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Karl Stewart, unsung hero
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Karl Stewart, unsung hero, dies.
Karl Stewart - who was a contemporary of mine in the Third Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment (National Reserve) in the early 1960s - died last week, or faded away, as it is said that an old soldier never dies. We also served as national referees/instructors for 30 years and international referees, FIFA instructors and match inspectors for many years, officiating in many World Cup, Olympic and first-class international matches in Central America, North America and the Caribbean. Stewart was a true Jamaican patriot by any measure. He served in the First Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment, rising to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major. In 1961, he was transferred to Headquarters Company when the government decided to establish the National Reserve as a volunteer regiment. About the same time, I joined the National Reserve and on some occasions he trained the company to which I was attached. After retiring from the army, he worked as an administrative officer in the Jamaica Library Service.
Of course, I knew Stewart long before we met in the National Reserve. In 1955, I became a referee and a member of the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JRA). About three years later, Stewart became a qualified referee and it was then that our close relationship began that lasted until his death. In 1973, the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) sent a team of Jamaican referees to Guatemala City, comprising Stewart, A K Brandt and myself as the referees to officiate in what was expected to be a troublesome World Cup semi-final for the CONCACAF region between Guatemala and Haiti. When we arrived and were registering in a hotel, I was handed a letter which said, "Chaplin, reports are that you favour Haiti. Be careful." Being an experienced soldier, Stewart said we should ignore the letter, which I regarded as a threat, although Brandt and I were somewhat concerned. Stewart instilled confidence in us. The FIFA match inspector from Mexico in his report said the team did a "flawless job".
In the days when referees were not paid and received 10 shillings (US$1) for bus transportation, Stewart would subsidise the amount from his pocket so that they could take the taxi when necessary. As chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation Referees Appointment Committee, he was mainly responsible for assigning all matches and had to inform referees of their assignments - a tedious and thankless job. He himself officiated in hundreds of local matches. He was also chairman of the JFF Referees Commission and served as president and secretary of the Referees Association. In the 1970s, both of us received FIFA's special referee award, the highest award in the world for refereeing at the international level at the same time. One of Stewart's greatest attributes was his ability to encourage and guide young referees, many of whom became international referees.
The funeral service for Stewart will be held at Portmore New Testament Church of God on Friday, November 9 at 10:00 am after which he will be buried with full military honours at Briggs Park Cemetery, Up Park Camp.
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Karl Stewart, unsung hero, dies.
Karl Stewart - who was a contemporary of mine in the Third Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment (National Reserve) in the early 1960s - died last week, or faded away, as it is said that an old soldier never dies. We also served as national referees/instructors for 30 years and international referees, FIFA instructors and match inspectors for many years, officiating in many World Cup, Olympic and first-class international matches in Central America, North America and the Caribbean. Stewart was a true Jamaican patriot by any measure. He served in the First Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment, rising to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major. In 1961, he was transferred to Headquarters Company when the government decided to establish the National Reserve as a volunteer regiment. About the same time, I joined the National Reserve and on some occasions he trained the company to which I was attached. After retiring from the army, he worked as an administrative officer in the Jamaica Library Service.
Of course, I knew Stewart long before we met in the National Reserve. In 1955, I became a referee and a member of the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JRA). About three years later, Stewart became a qualified referee and it was then that our close relationship began that lasted until his death. In 1973, the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) sent a team of Jamaican referees to Guatemala City, comprising Stewart, A K Brandt and myself as the referees to officiate in what was expected to be a troublesome World Cup semi-final for the CONCACAF region between Guatemala and Haiti. When we arrived and were registering in a hotel, I was handed a letter which said, "Chaplin, reports are that you favour Haiti. Be careful." Being an experienced soldier, Stewart said we should ignore the letter, which I regarded as a threat, although Brandt and I were somewhat concerned. Stewart instilled confidence in us. The FIFA match inspector from Mexico in his report said the team did a "flawless job".
In the days when referees were not paid and received 10 shillings (US$1) for bus transportation, Stewart would subsidise the amount from his pocket so that they could take the taxi when necessary. As chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation Referees Appointment Committee, he was mainly responsible for assigning all matches and had to inform referees of their assignments - a tedious and thankless job. He himself officiated in hundreds of local matches. He was also chairman of the JFF Referees Commission and served as president and secretary of the Referees Association. In the 1970s, both of us received FIFA's special referee award, the highest award in the world for refereeing at the international level at the same time. One of Stewart's greatest attributes was his ability to encourage and guide young referees, many of whom became international referees.
The funeral service for Stewart will be held at Portmore New Testament Church of God on Friday, November 9 at 10:00 am after which he will be buried with full military honours at Briggs Park Cemetery, Up Park Camp.
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