Shaka’s farewell to uncle ‘Slops’

The warrior spirit inspired by Shaka’s football team, debutants at the World Cup in Germany, was replaced by a sense of loss among his family and friends.

Hislop died at Westshore Medical Facility, succumbing to injuries he sustained in an accident three weeks ago. He leaves to mourn his wife Claire and children Geddes, Richard and Gillian.

Delivering part of the eulogy, Albert Marquez, spoke about how Hislop, his friend, excelled in basketball and captained the national team for 12 years and was coach for two different teams.

Hislop was also the first Trinidadian to be certified as an international basketball referee and had the distinction of officiating in that capacity at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and at Mexico in 1968.

Before excelling in basketball though, Hislop was one of the top 200/400 yard runners in the country but knee injuries cut short his career as a sprinter although he still continued to play football at the first class level.

Hislop was inducted into the National Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and continued to play basketball at the Harvard Club, every Tuesday and Thursday, up until his death last Thursday, at age 79.

Hislop’s son Richard said his father taught him to never forget the people he met, remembering his love for people.

Geddes, the eldest son, said his father was the most amazing man. He said his father made a great impact on his life and thanked him for it. He added that he would never forget the lessons of love that will live on in his heart forever. Hislop’s patience, discipline, positive attitude and patriotism were the attributes through which he shared his philosophy of life, said Geddes. If his father was alive, he would have been proud of the Soca Warriors, he said.

But it was Hislop’s daughter who summed up the family’s feeling, when she tearfully sang the hymn “All I ask.”

After the service, Hislop’s body was taken to the St James Crematorium for cremation.