Belmopan first Inter-Departmental Football Champions (1976) – “West Block”
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Nov. 29, 2017–Retired Lands Commissioner Clinton Gardiner provided us with this piece of memorabilia from the early days of the new capital, Belmopan, which was officially opened in 1970.
Though the picture is somewhat faded, Clinton also included some helpful notes, which we reproduce in toto below:
Back Row (left to right) – Jacinto “Tash” Gutierrez, Lawrence “Changs” Nicholas, Clinton “Mover” Gardiner, Raymond “Ray” Davis, Windell “Willy” Middleton, Marion “Sir P” Paulino
Middle Row (left to right) – Octavio “Rocks” Flores, Karl “Dutsie” Enriquez, Allanston “Jimbo” Myers
Front Row (left to right) – Edison “Dada” Cooper, Leonard Guy, George Stevens
Notable Bios
“Tash” – member, Toledo Inter-District Football Selection; member, Belmopan Football Selection; member, Cayo Avengers Football Team (Champions); member, All Belize Football Selection (Beat Coatzacoalcos team in Mexico); member, Landivar Football Club; Surveyor.
“Changs” – member, Toledo Inter-District Football Selection; member, Belmopan Football Selection; member, Berger 404 Football Club; CEO Print Belize.
“Ray” – member, Landivar Football Club (Belize City Champions); member, All Belize Football Selection (along with “Tash”); member other All Belize Selections; member, Belmopan Football Selection; member, Belize District Selection; member, Toledo Inter-District Football Selection; Deputy Commissioner Lands And Surveys.
“Willy” – member, Charger Beer Football Club; member, White Label Football Club; member, Belmopan Football Selection; member, All Belize Selection (along with “Tash” and “Ray”); Mechanic.
“Sir P” – member, Toledo Selection; member, Lynam Agricultural College Football Club; Land Economist.
(Sports Ed. Note: For clarity in the picture notes, since I played with him on the Belmopan football team around 1974-75, the player with the ball in his hands in front is definitely “Dada.”).
