KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines has renamed the majestic ‘double decker’ stand at Arnos Vale in honor of the West Indies team which won the Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975.
The ceremony, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the triumph, to unveil the new name was done on Sunday night by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.
Several members of the winning team, including Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Sir Andy Roberts, Deryck Murray, Alvin Kallicharan and Collis King were on hand for the event at the invitation of the Prime Minister.
They were the special guests at the country’s Emancipation Cricket Festival, which was hosted over four days and included a four-team T20 tournament.
The event included a commemorative ceremony, a panel discussion on “Cricket as a Public Good”, and interactions with young male and females who are part of the country’s pathway programme.
Dr Gonsalves emphasised that the honour was more than symbolic.
“The double-decker stand will officially be named The Legends Stand in honour of 1975.
“Sir Clive Lloyd was a tremendous leader … he changed the way the game was played and set a standard so high that the world looked on and admired his brilliance and his cricket wisdom,” Gonsalves said.
“This team brought glory to us as a people, and we must always celebrate their achievements and their accomplishments.”
The new Legends Stand not only commemorates the 1975 champions’ achievements on the 50th anniversary of their triumph, but affirms the commitment of St Vincent and the Grenadines to preserving Caribbean sporting heritage and inspiring future generations.
The Legends Stand will serve as a permanent tribute, overlooking the field and also symbolising respect for a team whose 1975 triumph was part of the greatest achievements by any group in the region’s history.
In addition to the renaming of the stand, the legends were granted citizenship, and their images appear on commemorative Eastern Caribbean $50 stamps.
This is the first time a stand was named in honour of the team. The double-decker stand is the largest at the ground and is a favourite with the local fans.
