This is the eve of the 113th Annual Somerset vs St George’s Cup Match.

And while we pride ourselves about living in this ‘new world’ this fantastic ‘e-world’ as it is called, when it comes to the Cup Match, it is an entirely different thing.

Spirit-wise it seems the only thing that has changed is that Cup Match has become more infectious, and exciting.

But we still have to wait for that traditional “first ball to roll” tomorrow as has been the case down through the decades.

This may well be the greatest Cup Match on record. We have to wait and see.

Many of us, like yours truly, have been drawing on our memory banks, reflecting on what it must have been like back in the day, that horse and buggy era, when electricity was a rarity, and telephones likewise.

But we are still left to answer the big question: What is Cup Match?

It evolved from celebrations held each year on August 1, the date in 1834 when Emancipation from slavery took place.

Men of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows lodges in Somerset and St George’s, fully supported by their womenfolk, took the initiative of having joint picnics that were highlighted by cricket matches.

In 1902 they hit on the idea of playing for a cup. That decision intensified a family rivalry, and within a decade Cup Match had become Bermuda’s premier sporting and social event, super-ceding in aspects even the Yuletide.

So in a nutshell what began as friendly rivalry peaked in three decades to the point of prompting world-famous West Indian Test Cricket commentator CB Rock to write about what he termed “the cricket lunacy rampant among the families in Bermuda at Cup Match time”.

Also, the 1930s was the time frame in which the original friendliness among players degenerated into deep personal animosities, jealousies, even some hatreds.

In any case it was the only event that could bring Bermuda to a standstill and to jump up at one and the same time, as yours truly illustrated through writings in the now extinct Bermuda Recorder newspaper and two of my books, Freedom Fighters: Monk to Mazumbo, and Champ! The One and Only Alma Hunt.

Not only has stardom in Cup Match been the springboard for high career opportunities for numerous players, Cup Match at club level translated into pounds, shillings and pence, back in the day, just as now into dollars and cents for the treasuries of the winning club, and families who looked forward to making small fortunes through the multiplicity of food, drink and other concessions catering to the tens of thousands who simply lived for the day.

And the national economy has benefited with the tens of million dollars going into circulation for transportation, clothes, food and beverages of all sorts at Cup Match time.

The foregoing were only some of the things flushing through my mind a week ago while attending the tenth Anniversary Heritage Productions Emancipation Celebration Awards luncheon at Hamilton Princess.

The event was initiated by Dr Radell Tankard and his high-powered team. It was emceed by commentator Cromwell Shakir.

Our main photo today shows eight former Cup Match stars, four from each club, with plaques from the Emancipation Celebration honouring their contributions over the decades to the big event.

Wendell “Woodgate” Simmons was aged 19 when he made his debut in Cup Match in 1974. He is the son of the oldest living Cup Match legend, Woodgate Simmons, who is now 94 and will be remembered as a wicketkeeper/batsman and as SCC captain from 1953-1955.

The younger Simmons was an early order batsman and scored a total of 105 runs in the five innings he batted. His most memorable Cup Match was his first year when he scored 70 runs, five short of the record for a colt at that time.

James Swan is another ‘chip of the old block’ of Cup Match legends. Born 1957, the son of Charles “Buck Juice” Swan Sr, who once captained Somerset during the years he played from 1948 to 1966.

James is a nephew of Carl Swan, known as “Small Buck Juice”, who played in 1957 and 1966.

The Swans have great historical records, being cousins to Thomas Durrant who was one of the founders of the Cup Match Classic and played 1902-1905.

James Swan, who resides in North Carolina, came home especially to receive his plaque.

Erskine “Choe” Smith, born in 1950, made his debut in Cup Match at age 25 after having distinguished himself earlier, notably at the national level, being captain of a Somers Isle Cricket League under 23s when they toured England, United States and Copenhagen, Denmark.

“Choe” represented Devonshire Recreation Club, playing 26 years for the club. He was an all-round sportsman and a recognised footballer in his younger years, playing for North Village Red Devils before transferring to Devonshire Colts. He was a member of the Bermuda National Team that won a bronze medal in the 1978 CAC Games. He is a retired police sergeant, having served 28 years with the Bermuda Police Service.

This columnist is indebted to Somerset’s Charlotte “Molly” Simons for the thumbnail sketches of the foregoing legends, and regrets being unable to bring, at this time, details of other honorees who appear in the accompanying picture. They are Somerset’s Dwaine “Tricks” Richardson and St George’s honorees Charlie Marshall, Terry Fray, Adrian King and Ken Pitcher.

The St Georgians were profiled at the Heritage Luncheon by Chellito Ruddoch.

The Special Awardee not pictured is Christine Paynter, the first official female scorer for Cup Match.