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Question for Jamaicans familiar with schoolboy sports on the Island in the seventies...

Of the following who were truly gifted with exceptional multi-sport abilities, who seemed to be the best all-around?

1. Richard Danny Germs Austin (cricket, table tennis, football)

2. Herbert Dago Gordon (cricket, football)

3. Jeffrey Mordecai (cricket, football, field hockey)

I choose Mordecai because he seemed to be the most consistent winner in all sports he took part in. Of course, after winning everything in high school, he continued to be a winner academically and did not play sports as steadily as he could have nationally. [I am a bit clouded in my judgment being a Wolmerian. We simply did not know how to lose at most sports in the seventies. It was a mindset even when we had a weaker team]

Also of the three mentioned above who was the best wicket-keeper/batsman?

In reply to solidrock

most talented was Gordon, Austin achieved the most from a sporting perspective, but Mordecai was the best adding academic achievements.

I played cricket with all three of those guys and football against Dago Gordon in high school and at national trials. Dago Gordon is by far the best of the three and also the best wicketkeeper batsman by far.

Mordecai = most successful in team sports.

Gordon = better than the others at cricket/football.

Austin = most naturally talented, football, cricket and table tennis. He also excelled at basketball and was a decent track athlete.

In reply to JoeGrine

I did not know that Danny also played basketball and was a decent track athlete. Thanks.

In reply to russean76

Austin made WI team as a batsman,Dago could not make Ja team on batting alone,Austin was also a spin bowler.

In reply to russean76

Did Dago played much Senior Cup cricket at Boys Town or mostly Headley Cup at Vere?

If my memory is correct, didn't Mordecai lead our Jamaica Youth team which included both Holding and Seymour Newman. He also led a youth team where he was the wicket-keeper and not Dujon or Gordon (I am not sure). You guys still think Dago was the best of all three in cricket?

Dago was the #3 batsman for Boys Town in Senior Cup from his days at Trench Town Comprehensive.

He surely had the talent to represent Jamaica as a batsman, as his century, batting at #3,against then national representative Michael Holding in the Spalding Cup in 1973 at Kensington Park between KC and Vere will attest

In reply to solidrock

Yes, Mordecai did captain Jamaica's youth team which included Holding, Newman, Dujon and Austin.

Dago Gordon did not represent Jamaica at any level in cricket for reasons, some felt, that went beyond the boundary.

With all the talent we had as very competent and classy wicket-keeper/batsmen in the seventies in Jamaica...it is now recalled in our cricket history that Dujon is known as the best of all (a good interview). Life has some strange curves indeed!

The "schoolboy" efforts of "Dago" Gordon must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

In reply to JoeGrine

Why?

In reply to jacksprat

Truth be told that was a match where "Dove" and Gordon destroyed KC.

In reply to jacksprat

you know he was over aged!

In reply to JoeGrine

my boy Errol Webley was captain of Vere in that game, sadly he passed away a few months back.

[b]In reply to solidrock[/b


"Germs" did compete at "Champs" for his school competing in the finals of his event.

In reply to camos

Heard the sad news about Webley.

There was a Vere pacer mid-70s who ranks, for me, just below:
Newman - Wolmers
McLeod - Cornwall
Holding - KC
Forbes - StATHS

but ahead of Hackett (Tivoli) as the best of that era. I just cannot remember his name.

In reply to camos

He was only about 20 years old then!

I played U15 cricket against Tivoli and Trench Town and half those boys looked like they each had a wife and about 4 children at home!

But who had the guts to question their eligibility?


In reply to Joe Grine


I never really rated Hackett. I played againt him and he must have been having an off day but he never really impressed me. He was even dropped from the U19 squad after that season although he was still eligible.

The man who really impressed me was Percy Tomlinson from Camperdown

In reply to jacksprat

Try 21

In reply to jacksprat

That is so funny.

In reply to JoeGrine

Livern Wellington?

In reply to camos

No, he was after L. Wellington. This guy was lightening quick, went by a nickname that also eludes me at the moment.


Hackett was a much better quick than Percy who himself was very good.

