Goan sportsmen in colonial days

St Joseph’s High School, Arpora was the first English High School of Goa. It was established over a century back by a non-Goan missionary Fr Lyons. Actually, he was not a priest but while undergoing his training in a seminary, he was afflicted with incurable skin disease. After exhausting all the avenues of getting rid of this skin disease he finally came to Goa on the advice of one sage as it was told then to wash his body with spring water. When he reached Bardez taluka he was directed to go to Sinquerim where at that time had springs with rich mineral and medicinal water. After undergoing this treatment he was cured of this deadly skin disease. As a mark of gratitude to this land he said he would do something worthwhile and thus he established this school. Fr Lyons was a great visionary, he loved Goa and Goans very much. He struggled to give his students best of education, best of discipline and best of sports activities. During those days, this great school because of its high standard was called "Collegio".

Its motto was inscribed in Latin "Cibaria Necessaria Sumite Et Abite" which means "Take the Necessary Food and Depart". As a mark of gratitude after his death a bust of Fr Lyons was erected at the entrance of the School. The Patriarch of Goa then was so impressed and touched by Fr Lyons love for Goans that he even as it was told then advised him to complete only his Theological studies and be ready to become a priest. But Fr Lyons meekly turned down this good offer and remained as Brother only till his death and he was also called as Fr only, maybe because of his wearing of the priestly robe — the cassock. Later on Arpora students while participating in sports anywhere in Goa were encouraged by the spectators in the name of Fr Lyons saying "LY-ONS, LY-O-NS, L-Y-O-N-S.

Being the first and well known English High School of Goa, Arpora School had the privilege of having on its roll the best of student sportsmen. Throughout the year the students were given opportunities to participate in different disciplines of sports starting in indoor games namely table tennis, carrom, badminton, basketball, volley ball in the monsoon season and ending in outdoor games namely hockey, cricket, soccer, athletics, cross country running and cycle races and even swimming. The annual athletics meet at Arpora was one of the most popular sporting event of Goa, and people used to come from distant places to watch this meet. The main attraction of this meet was as it was called then "drill" with a magnificent tableau which was the brain child of Fr Mendonca.

During this tableau item Fr Mendonca used to enact and display best of events that happened in the world during that particular year. Classic examples were the enactment of the scenes of election of the Pope and hijacking of the Portuguese passenger ship by... Galvao Pinto somewhere in 1959. Among the finest sportsmen Arpora School produced were F X de Souza from Nerul who later on turned out to be one of the best soccer referees of Goa.... He was an all rounder. The other was Lino Marquis from Siolim who had great distinction to outpace anyone during those days in 100 meters sprint. But the one who will be remembered the most was Marcus Pacheco from Parra-Bardez, who excelled in all the running events from 100 meters to 3000 meters besides jumps and throws.

Pacheco, while doing his regular practice, would run from Parra to Siolim crossing the mountain. A very muscular man at an early age, even the Portuguese pacles and mestisos were nowhere infront of him. In 1961, an athletics meet was held at Panjim Campal Ground to select the fastest runner of Goa to represent India Portuguesa in Portuguese Athletics Meet at Lisbon. In the final selection Marcus Pacheco defeated not only all the Goans but also all his pacles and mestisos rivals and thus topped the list to go to Portugal in the month of February 1962.

During selection time there were lot of favoritism in favour of pacles and mestisos. But due to iron hand used by Fr Mendonca the principal of Arpora School who was very much respected by the colonialists, Pacheco was finally given green signal but with one more addition, a Portuguese paclo. Fr Mendonca vehemently objected. But the Portuguese justified their stand of selecting a paclo only on the grounds that due to climatic conditions in Lisbon, Pacheco may find it difficult to run there. The Portuguese selectors gave another excuse against Marcus that since he is a Goan his physical structure is not meant to cope up with the rigorous of Portuguese meet. Then Fr Mendonca said because Marcus Pacheco is physically fit he defeated all the supposed to be fittest pacles and mestisos athletes. This matter settled there.
(Courtesy: A Veronica Fernandes-Kuwait, on GoaNet)
(Herald)