More sporting heroes in Hall of Fame

Teddie Borg, writes:

Recently, I was approached by a foreign friend of mine who is interested in finding out about our Hall of Fame. This made me realise how uninformed I was on the subject.

While indulging on the subject, I was surprised to find out that of the handful of the chosen few personalities (six in 2003 and seven in 2004), five were sport administrators, two referees and out of six active sportsmen, three are footballers, namely, Tony Nicholl, Salvinu Schembri and Emanuel Dowling.

One has to commend the Malta Olympic Committee initiative. Now it is important that we make sure that our Hall of Fame grows steadily and fast.

We have a wealth of past personalities who deserve to be remembered. A Hall of Fame is to serve all sporting personalities who throughout their career gave outstanding contributions to club and country.

It is easy to remember the deceased and qualify them as our heroes but there are others who, although they are still around us, are reckoned as greats for their past performances.

Two of them come to mind easily - Paul Mifsud and Joe Cilia.

Zebbug, Mifsud's native village, has honoured the snooker and billiards ace by erecting a monument in the main square for his past world amateur titles.

Cilia was one of the best footballers that Malta has ever produced. His past contribution to football, serving first Rabat, then Valletta and Malta, should not go unheeded. He was a perfect stopper and the backbone of any defence in his days.

In February 1957, he was outstanding in Malta's first international against Austria, a day which made us all proud of our best XI and was twice winner of the Footballer of the Year award.

It was not all over for Cilia when he hung up his boots. His love for football made him engage himself in his coaching abilities.

When I was serving as a secretary to Rabat Ajax, Cilia steered the team to First Division football. Siggiewi, Sliema, Valletta, Birkir-kara, Hibs and Zurrieq all benefited from his coaching skills.

In due time, the exploits of Cilia and Mifsud should be evaluated and recommended by the MOC for induction in the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame should honour all those personalities whose sporting abilities has helped to define the generations and will forever be a part of our memory.