EDIT - The Vere pacer was Solomon I do not remember his first name or nickname. What I do remember was that he was not very tall but QUICK!

In reply to JoeGrine
IMO Tomlinson ( Perci) was a way better fast bowler than Hackett.

In reply to JamMack

You of all persons would know

In reply to JoeGrine

True words.

In reply to jacksprat

DWL. This sort of thing happened even as early in prep school football. Every now and then, at age 9 or 10, we'd come up against dudes with 5 o'clock shadows, 1 or 2 Malcolm X goatees, and Barry White voices.

In reply to jacksprat

Diego was supposed to be at camp preparing for some kind of national representation at cricket when it was gleefully announced by the commentator that he just scored a goal for Boys Town in a Major League match at the National Stadium.

That took care of that.

In reply to camos

My friend Dago could have made that team as a batsman, during those days there were many other factors that prevented players from making the team. I could tell you some stories.

In reply to solidrock

If you mean Peter Jeffrey Dujon, there was this other fellow who everyone said was far better than him.

A guy named Dean Dujon, his brother. Last time I heard he was practising medicine, in Edmonton I think it was.





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In reply to russean76

What are some of those stories?

In reply to Drapsey

Heard a slightly different version. Dago was in camp with the JA youth team preparing for the WI tournamant. That camp included the likes of Holding, Dujohn and Newman. Dago either slipped out of camp or madeup some story to get out. That Saturday evening the Boys Town Minor League team was playing in the finals which they won. The next day,Sunday, Dago's picture was on the sports page as a member of the winning Boys Town team. That was the end of camp for him and surely hurt his chances of playing cricket for JA. He had the talent to have gone on and represent JA at the senior level. As a footballer this man was no ordinary player. Anyone here was in the stadium that Saturday evening to see that thunderous free kick that went by Donavon Hayles like a rocket in a KC/Trench Town Manning Cup game about 1970. Had never actually seen a JA footballer kicked a ball that hard before. Oldtimers spoke of a baller called Papa Son who they say was a hard kicker, but I never saw him play.

In reply to CWWeekes

Keep the stories coming, were the team in the 70s better than the 60, eg Robie, West, wesdom, Cohen, Foster.
As a youngster I played against a deadly opening pair of Wes Taylor and Barry Grey , were these serious cricketers in Ja.

In reply to tc1

Don't know or know of Barry Grey. But knew Wes Taylor who was the fastest left-arm pace Jamaica ever produced. Bowled down a visiting English team at Sabina.




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In reply to Ewart


kool

In reply to tc1

I heard about Taylor. The best schoolboy pacer I saw were:

Newman - Wolmers
Forbes - StATHS
Solomom- Vere
Hackett/Tomlinson
Patterson - Wolmers
Walsh - XLCR
Brown - St. Jago, not very quick but very clever.

Note this is at the schoolboy level. I never actually saw Holding or McLeod

In reply to JoeGrine

very interested in Ja schoolboy cricket since the tour of the 60s to bim as i was about to start school and guys from my school were on the teams.

Ja and Bim started the pre- u19 program.

In reply to solidrock
In those days meaning the seventies and prior if you were from outside of Kingston and the sourrounding area,you were a rasta,were from certain communities or not from certain clubs it was very difficult to make the team.

In reply to JoeGrine

I played against Jeff McCloud in high school and with Holding at u19 trials, I think Jeff McCloud was quicker than holding at that time. Hackett wasn't a tear away pace but he was accurate and could swing the ball and took a lot of wickets.

In reply to russean76

Even within Kingston, depending on the high school you attended you were slighted or rather, you were given preferences.

It is indeed reputed that the rank on the early 70s pacers would read something like:

Newman
McLeod
Holding

Only the latter pursued cricket beyond the teen years with the other two venturing into track with varying degree of success.

Others here see Tomlinson as a better bowler than Hackett, however, I agree with you on the Tivoli man. He could move the ball at pace and that bouncer would come out of nowhere.

In reply to tc1

I started to follow when Trottman/Ashby would have been your captain.

