Stanley Burgess Day'' in honour of the "grand old man of marathons''.

This will be the first time ever Government has set aside a day in tribute to a local person.

It also marks the beginning of an initiative by the Ministry to name a day in May -- also Heritage Month -- after a Bermudian.

And while Minister the Hon. Mr. Wayne Furbert said there were no plans to set aside a permanent date for the late Mr. Burgess, he did not rule out the possibility that this could happen in the future.

"The Ministry has for some time been trying to find a way of recognising Bermudians so young people know about them,'' he said. "I have therefore decided to have May 23 as `Sir Stanley Burgess Day'.'' Dellwood Primary principal Mr. Dale Butler inspired the move with a request that the day before the annual May 24 half-marathon be dedicated to the late Mr. Burgess.

A soon-to-be-released book by Mr. Butler, "Triumph of the Spirit'', details the feats of the man who took part in Bermuda's first half marathon in 1909 from St. George's to Hamilton and who competed regularly until the year before his death in 1984.

Mr. Furbert said that by honouring Bermudians like Mr. Burgess, who was "knighted'' by Bermudians, Government hoped to foster a sense of pride in Bermuda's history.