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Bahamian bodybuilding icon passesDate: 05.03.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Bahamas
Bahamian bodybuilding has lost yet another one of its pioneers and soldiers.
Tony "the Giant" Carroll died in Nassau on Friday past, after spending some time in the hospital.
His death delivered a stunning blow to the world of Bahamian bodybuilding.
Carroll, who was himself a bodybuilder, trained a number of younger bodybuilders and helped to keep alive the sport in Nassau for many years.
For those who may not be familiar with the name, if you were a big fan of Junkanoo during the 70s and 80s, you would no doubt remember Tony Carroll.
He was always the big guy in an unusual outfit, normally one that would reveal his muscular frame, and he would command attention as he made his way down Bay Street, shaking a pair of cowbells.
The giant of a man was hard to miss.
"To hear that he had passed away came as a big shock to me," said Baldwin Darling, president of the Grand Bahama Bodybuilding Association.
"He had made a personal impact on my life as a young man growing up, so you can imagine how I felt when I found out that he had passed away.
"I know that Tony was sick and was staying at he Princess Margaret Hospital, but when I did speak to him on a number of occasions, he seem fine, so when I heard the news on Friday, I was in total shock,"
In fact, Darling was busy putting together an Awards Banquet that would honour veteran bodybuilders who helped to pave the way for others. Tony Carroll was among those set to be honoured.
Carroll was supposed to be given a special honour during the banquet.
"When I heard that Tony passed on, it became very, very depressing and it has put a dent in what I'm doing, because of the depression.
"Just a few weeks ago I attended a funeral of another bodybuilding great, Lawrence 'Dicky' Bain, who was also gonna be honoured during the banquet.
"And now this. It's becoming very depressing."
But Tony Carroll is not known only in The Bahamas. Because of his height, his size and his easy-going personality, Carroll became one of the few Bahamians who got a chance to act on the big screen around the world.
Not even the glitz and glamour of Hollywood could distract Carroll away from the love of his Bahamaland. He would return home on a regular basis, in between movies.
Darling said that the thing he remembered best about Tony was his ability to want to help young people.
He said that he was able to call upon Tony in his career and would seek out advice on what needed o be changed or revitalized.
"He was always willing to give out some tricks of the trade of bodybuilders and that helped make me a better bodybuilder," said Darling. "He was a nice person and easy to talk to.
Carroll was a designer and a bodybuilder, as well as a Junkanooer. He has competed in the Olympics, Mr. World and other big name tournaments on the international scene.
Yet, with so much international and national exposure, Darling said there are still too many Bahamians who don't know the likes of Tony Carroll or other successful bodybuilders.
He said the time has come for more exposure to be given to bodybuilders who have become pioneers in their chosen sport, so that young people could have some appreciation of their history.
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