I saw a 14-year-old DuJon batting against a seasoned McLeod in a Wolmers vs Cornwall match at Jarret park.

The youth put down a 92 (or close), scant of boundaries but full of enterprising running between the wickets.

I knew then that we had a winner.

In reply to Drapsey

I saw Dujon against Forbes and he wanted no part of the fastman.

Jeff McLeod was the leftarmer from Cornwall? there was also another McLeod from STETHS, they called him Snake, think he moved to Australia .

In reply to JoeGrine Did you see Ashby against Newman and Holding at Jarrett Park?If my memory serves me right YCHS67 was the wicketkeeper.

In reply to alfa1975
YCHS67 was a great keeper a lot of people forget!

In reply to Ewart

This was The Ja Colts against England in 1968 at Jarrett Park. The Colts made over 200 and bowled out England for little over a 100. Wes Taylor had figures of about 5/23. He was partnered by another left-arm pacer from the army named Frank Brown. Lindel Wright,Sam Morgan and Courtney Daley who were schoolboys at the time played on this team. Some other members of this team were Lloyd Dyer, Rex Suckhoo, Roy Paul (Kpr.) and Jerry Reid. If memory serves me right I believe Morgan made over 50. Some felt that Taylor deserved a pick for the touring team's game against the senior JA team but this was not to be. I believe Castel Folkes partnered Lester King in this game. It was around this time that Rudy Cohen had a falling out with the JA cricketing authorities. They said he was missing practice sessions in preparation for the tour game and was dropped from the squad. He pretty much gave up cricket after that.

I saw first Michael Holding playing Shell Shield for Jamaica before I first saw him playing for KC.

The first time I saw play in a high school match it was XLCR vs KC at Antrim. He put on quite a performance that day and took 8-16.

The remarkable thing is that he had conceded 14 runs in his first over!

He and Whitingham bowled out Excelsior for a little over 30 runs that Wednesday afternoon.

In reply to solidrock

… really.

In reply to russean76… no stories please, just the truth.

In reply to natty_forever

Really!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was Wolmer's mindset in cricket, football, and field hockey for a lot in the seventies. No matter how big was Goliath...David (Wolmer's) took them down.

Some of the best examples are the 1974 Sunlight final at Bina. Wolmer's versus STATHS (including Danny Germs, John Gordon, Hylton Gordon, Terrence Corke who went on to play for Jamaica and notable others). I was on the field enjoying every moment when we were bowled out for roughly 150. This seemed an easy task especially when they reached roughly 80 for 1. We simply do not lose and bowled out STATHS for roughly 130-40. Then we went on to beat Cornwall (I think) for all island.

Also, remember the Spaulding Cup final of 72 or 73 against Vere (terrific players like Dago, etc). Down two love at half time. Wolmer's does not lose those days and thrashed them 3-2. (To this day I remember one of the greatest free kicks from 30-40 yards out that gave Vere keeper no chance by Frank Larewnce).

The only match I played in and remember losing was a 1976 Sunlight semi-final. That hurts to this day. I had to watch our loss behind the stumps having taken over the stumps from Dujon who had left school. About 3-4 years earlier, I recall Holding destroying us. But, we took care of KC in matches to follow in the years ahead.

The mindset of Wolmer's players in the seventies we never quit and never lose, no matter how far we are behind. Get some of this thinking among WI players today and it will go a far way to taking us back to the top.

In reply to solidrock

I think you are mixing up the year, sport and competition!

As you know, the Spalding Cup is the High School All-Island cricket competition.

Dago went to Vere in 1972 but schoolboy all schoolboys U19 football competition was suspended mid-season and banned for the entire 1973 season..

The game you described was more than likely the 1971 Oliver Shield football competition pitting the Urban champions (Wolmers) against the Rural champions (Vere).

Dago did not play in that game as he still was a student at Trench Town Comprehensive at the time!

In reply to solidrock
Were you in the Jamaica U19 setup in the mid seventies.

In reply to jacksprat

I meant DaCosta Cup final. I am sorry. Same truths, but wrong name.

In reply to solidrock

Still wrong!

Wolmers never played in the DaCosta final - it was the Oliver Shield !

