The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas sporting landscape has lost two giants in David ‘Stretch’ Morley and Glenroy 'Flo' Saunders, who both passed away over the weekend.

Morley, a 70-year-old resident of Grand Bahama, was a former basketball player who moved into the executive level, having served as a president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation. 

The former employee of BORCO, where he was a learning accountant or district controller, underwent successful surgery in 2016 to remove his lower right leg. 

Despite his handicap, Morley continued to serve briefly as the treasurer for the Grand Bahama Tennis Association after he walked away from basketball where he served as an executive for 15 years and a member of the Bahamas Olympic Committee for four years. 

Saunders, an 83-year-old southpaw, was probably considered the greatest "all-around" Bahamian sporting figure, having excelled in just about every sport he competed in, including pool, bowling, golf, baseball and softball.

Saunders, one of 15 national Hall of Fame inductees in the Class of 2011, was the first Bahamian to roll a 300 average game in bowling in a tournament at the Sea Surf Lanes in Grand Bahama in 1979. But at the age of 38, Saunders surged onto the international scene at the World Cup in 1981 in Madison Square Gardens in New York where he earned The Bahamas’ first and only medal - a bronze - against 41 countries. 

However, when he returned to the World Cup the next year in Mexico, Saunders said The Bahamas wasn't registered and he never got to prove that his performance the year before wasn't a fluke. 

Saunders returned home and continued his business venture in Fritz Lane, but instead of continuing as a bowler, a disappointed Saunders went on to excel in the other sporting disciplines. 

Condolences poured in for both men from around the local sporting community. Veteran journalist Fred Sturrup summed it up best when he proclaimed that "Flo was also the best pool shooter in his pool room prime and some consider him the greatest pool shooting icon ever. He was also an avid golfer, Glenroy 'Flo/Flossie' Saunders is certainly in the great all-around conversation.

"Stretch was a noted basketball player, who loved tennis before his leg issue and stood as a sports administrator."

Former educator and sportsman Jeffrey Davis said as a "left hander, Flo could hit a baseball a country mile. He could also play first and pitch. As a community leader, he was a professional influence in business as well."

Morley, according to Davis, was a giant and gentleman. "We first met and trained together as teachers at the Bahamas Teacher’s College Oakes Field, New Providence 1972-1974," he said. "After moving to Freeport he established himself in night league basketball winning championships as he also left teaching he moved into BORCO oil company.

"Stretch was tough and friendly with his Abaco training. He was a family man, popular, and a gifted man. He became a national basketball executive and expressed his gifts to our nation."

Veteran pitcher Leroy Thompson said he learned a lot from Saunders.

"Flo Saunders and I played baseball together with St. Michael's Dodgers during my senior league rookie year," Thompson said. "He was soft spoken and shared  his knowledge of the game with myself and a few young pitchers. I also knew him from fastpitch softball."

Tribune Sports extends condolences to the families of both Morley and Saunders, as well as softball/baseball player Robert 'Smudge' Ford, who died a week ago.