It is with great sadness we must report the recent passing of Mike Singh. Mike was a with Glenmore CC from our earliest days back in the early 2000s and was always one of the biggest characters within the Calgary cricket community.
There will be a celebration Mike's life on Thursday 23rd August between 6pm-8pm at the Guyana Canada Cultural Association (4a-4805 Westwinds Dr NE, Calgary AB T3J 4L4).
Here are a few words from Alex Robertson and Jonathan Bray about Mike.
"I was on holiday in Toronto when I heard the news of Mikes untimely passing. I've had enough time over the days that have followed to reflect on my encounters with him and wanted to share a few thoughts.
Honestly I didn't know him that well, Mark, the Anils Joshi and Velji and of course Trevor knew him for years and I'm sure have hours worth of great stories.
Mike was a member of a healthy old guard that was still going strong when I joined the club. I remember getting to games early Velji and Mike would always be the first two there, sharing a few "Damn good beers" before a game. It was an important part of getting the old bones ready for a full day of cricket. I remember him coming to the crease at inland large, vintage bat in hand, shirt neck open in the old school West Indian style and smashing straight sixes and putting on more runs than most expected.
I will never forget asking him about his amazing bat, no stickers, a deep golden brown hue but still sending the ball to all parts. I wanted to know how he had maintained it all these years. He revealed his secret to be storing it in the bathroom over the winter and rather than use linseed oil his choice was, on my mothers grave, WD40!
Personally I always found him very welcoming and friendly, I know he could be less so with some but he was always cantankerous. I consider my self very lucky to have gone on the BC tour with him one year. A really good group of guys and Mike certainly contributed as much off the pitch than perhaps he did on! Although worth mentioning that even at the age he was he wasn't afraid to back up to a Jon Smith throw at the stumps! This resulted in a knuckle the size of a bloody golf ball.
The day after that match some slept, many golfed and I got to spend the day with Mikey. I shall never forget that day for as long as I live. The first order of business was to find some extra strength pain killer for his knuckle! I was able to quiz him about his time in Guyana and some of the players he had seen and played with growing up. Of course he had seen some of the all time greats, the likes of Headley and Sobers he had told me. When I enquired who was the most destructive batsman he had witnessed he didn't take pause for thought, straight faced in all seriousness he proclaimed it was none other than himself!!!!!!! That was good enough for me :) There are other stories from that day, I was amazed at how quick his mind was, truly impressive.
He loved his cricket and a drink, he was a charmer and a real character with a great sense of humor. Certainly a member of the Glenmore C.C. Hall of Fame.
He will be missed by many and fondly remembered, I look forward to raising a glass to him with those that knew him :)" - Alex Robertson
"Having been part of the Calgary cricket scene for 17 years I can without any hesitation fondly endorse Mike Singh as being one of the most engaging characters I have had the pleasure of making a friend of here in Canada. Playing well into his 70’s Mike was a fierce competitor and his sideline heckling was legendary. Always able to cut right to the heart of any poorly executed cricket from the boundary, his comments were often hilarious and always added to the atmosphere of the game. Mike was also however always willing to dish out praise when someone stepped up for the team and put in a great performance. I really got to know Mike mostly on the yearly Glenmore Cricket tours to the West Coast and on the Masters tours of Edmonton. Never far from a beer and a curry, Mike was able to regale us with amazing stories of past cricketing glory in an engaging and sometimes controversial way. Mike lived life to the full and lived it his way. He will be greatly missed in Glenmore and Calgary cricket circles for his passion and love for the game. To you Mr Singh it was a great pleasure knowing you, thank you for being so feisty and full of life and for loving this great game." - Jonathan Bray