In reply to russean76

After leaving Wolmers in 76, I went on to Trinidad for College (never lost a cricket match there - seriously; even when bright prospect (s) of the T & T Shell Shield played against us). I remember I got injured in cricket for the first time in cricket... wicket-keeping on an up and down pitch in Central Trinidad.

When I returned to Ja. in 1981, I lost track of cricket played no more. Eventually in the mid-eighties moved to US. For over 20 years I lost track following my pride and joy - WI cricket. I was focused on other priorities during those lost years. It is now 10-15 years I decided again to keep in touch with my WI team and cricket that has cost so many heartaches.

In reply to jacksprat
You are right. Shows my memory is fading. Same results though in Oliver shield.

One guy who was a very good two sport athlete was Peter Marston from Vere, he played on the same team with Dago Gordon and Webly. He was a very good batsman and also played midfield for Vere in their glory days of football. He later played midfield for Jamaica senior national team.

In reply to russean76

Peter "Dove" Marston - simply the best ever schoolboy midfielder, perhaps best ever player.

The NY Cosmos came to Jamaica with Pele and the intention of scouting Allan "Skill" Cole. They were more enthused by "Dove" as the game wore on.

In reply to camos

Yes, he was also a fantastic schoolboy 400m runner. Went on a track scholarship. Today he is a lawyer.

In reply to solidrock

The glorious uncertainties of sports. Similar to Brazil - Italy in the '82 World Cup, a decent team can beat a great team.

In reply to solidrock… most sports turns into 2. FORTIS now knows of winning in most sports.

In reply to JoeGrine

A decent team that focuses on winning. Coming second is unacceptable and the team buys into this philosophy. I believe this is still missing with our WI team. Then the decent team moves into a "great team" and that is what happened to Wolmer's players in cricket and not just individuals like Jeff Dujon and Mordecai. I do not think many people got that part of Wolmer's sports. The Sportsmaster (Ron Jones) taught us that.

In reply to solidrock
Are you Donavan by chance?

Mark Neita was another good player coming out of the 70"s. Saw a fiften year old Mark Neita and Dujon facing Wayne Daniels at Kensington Oval in an U19 game when Kensington oval was quick. Scary but Neita ended up making a half century.

In reply to camos

If you mean Donovan Summers (played on Sunlight winning team 1975 also and is in the article attached). My first name is Rudy and I was a better batsman than Donovan. He was my dear friend and that is why I am free to joke with him.

In reply to solidrock

Yep ! my good friend ,we worked at Sugar Research Institute together after he graduated from St Augustine.

In reply to camos

Seems to be the same person we are talking about. Married to a young lady from Wolmers Girls that a few days ago my wife and I were talking about.

In reply to russean76

First time I played against Neita was in U15 colts cricket and I cleaned bowled him.

I had no idea who he was until the next day at school the boys were coming and congratulating me for bowling the "great Mark Neita". I had never heard of him before and, anyway, I was more focused on my cousin who was also on that KC colts team.

Truth be told, I never attached any great sense of accomplishment to bowling Neita-and this is not feigning modesty- because I think he made 70-odd that day and the ball which bowled him he was otherwise hitting for four all day!

I think he just missed one fateful delivery!

In reply to solidrock

his wife is from STETHS,I think, the sister of the woman that started Hillel, wife name is Zoe.

In reply to camos

So happy about this conversation.

The attached photo is one filled with stars and known only as decent. But, we could not be beaten!

Most of us did not go on with cricket so most people only know of Dujon. But, he could not win without 10 others on the field.

In reply to jacksprat

You are being modest my friend at fifteen Mark Neita was very good batsman.

In reply to russean76 … he out him after he made 70 odd, suh a guessing that's why he not impressed.

In reply to solidrock

he always talked about Dujon!

In reply to CWWeekes
Didn't Jerry Reid made like 112 in that colts game?

In reply to camos

In the photo shared above, you will see Donovan in high school.

In reply to solidrock

not getting the Facebook access, but saw something sometime back he posted there!


he looks like he is beating the liquor hard these days.

