Dec. 26--ST. CROIX -- The territory's airports may each soon feature a gallery honoring Virgin Islanders who have distinguished themselves in sports.

The V.I. Port Authority board last week authorized the concept of creating a gallery picturing renowned Virgin Islands athletes at each airport.

The board directed staff to develop criteria and specifics for implementing the proposal and come back to the board to present them for further action.

Board member Gordon Finch, who discussed the proposal at the meeting during his report from the board's Projects and Operations Committee, said in an interview Friday that he thinks having something at the airports that honors renowned Virgin Islands sports figures is a good idea.

"It's a community service I think we can offer to honor our athletes. We've got so many athletes that have made it to the pros," Finch said. "I think that it's a good project."

The idea of setting aside an area in each airport to honor that island's athletes came to the board from St. Croix businessman Myron Allick.

"I think it's important because we don't actually celebrate our heroes as we should. It's also building role models for our young people," Allick said in an interview.

Allick also pointed out that his suggestion could encompass important Virgin Islanders in all fields -- although the board decided to limit the proposal to athletes.

"I think it's very important that when visitors come to our shores, they know the kind of people that come from here," Allick said.

In April, Allick wrote a letter to the board that proposed hanging a picture of Crucian Horace Meredith Clarke, who made his major league baseball debut in May 1965, side by side with the picture of San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan at Rohlsen Airport.

Allick suggested that the portrait of Clarke be the second in a series of Virgin Islanders featured on a "Wall of Fame" at the airport. He also suggested a similar Wall of Fame for King Airport, as well as at the Cruz Bay dock on St. John.

After hearing a recommendation from its Projects and Operations Committee, the board last week went with the idea of creating a gallery of honored athletes at the airports.

Finch said that members of the board's Projects and Operations Committee had discussed using Allick's proposal to honor Virgin Islanders who have distinguished themselves in all fields -- but opted instead to recommend the gallery feature only renowned athletes from the territory.

"There are too many important people to begin to differentiate who would go on the wall," Finch said. "We discussed it heavily in committee, and we decided to narrow it down to athletes."

- Contact Joy Blackburn at 714-9145 or email [email protected].

Copyright 2011 - The Virgin Islands Daily News, St. Thomas