Today in History: March16

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, Thomas Augustus “Tommy” Robinson was born in Nassau in 1938.

He was one of the most accomplished athletes in Bahamian history, having competed in track & field at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the West Indian Federation Games and the Olympics among others.

He specialized in the 100 yard dash, 200 yard dash, 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100 meter relay.

The Bahamas Historical Society notes after his athletic career, he worked as a banker for some years.

In 1981 the National Stadium was named in his honor and the more recently built 15,000 seat stadium which opened in 2012 bears his name. Robinson died on November 25, 2012. He was 74.

In 1943, the governments of the Bahama Islands and the United States signed a work program, known as The Contract.

The Historical Society notes this work program allowed persons from the islands to work on farms in the United States.

As many as 30,000 Bahamian men and women worked in the U.S. from 1943 – 1965.

Cordell Thompson recently gave a lecture on The Contract, including personal interviews with persons who worked in the program.

In 1945, the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII stepped down as governor of the Bahama Islands. He became governor on 18 August 1940.

During his governorship which began on August 18, 1940, several key events in Bahamian history occurred. Among them: the Burma Road riots of 1942, the signing of The Contract in 1943 and the murder of Sir Harry Oakes in July 1943.

On this day in 1969, Henry ‘Hank’ Williams became the first Bahamian to pitch in a professional game in Major League Baseball as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Historical Society notes, he came on to the field in the ninth inning and closed out the game against the Chicago White Sox at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre during MLB spring training.