Barbados Today

He may have died 14 years ago but he is certainly not forgotten.

Former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Malcolm “Maco” Marshall was today honoured by his alma mater, the Parkinson Memorial School, as it named its park after him – the Malcolm Marshall Memorial Park.

A restored bust of the legendary cricketer was also unveiled.

School principal Jeff Broomes said the naming of the park was just the beginning as he would continue to work with the relevant student bodies in developing the area on the school’s compound “with a specific theme,” making it into a possible international tourist attraction.

“My time here at this school is relatively new but I think I am here for a reason,” said Broomes.

“Today is just the beginning of course. If you are going to have a park in honour and name of someone as Malcolm Marshall it has to be upgraded. There are three things we have to focus on. We have to encourage our children to respect the park …”

He added: “Secondly, we have to find a way to personalize it so that when people come here they can feel and see Malcolm Marshall in some way or another. And thirdly, we have to develop a particular theme in a way so that Malcolm’s legacy and contribution to Barbados and the world will be recognized.” Broomes said though it may take a few years he “suspect(s) at the end of the day this park will flourish to the point where people coming from England, India Australia, Sri Lanka will want to come here and see the [bust of the] great Malcolm Marshall who has been quite recently, by Wisden, recognized as one of the greatest Test cricketers of all time”.

“I can see this as a place where people who know Maco from South Africa and wherever, when they come Barbados may want to visit here. We want to do it in a way that we will represent not only Malcolm but the school and our country. We could even add this to our tourism attractions,” said Broomes.

Marshall, who also served as West Indies head coach, is widely considered as one of the finest exponents of the fast bowling art, forming part of the fearsome West Indies pace attack of the 1980s that involved Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Colin Croft.

He finished with 376 wickets from 81 Tests at an amazing average of 20.94, and an equally superb strike rate of 46. He died of colon cancer in November, 1999.