|
 |
 | | | You are in: Special Events: 2001: Death of Don Bradman |
|
| |  Sunday, 25 March, 2001, 17:46 GMT 18:46 UK Greats attend Bradman tribute Fans at the Adelaide Oval watch the service Cricket legends from around the world have paid final tribute to Sir Donald Bradman at a special memorial service. Australian Prime Minister John Howard, West Indies batting hero Sir Viv Richards and five of Bradman's team-mates in Australia's 1948 'Invincibles' side were all among the congregation at Adelaide's St Peter's Cathedral. Thousands more watched from the nearby Adelaide Oval and in Sydney at live television broadcasts. Organisers of the service said overseas television would see up to 100m watch in India, 10m in Pakistan and millions more elsewhere.
"We are all astonished and moved that he has touched so many lives," said his son, John Bradman. He urged people not to treat his father as an icon. "We must not be too serious about him and we must not treat him as a religious figure," he said. "Don't enslave him with worship." Five of Bradman's all-conquering 1948 Australian side that toured England undefeated attended - Neil Harvey, Sam Loxton, Ron Hamence, Doug Ring and Bill Johnston.
Only nine of the side led by Bradman and labelled the Invincibles are still alive. Other speakers at the ceremony in the 750-seat church included former Australian cricket captain Richie Benaud and Australian Governor-General Sir William Deane. Benaud said he was happy to be around when Bradman loomed large as the Australian chairman of selectors. "He had the most brilliant and incisive mind of anyone I have come across in cricket," Benaud said. "But above all, he was a true Aussie. "He was a sportsman not just for a few sessions, or a few days, but for all eras and all sports followers." The memorial service guest list included cricketers such as West Indian duo Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Vivian Richards as well as former Australian cricket captains Bill Lawry, Greg Chappell and Graham Yallop.
Deane read a message from Queen Elizabeth II to the memorial service. She described Bradman as "a man who embodied the best of the Australian spirit. "I know that he brought pleasure to many," the Queen's message said. The service ended after an hour and 45 minutes with a musical tribute to Bradman by Australian country music singer John Williamson. | |
Top Death of Don Bradman stories now:  Links to more Death of Don Bradman stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|  | | | | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|  E-mail this story to a friend |
|  |
| Links to more Death of Don Bradman stories |
| | | ||
 | ||||
 | | Back to top
| ||
| ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> | BBC Weather >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |
