Al McDonald’s legacy will live on in every dribble on the courts of Linden

Jun 10, 2026 Sports

– Says GABF General Secretary Patrick Haynes

Kaieteur Sports – With the news of the death of a former sports journalist and basketball official, condolences are pouring in from those who had a close-up knowledge of Alred Vivian McDonald Chapman.

‘Al Mac’ as he was fondly known in the sports world, lost his life on May 25 after suffering from severe burns to his body after he was trapped by fire in his apartment on May 10, in Florida in the United States.

Al McDonald

He had migrated with his family in 1984 to the United States after starting his journalistic career in the 1970s and worked for such publications like Guyana Chronicle, Sports Special and briefly with the New Nation. His remains were to be cremated in Florida yesterday (Monday).

General Secretary of the Guyana Basketball Federation Patrick Haynes in a statement remarked, “The news of his suffering from severe burns in a fire, and his subsequent passing on May 25 in Florida, has moved us deeply. We are grateful that his ashes will be returned to Guyana, where his impact remains forever embedded in our basketball history.

Haynes, who is President of CONCENCABA (Confederation of Central America and Caribbean Basketball) and 1st Vice President of FIBA Americas, added, “We also remember his service as Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Olympic Association from 1982 to 1984, and his tireless work covering our national teams – including the 1975 CAC Games in Santo Domingo. His voice and pen gave our sport visibility and credibility at a time when both were desperately needed.

He concluded that “Al McDonald’s legacy will live on in every dribble on the courts of Linden. May he rest in peace.”

In paying his respects to Al, former FIBA Referee, Cecil Chin, the Guyanese referee who accompanied the men’s basketball team with Al Mac as the reporter, said he was sad on hearing of Al’s passing.

Al McDonald stooping right at one of the Labour Day weekend basketball celebrations in New York a few years ago. At right standing is Patrick Haynes.

He said Al was an outstanding journalist and basketball administrator. According to Chin on returning to Guyana from the Dominican Republic held Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in 1975, Al Mac went to Linden as the sports reporter for the Guyana Chronicle, where he became involved in the administration of the sport there. Al Mac was instrumental in organizing the sport to the extent that he was the first president of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association one year later, which became a force in local association basketball.

Chin said: “His passing has caused sadness for his family, and the rest of the basketball fraternity in Linden, Guyana and the USA.”

The Manager of the Mens’ National basketball team at the CAC Games in 1975 was former president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation John “Fishy” Yates, who said he had heard about the fire in Florida, as he lives in Miami. However, he did not know it was Al McDonald who had perished from it.

Asked for a comment Yates said, “My recollection of Al Mc was he was dedicated to what he did and very detailed. He was one who could give you a true history of the sport of basketball in Guyana.”

United States-based Royston Telford, a former national player who lived in Linden when Al Mac worked as a sports reporter, remembers the contributions of Al Mac. He said, “I didn’t know Al Mac had passed, my sympathy to his family and relatives. I had tried to contact him several times in the past with no success, but he was very inspirational in guiding the Yellow Birds Basketball Club throughout our journey from junior to senior levels, where we produced quality players such as Oswald Douglas, Steven Carryl, Steve Neils (Sr.) the Padmore brothers Ewart and Wayne, Lennox Stephens, Neil ‘GG’ Caynes, John Joseph, Trevor Benjamin, Carl Liverpool, Lloyd Ross, Raymond Braithwaite and the Thorne brothers, lots of talent, memorable years of prime time basketball.”

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Al McDonald, Alred Vivian McDonald Chapman, dribble, Linden

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