In reply to camos

I am deeply troubled hearing that. I will be praying more.

In reply to camos

No. He opened with Morgan and as I said earlier the colts made over 200 (about 218 - from memory). The Morgan 50 odd might have been the top score.They led England by about 100 on 1st innings. It was a 2 day game Saturday and Monday. No cricket on Sunday in dem times. I remember listening to the game on radio and the JA batsmen were playing the sweep shot a lot. In those days everyone wanted to play the sweep shot like the Great Rohan Kanhai.

In reply to CWWeekes

Is this Sam Morgan (an opener) originally from Wolmer's Boys you are referring to?

In reply to JoeGrine

I saw the NY Cosmos play in NY in '76 (I believe). I later found out that Donald Davis who played for them was the brother of Walter Boyd. Even more interesting to me he was one of 5 or 6 good ballers who played Colts for KC but either migrated or due to athletics stopped playing football.

Solidrock would not know but the departure of those 5 or 6 players had a lot to do with the superiority of Wolmers and JC over KC in 1971 and 1972.


BTW I did not count in those 5 or 6 Hugh Croskill who went to boss JC or Glen Carter who went to Manchester (?). Both left at the end of first form and I do not think they played Colts for KC.

In reply to Headley

Mr. Headley, I will lovingly and jokingly say if "Pele" played for KC, Wolmers Boys simply could not lose those days on the football or cricket field.

In reply to camos

Donna Summers posts on a Whatts App group of Hermits (Trinidad grads 76 and 77). He's good.

In reply to solidrock

Lawrence who played football and cricket went to Wolmers by mistake. His dad was a KC old boy. Wolmers do not know how lucky they were.

In reply to solidrock

Yes. Same one, who at the time looked like a can't miss future WI pick.

In reply to Headley
You call it luck. Frank's older brother went to Wolmer's. Frank's younger brother (Mark), my classmate went to Wolmer's. Does that foster the thought that Frank's father regretted going to KC?


Cannot ask him now, he is gone. Or maybe the mother had a better sense of sending the boys and one girl to Wolmer's.

Frank was also a very good legspinner.

In reply to CWWeekes

But, Sam Morgan was a really good opener. He impressed me as a first former (I think) and it is disappointing he did not go further in cricket.

In reply to solidrock

You've hit the nail on the thumb.

In reply to solidrock

he had a broken arm and was never quite himself after, probably still has senior cup opening record with Jerry Reid for Melbourne.

In reply to camos

After Cecil Lawson broke his arm in a trial match I don't think he played much cricket for Jamaica after that as he migrated soon afterwards.

Richard Austin was the immediate beneficiary of his departure as he was chosen to partner Desmond Lewis.

Someone, please remind me why Desmond Lewis was dropped after 3 tests and had an average above 80 runs?

In reply to solidrock


Fact
Deryck Murray who had excelled on debut in '63 and kept until '68 was due to return in '73. Anybody in the job in 71 and 72 had to be temporary. Not only was Lewis who made his debut in '71 the keeper, if my memory serves me right he also opened in the 3 tests he played. Lewis did not have the benefit of high social or even school contacts.

Speculation
Lewis was beginning to look like he belonged even though some suggested that he was not a 'tidy' keeper - after only three WI innings. Mike Findley was considered more of a 'tidy' keeper.


That's as much as I know and can speculate. I would be keen to hear what others know.

In reply to camos

I am not sure if its the same Mcleod but the only Mcleod I know that played for STETHS is Ken Mcleod who went on to played for Lancashire County Cricket Club then moved to Australia. Not sure what happened to him after that. I came across him in the UK playing for London transport in a Sunday friendly match. He was a very quick left arm bowler and quite handy with the bat.

In reply to Headley

Glen Carter, who to me was one of the top 3 best schoolboy midfielders in the 70s went to Knox not Manchester. Mr. Headley, I want you to know he was mistakenly placed at KC

Long story.

In reply to Headley
I did a bit of search since posting my question and found the following summary about Desmond Lewis.

Still lacking how could he be dropped for Michael Findley. This seems like a mighty injustice!

