day off, the mother took her to Nashville for heat and water treatment on the leg. At 6, she started to hop on one leg. 

At 8, she started to walk with a leg brace. Later, an orthopaedic shoe replaced the brace. One day, when the child was 11, her mother found her playing basketball in bare feet. That was the end of the special shoe and the beginning of a fabled sports career. 

"My father pushed me to become competitive," she wrote in a 1978 autobiography. Wilma, "with so many children, when you did something with one, you always had another along. He felt that sports would help me overcome the problems". 

At 13, she joined the high school basketball team and twice made the all-state team. She would sometimes skip school to run on a track across the street. Her talent intrigued Ed Temple the renowned coach at Tennessee State University in Nashville, and at his invitation she attended his summer track camps. 

In 1956, a 16-year-old string bean of 89 pounds, she ran in the Melbourne Olympics. To her dismay, she was eliminated in the 200 metre heats. But she won a bronze medal in the 400 metre relay. 

Then she returned to high school. After she graduated Temple gave her an athletic scholarship at Tennessee State. Bulked up to 130 pounds, she made the 1960 Olympic team, for which Temple was the women's coach. 

The day before the 100 metres in the Rome Olympics, she stepped in a hole in the infield of the practice track and twisted an ankle. It became swollen and discoloured. The next day, the ankle held up, and with her fluid running style she won her semi-final in 11.3 seconds, equalling the world record. She won the final easily in 11.0 seconds. But the following wind of 6.15 miles an hour (the allowable limit is 4.47) precluded recognition as a world record. 

In the 200 metres she set an Olympic record of 23.2 seconds in the heats and won the final easily in 24.0 seconds into a stiff wind. In the 400 metres relay, with college teammates running the first three legs, she helped set a world record of 44.4 seconds in a heat in the final, after a bad baton pass to her, she turned a two-yard deficit into a three-yard victory in 44.5 seconds. 

"After the playing of 'the star Spangled Banner'," she wrote in her autobiography, "I came away from the victory stand and I was mobbed. People were jumping all over me, putting microphones into my face, pounding my back, and I couldn't believe it. Finally, the American officials grabbed me and escorted me to safety. One of them said, 'Wilma, life will never be the same for you again'. He was so right." 

She returned to college and earned a degree in education in 1961. She was given the 1961 Sullivan Award as America's outstanding amateur athlete man or woman. But there was no money for amateurs then and no professional track, so she set out to make a living, she taught second grade and coached high school basketball and track in Tennessee, all for $400 a month. 

She last raced in 1962. She quit, she said, because "I couldn't top what I did, so I'll be remembered for when I was at my best". 

In time, she became a spokeswoman for a movie studio, a baking company and other businesses. At De Pauw University in Indiana, she coached briefly and recruited minority students. She established the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, working with children and sending tutors to schools with books on American heroes. 

"If I have anything to leave," she said, "the Foundation is my legacy". She was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, the Helms Hall of Fame, the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame and the Black Athletes Hall of Fame. 

In 1988 Tennessee State named an indoor track in her honour in 1990. She became the first woman to receive the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Silver Anniversary Award, even though she competed before the NCAA sponsored women's championships in any sport. Once, when she was asked how certain other runners compared with her, she declined to answer. "I'm selfish," she said, "I think I was in a class all by myself". She married William Ward in 1961 and was divorced the next year. 

In 1963 she married Robert Eldridge, whom she had known since second grade. They were divorced in 1976.

Thushara Kumarasinghe.

The ramparts at Galle

- Durainow Chishty-Mujahid

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