Administrator’s murder leaves Spartans in limbo
In 2013, Spanish Town Spartans reached the final of the National Basketball League (NBL). Since then, the club has suffered a couple of critical losses that have all but spelt the end. Just months after narrowly losing the best-of-three NBL final to Urban Knights, Spartans lost its club founder and motivator, David Harrison, who was shot to death.
With the team yet to recover, last month they lost another key member, manager Dr Marlon Beale, who had kept the ship afloat since Harrison’s demise.
Beale, a Southern Conference vice-president and devout Christian, was killed during an alleged attempted robbery.
Spartans club executive Damion Bogle said Beale is irreplaceable.
“Dr Beale is the one who made things happen. David Harrison would do the ground work, scout the players and help to train them. Dr Beale made it happen. He provided financial support, found money to pay coaches, helped players get scholarships, and took care of i ndividuals out of his pocket,” Bogle explained.
MAINTAINING THE STANDARD
Beale’s absence will be felt throughout the club, but it is their intention to maintain the standards he set.
“Other people have stepped up, but now multiple people take care of the things he (Beale) used to. They have asked me to do more, and because of the predicament I have to stand with them. So things will continue, despite the loss,” Bogle said.
Meanwhile, president of the Southern Conference Basketball Association (SBC), Calvin Martin, said the sport will miss a great administrator.
“(Beale) was one the better managers. He won Manager of the Year on two occasions in the southern league. He had been a valuable member of the executive as a vice-president. He held that programme in Spanish Town together. He was a very noble person and we will miss him,” Martin said.