Sports  Personality Mr. Micheal D'Souza

In order to be featured as a Person of the Month, (POM), we had given ourselves some criteria that this person should contribute substantially to Barkur a little more than any average Barkurian. This contribution can be achieved in any form.  An athlete too can and does bring lots of pride, honor, and prestige to his/her school or to Barkur in general.  Hence, dear readers, Barkuronline.com is proud to present such an athlete, a renowned sports personality, by the name Michael  Peter D'Souza of Pandeshwar.

Michael is the eldest son of Mr. John Bhonaventure D'souza( Nagarkar family) and Mrs. Stella D'Souza.  Michael's father was metal merchant at Mysore and Mikes father wanted Mike to pursue family business at Mysore as they were prospering well in business. But Mike wanted to do well in studies and to excel in sports. Mike was born as third child but was the first son to this God fearing couple Boneventure D'souza and late Mrs. Stella D'souza. They had eight children in all.

Family Tree         

Michael was born on the 10th of December 1948 in Pandeshwar village just across Nagarmut.  He finished his primary education in Moodahadoo from 1953 to 1958.  Then he joined the National High School, Barkur, from sixth standard to S.S.L.C.  During these school years, 1959 to 1965, Michael had displayed keen interest in sports activities.  He walked in strides. When he saw a little pond, or puddle, he just skipped it by jumping over. Actually the tough surroundings and the hard farming life of Pandeshwar surrounded by rice fields, grassy, marshy patches, and coconut trees, made him stronger physically, and quite active or agile since his house was surrounded by river and small canals feeding the coconut groves, during high tides. To cross these canals, there used to be planks or coconut tree trunks placed across as bridges.  Mike never used these planks/bridges to cross the canals instead he would jump across, with ease, just for the fun of it.  However, these jumps helped him to

develop the art of long jumps, or hop step and jumps. Crossing the canals was the goal, without falling in the canal or getting wet, thus he competed against himself in crossing the canal in wider and wider locations, farther and farther every time, thus improving his long jumps to longer and longer jumps.  If the canal was wider, he used to take the bamboo stick, place it in the middle of the canal and hop across. Later on, he used to tie a rope from one coconut tree to the other, and using this bamboo, he used to jump above the rope, raising the height of the rope every second day. Such a simple homemade, country exercise, they call it by a scientific name, "Pole Vault!"   

It has been said that no stones, pebbles, or even any young coconut buds (bondio/champalki) could be found in his yard, nor in any of the yards on his way to school!  This restless fellow, bubbling with super human energy, used to pick up any circular object that looked like a ball, and would just throw it straight across, pick up the same object along, and keep repeating the throws.  He used to aim at trees, mangoes, guavas, crows, cranes, or even at neighbors' chicken if they were found feeding in his rice field. (No he did not kill or hurt any chicken.)  Once he aimed at his own chicken, straight to the head, dead instantly, because, they had some unexpected guests that day!)  He could visualize in his smart brain a strike or wicket zone, and aim at it.  He, on his own, figured out that if the ball went faster, he could hit the wicket easier, much before the slow batsman could react!  He used to get thrilled when the batsmen hit the air for nothing! Thus he gained the mastery of bowling fast and faster.He gained the mastery in distance throw by throwing these stones across the river, (without the fear of hitting anyone).  Needless to say, his arms got stronger thus turning him into a muscle man!  Even now he enjoys in showing of his arm muscles! Thus, he developed the talent of fast bowling.  The sports teachers Mahabala Shetty and Surappa Bhandari, at the Barkur High School, noticed his inclination to sports, and they always encouraged him to practice. "My hats off to these (late) teachers, who encouraged, coached and coaxed me to do better in sports", says Michael filled  with moist emotions.  In the school athletes meets he used to always come first in Long Jump, Triple Jump & Pole Vault, from 8th standard to S.S.L.C. Simultaneously, he excelled in Cricket too, especially in fast bowling, as a pitcher/bowler.

