Well done Robbie!

THE INEVITABLE passage of death made a stop last Friday and took with it cricket statistician and analyst Earl Robinson.

This, as he lost his battle to illness, one day shy of his 63rd birthday.

Some knew him though as “Robbie” or as “Sos”, as those were his main monikers.

But, over everything else, he was a true lover of the sport of cricket.

Persons who grew up with him would tell you that from a tender age he had that passion. This passion was extended up to his time of death.

Like any young boy growing up in his time, he would have played the usual community cricket matches, as well as at school.

In his late teenage life, into early adulthood, Robbie, a right-hand batsman and a right-arm off-spinner, represented Victors and Dascent Cottage in the then Narvo Shield Competition.

That competition is equivalent to the first division, under the current setup of the national cricket programme.

A consummate professional, the easy going, dapper looking Robbie, had developed recognition locally, regionally and internationally, for his accuracy and detailed analysis of cricket.

Some persons would have made reference to Robbie as an “Encyclopedia” of cricket.

This, as he would rattle off statistics as if simply repeating the 26 letters of the alphabet.

Such was Robbie’s wealth of knowledge, that he once found the late legendary cricket commentator Tony Cozier, as well as famed Wisden Magazine which is known as the “Bible of Cricket”, in error.

The two entities, on correction and with humility accepted their mistakes and made the necessary adjustments.

Robbie, for the past decade and a half, with the emergence of the various sports call-in programmes on local radio, who have had their knowledge widened from his calls, which bore critical analysis of cricket-related issues.

Listeners, and persons in the media, looked forward to Robbie’ contributions, as his distinctive and meticulous manner of presentation consumed everyone’s attention.

Robbie was also one not to miss milestones and anniversaries of cricket events, thus ensured that the occasions would not just by pass, but registered the pieces of history and commemorations by producing articles in local newspapers.

But despite his wealth of knowledge, Robbie was not boastful, and in his

calm demeanour, would point out one’s miscalculations and inaccuracies.

Too, he was not one to pass up the opportunity to add guidance in logically thinking out matters of cricket.

However, Robbie’s demeanour was sometimes misconstrued as being stuck-up and anti- social.

Simply put, he was a man who practised economy of speech, but would extend pleasantries and courtesies in the normal way most Vincentians were brought up.

He though, kept his circle very small.

Robbie may have been known more for his expansive knowledge of cricket statistics, but many persons would not have known that he kept abreast with many other happenings of the world, inclusive of economics and politics.

Like his analyses of cricket events, Robbie would gave the same scholarly exposition of world events, using past issues and parallels to draw conclusions.

All his attributes are no longer with us in that physical state, but the memories of Robbie will live on with those who had the privilege of feasting on his knowledge of cricket.

He, though, has left behind a void, which cannot be filled, as his uniqueness towards aspects of cricket, was unmatched.

There would be no Robbie to call upon who would settle an highly contested debate or argument about some cricket history; there would be no Robbie to look forward to, when issues arrive, to provide references of matters of a similar nature which have occurred sometime in cricket’s long, rich history.

But on the brighter side, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean and indeed the cricket world, was better off when Robbie was above the earth and making his worthwhile contributions in various spheres of life.

To the surviving relatives of the late Earl Robinson, condolences in your time of bereavement.

Well done Robbie, and may your soul rest in perpetual peace.