Was Uly Campbell a Jamaican wicket keeper? He was my Cappo fuh more than a decade here and word have it is he was one of Jamaica top WC/ Bats?

In reply to WestDem

Ule Campbell was the Jamaican U-19 keeper when they won their first regional youth title. He was a very good batsman as well.

In reply to solidrock

Findley was used.

The real objective was to get Derryck Murray back into the team after his return from the UK. Displacing Findlay was quite easy.

In reply to JoeGrine

Was an excellent batsman. Made a century for Jamaican schoolboys against ?????? at Sabina Park.

Not an excellent person though.



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In reply to Headley

Not accordingly to old Wes, he had 22 catches, but dropped 30

In reply to JoeGrine

Thanks for reminding me it was Knox. I will accept that he was mistakenly placed at KC.

But you can see the strength of my argument when Hugh Crosskill and Glen Carter are not even in the 5 maybe 6 who did not represent KC after Colts. Btw that list includes Trevor 'TC' Campbell who did play right back for KC one year and was not allowed to play football thereafter. Karl Simpson who won the class 2 discuss and did not play football thereafter was another. He was a man among boys when he played.

In reply to JoeGrine

What year was that?

In reply to JoeGrine

was that the first year of the competition, when Jamaica had the youngest team?

In reply to camos
No Camos.. don't know about the youngest team.. Jamaica and Barbados schoolboys played against each other from the early sixties. Youth/B&H started about 1968 after Wes had bought a Trinidad team to Jamaica in 1967 that included Bernard Seville, Theo Cuffy, Desouza, Inshan and others... ychs67 was the w/k that series.. 1968 was in Trinidad Ullie played, 1969 was in Barbados Ullie playe but was not w/k, Trevor Morris did the duties. In December 1969 Australia youths toured the caribbean and played 2 games in Jamaica, I kept the first and Ulie the 2nd, ironically we interchanged both fielding and batting positions. The 1970 tournament was in Guyana but jamaica did not send a team. 1971 was in Jamaica when I was the w/k. (Alfa1975 must have been there) This was the first time that Jamaica won the tournament. Ullie never palyed schoolboy after the 69 Australia game and Jamaica never won the tournament before that.

CWWeeks story about Dago is correct, we begged him not to go but he loved football too much. There are stories of others who would leave cricket camp for football

In reply to ychs67

You sure bout that Trevor Morris reference? Trevor I knew was much younger than Ulie. Trevor "Shorty" Morris kept wicket for St George's College in 1976-77.

In reply to ychs67 Greetings,yes I was at Jarrett Park in 1971.
What Camos is alluding to was really the first year when Jamaica, it turned out selected an under 19 team,whilst the others selected an under 21 team.
One member of that team ,(later former WI test player) told me that when they arrived at Barbados,the team was purportedly picked up and chaperoned by Robin Bynoe. Who upon seeing the team, questioned the Jamaican Manager as to what were they doing with these little boys. "They cant play".
As life would have it,the first match was against T&T and DeSouza and company (older boys) had the better of the little boys.
The 2nd match was against Guyana with its big fast bowler Matthews. The first ball from Matthews to the little boy Sam Morgan was straight driven for Four(4).The rest is history-Jamaica 346 for 3 Morgan 100,Rowe 100,Buchanan 90 odd not out.
Last match against Barbados was a study in time wasting.Barbados facing defeat on the last evening used all kinds of efforts to delay the game.At one time the umpires had to ask the Barbadian batsmen if they were going to bat?.That was eons before the mandatory last hour.

In reply to JamMack That Morris fellow was a country man , I think he went to Vere.

In reply to Headley

I am aware of TC's exploits as a footballer. He still has some skills in that sport. Perhaps the biggest shocker of the 60's to not make it to an Olympic Games finals.
By the way, whilst he was unbeatable at "Champs" he just could not solve the problem that was Horace Tuitt of T'dad.

In reply to ychs67

So true, "Beenie" Lewis was the captain and you were the 'keeper. Uli captained StATHS to their Sunlight Cup win in 1969.