His memorable winning moments in the school were that in the inters-school zonal sports, which was held in Barkur National School ground. Here he won the coveted Long Jump, Triple Jump first place, and in Pole Vault he stood second. The best thing or the proudest moment of his sports life was that he broke the Long Jump record for the Kundapur zone, an astonishing length of 19' and 6 inches.  We do not know whether anybody has broken this record at all to this date.  In appreciation of his stupendous attempt, Surappa Bhandary took him to the district level sports which was held in Ajjarkad, Udipi in the year 1964, where all the competitors were wearing spiked shoes while this helpless fellow was in bare feet, but still he managed to win the second prize in high jump, and folks, believe me that no other individual had ever brought such a glory to Barkur National High School until this time in the School there!

In the same year they played the inter school cricket tournament on Akashawani Brahmavar grounds, where under Leenes D'souza's captaincy he almost beat Kundapur Board High school in the finals. But, some miscreants started stone pelting and the match was abandoned.  However, when the match was replayed they lost the golden opportunity to beat the Board High School of Kundapura.  "They won in shame, but Barkur lost with pride, dignity, and sportsmanship!" There, everyone recognized his talent as a fast bowler and made him a hero, anyway.  In the same year Barkur won the Inter School Volleyball tournament under Michael's captaincy, beating Gangolli high school.

After his SSLC, everybody wanted him to excel in studies, (rather than in sports), so he joined the prestigious St. Aloysius College Mangalore, where he spent the best years of his life.  He was staying in the Sacred Heart hostel.  His family wanted to see him as a Medical Doctor, that is why he took science and biology courses. However, Science and sportsmanship he could not mix together.  He could not cope up with science lab work and sports field activities at the same time. Though Mike does not regret of not becoming a doctor, he is proud that his brother Derick has become a doctor and a specialist and so glad today that his brother is doing well in UK.  Even sports, however fun or thrilling may be, require genuine and constant practice. Talent is God given to each one of us, however, we take ownership of talents, by earning it with constant and consistent practice.  As a result to his devotion to sports, he couldn't get a seat in the Medical College, so he continued in finishing BSc. degree.  However, he got lots of chances to excel in cricket and athletics.  In all the four years of his college life he got the best Bowling award, every year, and in Long Jump no body came near to beat him.  The St. Aloysius College was very good for promoting sports and Cricket. Since, he was doing pretty good he was sent to State level to Mysore for Dasara Sports and here too, with little God's help, he got First place in Long Jump that too with a stupendous jump of 20 ft. 9 inches.  He beat his own record.  In the Karavali Zone sports he got first in Long Jump, first place in Triple Jump, and Pole vault, second place with jump of more than 10 ft with plain bamboo. In inter collegiate he registered one hat trick in cricket against K.M.C where for the first time they lost against St. Aloysius. His best figure here '8 for 45' (took 8 wickets, by giving just only 45 runs!) and they (KMC) once even beat Suratkal Engineering College in the final. If there was enough encouragement at least he could have made the Karnataka Ranji squad, after the successful stint in the college. 

Sports, like these, in India do not win any bread, unlike in some foreign countries.  Hence, like most of us Barkurians, he too proceeded to Bombay to earn a livelihood.  He got a Job in Johnson Tile Ltd., where he played for the company for two years and then he moved to Merck Sharp and Dohme, where he played in the Times Shield and Emerck Shield for about 12 years. Here Mr. Felix Barnes was his mentor, and utmost support in the cricketing field. Felix himself was a good off spinner for H&R Johnson Ltd.  He was married in the year 1978 and is blessed with two daughters Aurelia and Andrea. The eldest daughter Aurelia is working at Pune after her B.com graduation while youngest Andrea is doing her PUC in science at St Xavier's college, Bombay.

This is what Michael has to say to youngsters, "You have dual advantages of being a sportman these day-in age that is education and modern infra-structure and scientific training. He says that you can mould your talents if you get a good mentor and  a good God father to push you up the ladder. He regrets that he did not have these advantages but with talent he could excell in sports. You are bound to lose physical strength as you advance in age, irrespective of any amount of practice, therefore, you must have some line to fall upon.In India barring Cricket and Tennis one can not earl livelyhood on sports alone. So folks, no one can take away your degrees, while you may lose physical energy, money, land, or stocks. So my advise to you youngster  Barkurian fellowmen, to take sports seriously, along with education. It will enhance your personality and character.  My earnest and fruitful prayer to God is, let Barkur produce some National and International Level sports Personalities, thus bring some glory to Barkur and make Barkur and India's flag fly high.

For Barkuronline.com,

James Fernandes, USA, April 2004