As some of Bermuda's Olympic team stood on the steps of City Hall absorbing warm applause and accolades from Government and sporting officials yesterday afternoon, Clarence Hill's angry voice could be heard above all else.

But the former Olympic boxer who brought home Bermuda's only medal at the 1976 Montreal Games did not disrupt the ceremonies.

"Why are you praising them for? They didn't win anything,'' Mr. Hill, Bermuda's only medal winner shouted as he roamed about Nellie's Walk bending the ear of anyone who would listen.

"I was third in the world,'' he continued, holding up three fingers as Sports Minister Tim Smith tried to place the achievements of the nine member Bermuda contingent in perspective.

But Mr. Hill, who carried a black bag over one shoulder and walked about constantly muttering to himself, was unimpressed.

He moved toward the motorcade that carried the athletes to the ceremonies as it approached the western side of City Hall from Queen Street.

A Police inspector blocked his path and the officer continued to monitor Mr.

Hill's movements along with at least four other officers, some of whom were detectives.

Hill's antics earned him some disapproving looks and a couple of scowls from onlookers.

One elderly lady who was sitting on the wall in front of the water near to where Mr. Hill was shouting, moved away from the area.

"He has had his chance,'' she said as she walked away. "Others now must have theirs.'' However Mr. Hill did have his supporters.

One man in the crowd joined him in his call for recognition.

"Go ahead Clarence make them give you a certificate to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of your medal win.'' In addition to the general verbal abuse that was aimed at the speakers athletes and officials behind the podium, Mr. Hill also confronted Acting Premier Quinton Edness as he left the stage at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Mr. Edness appeared calm as Mr. Hill accosted him and repeatedly held up three fingers -- an allusion to his third place finish at Montreal.

"How can you (promote) those people and not me,'' he asked incredulously.

"They didn't win anything. I was third in the world.'' Mr. Edness listened to his comments but he told Mr. Hill there was no reason to be rude.

At this point Mr. Hill turned his attention to Sports Minister Tim Smith who joined Mr. Edness to see what the problem was.

Mr. Hill then faced Mr. Smith and repeated his complaint. As the motorcade carrying the athletes passed his location on the sidewalk near to the bus terminal, he had a parting comment for Youth, Sport and Recreation director Brenton Roberts.

"Shame on you,'' he said. "You of all people should know better.'' Mr. Hill has had a less than fulfilling post-Olympic experience since his bronze medal performance.

He has been in trouble with the law for a series of offences including his latest conviction in May 1994 for robbery.

The former Olympic boxer -- turned petty thief and drug abuser -- served a three-year sentence for robbing two men in a public restroom in 1993.

At the time of his sentence before Chief Justice Austin Ward, Mr. Hill took the offensive and launched an attack on the The Royal Gazette for constantly referring to him as a "former Olympic bronze medallist'' in its stories.

"Every time I'm in trouble they explain that I won a bronze medal in 1976,'' he said. "But when I was doing well and at the height of my career they were not there.'' An interview with a former boxing associate and a review of past files contradicted this statement.

The associate who spoke anonymously, said Mr. Hill's comments "needed to be taken with a grain of salt.

"The Bermuda media did a good job covering him throughout his career,'' he said.

And a check through back issues of the newspaper, revealed that Mr. Hill was featured on the front pages at least three different times between July 27 and August 3, 1976.

That does not include several stories in The Royal Gazette 's sister publication The Mid-Ocean News .

In the lead up to the just-concluded centennial Olympic games, Mr. Hill was also featured on ZBM television where he shared his perspective on the team Bermuda sent to Atlanta and relived his own medal winning performance.

Bermuda team welcomed home, Page 2