Oscar Francis at the finish line
|
Nassau, Bahamas - On Monday morning, January 16th,
the birthday of sprinter Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, the first St. Augustine’s
College international track and field medalist, Oscar Francis passed
away.
Oscar was seventy-six years of age.
Francis was born in Nassau on June
7th 1935 and moved to Long Island as a child.
Francis returned to Nassau to attend
St. Augustine’s College, where his athletic skills brought him attention.
The Bahamas entered a team in the 1957
West Indian Federation Games in Kingston and Francis had qualified in
both 200m and 400m.
Francis said that his selection to
the team “was one of the hardest since they had wanted to have Irrington
“Rinky” Isaacs, who had run in the British Empire Games in Vancouver.
According to Francis “They said,
if you can beat “Rinky” you would be sure of a pick”.
Francis continued, “We had a two
man duel in the 100 and I won”.
Francis competed in the 4x100m relay,
along with Enoch Backford, Tom Grant, and Thomas Robinson.
Backford started and passed the baton
to Francis. Francis passed the baton to Grant and Robinson anchored.
The team won the bronze medal in 44.2secs.
He was also a part of the 4x400m relay
team that finished third in 3:35.2.
That team included Hubert Dean, also
from St. Augustine’s College, Ulric Whylly, and George Shannon.
Robinson had won the first medal, a
bronze in the 100m.
The SAC man, in 1957 became the very
first SAC athlete to win an international medal in Track and Field.
Francis won two.
Athletes from St. Augustine’s College
have won numerous medals in international track and field competitions
since then.
Several days before Francis passed
he told his family to thank Alpheus “Hawk” Finlayson, Fred Sturrup,
Franklyn of Marathon Bahamas, and Kendal Wright for recognizing his
sports contribution to The Bahamas.
After completing St. Augustine’s
Oscar became a policeman.
He was married to Marilyn Smith-Francis.
He had four children, Oscar Jr. Dr.
Brendan Francis, Brigette and Loretta Francis.
May his soul rest in peace
