Senator Persaud Proposes Gateway Park Cricket Field to be Named In Honor of Esteemed Cricket Icon Roy Sweeney

(Brooklyn, NY) June, 10, 2016 -- Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D) Senate District 19, submitted request to New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for Gateway Park Cricket Field to be named in honor of the late Mr. Roy Sweeney of the New York Metropolitan District Cricket Association.

Parks and facilities names are often as endearing as the property itself. This is why Gateway Park cricket field should be named in honor of the late Roy Sweeney. He was known for his passion for cricket and roles in the NY Metropolitan District Cricket League as Public Relations Officer and Vice President.

Roy Sweeney lobbied to have a cricket field in Brooklyn, and later founded Gateway Park Cricket fields. Sweeney was inducted into the U.S.A Cricket Hall of Fame and was the President of U.S.A Cricket Promoters, Inc., which brought a West Indies XI  playing under the pseudonym of ‘Caribbean All Stars’ to  Floyd Bennett’s Field in Canarsie. Even during his illness, Mr. Sweeney continued to be a role model for everyone in the cricket community serving as an ear and voice to those who needed help.

Brooklyn’s batsmen, bowlers and wicket-keepers have fields they can call home due to Mr. Sweeney’s lifelong legacy to publicize and promote the world’s second most popular spectator sport. It is only fitting that Gateway Park Cricket fields be named in honor of Roy Sweeney as he was a visionary to our city and borough. Roy Sweeney is a true New York Cricket Icon.   

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