In reply to ychs67

The game I am remembering is the one at Sabina with Ulie, Maurice Foster, the Gordon brothers from STATHS, a leg-break bowler (Spencer??) from STATHS, and a wicket-keeper from Jamaica College who could bat very well.

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In reply to JamMack

This was Trevor "Romi" Morris.. he was from the Youth Clubs.. He later played some snr. for Lucas

In reply to alfa1975

You are so right.. before 1966 our team was called "All Schools" and made up of predominantly sunlight player ( mostly from Wolmers, KC and Calabar).. we were playing under 19 and they were playing under 21.. The '67 team that Wes took to Ja was such. Ja then expanded the selection choices to include youths clubs, however when B&H started they reverted to an under 20 team. Here are 2 questions for you..
a) Have you ever heard of Chester Cato
b)Who was the coach of the Jamaica team up to 1967 and why was it changed in '68

In reply to Ewart

Ewart;.. was this a schoolboy game or Snr. Cup because Foster would not have played sunlight with the gordon brothers or Ullie but they all played snr for Kingston. Danny Spencer on the other hand played snr at Melbourne with me

In reply to ychs67

I think I remember you. You played for Villager's C.C. circa 81-83. Right?

Erskine, Ferdie Harvey,Sam, Lloydie, Dubba(my cousin),Camper, etc. were also on that team.

In reply to jacksprat
don't think that was YCHS67!

In reply to camos
Camos;
He is correct i did play for villagers, recruited by Erskine and Sam Belnavis. He was the umpire so you know there had to be a few disagreements between us

In reply to jacksprat

Thats true.. Sam tells me you were the umpire who would not give his cousin any breaks.. How is "Dubba" and "Campa". Had fun with that team but could not manage the travelling on weekends . Did you realize that Campa and Ulie have the same name

In reply to ychs67

Yeah, I do recall that.

When umpired I was a defender of the spirit of the game and not a supporter of any team.

Otherwise, I used to enjoy traveling with and supporting Villagers

In reply to JoeGrine

Your memory is better than mine. I barely recall the name Tuitt from Tdad. I believe he beat TC in the 800m at the first Carifta Games in '72. The first Carifta was held in Tdad. He must have been outstanding.

In reply to ychs67 Regarding the questions.
Chester Cato , I knew of him and probably saw him once. He was a tall fast bowler for Titchfield and also think he kept goal for them in the DaCosta Cup.
Second question, I am at sea with that.

In reply to Headley

dem seh holding top drawer sprinter bfo whisperin death...bim start games ent fuss games deh tuh ent...

In reply to alfa1975

a) Chester Cato was the first (that I am aware of) player from a rural school to be selected to the all schools XI
b) Dickie Fuller was the coach, in '68 he was replaced by jnr and somethings suddenly changed..

In reply to ychs67

It was a game of Jamaica all-school boys vs (I think Barbados. cd be wrong). The wicket-keeper was Claude Davis of JC.

Yes, I know Donny Spencer went on to play for Melbourne and at least one of the Gordon brothers to Kingston. Incidentally, I kept telling Donny that he was an excellent leggie AND a far better bat than he knew, all he had to do was practice keeping his shots down. Not sure why I think Foster was involved in this game but Gladstone Robinson was certainly there.

hubert might be able to help us with the details and facts.

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In reply to Ewart

Was that the 61 schoolboys team Bim vs Ja , Bim team members were Boyce, King. Shepard, Blades, Taylor against Robinson, West,Foster, Scarlett , Lumsden n Rudy.
Great games.

In reply to tc1

Yup! I think that is the one.



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In reply to JoeGrine

Horace Tuitt was a bad man in de 800 at Carifta. Mek some man back outa running in 72

In reply to solidrock

Dat Mordecai fella was relentless at practicing free kicks and wud mout taller ballers telling dem dey cudn out jump him. Was always in great positions to win de ball

In reply to alfa1975


Not sure if Jca could have had an under 19 team at the 1969 Youth Tournament. In summer of 1969 both Rowe and Buchanan would have already been 20. And Morgan would have been fast approaching 19.

Also Syd Matthews is three years younger than Both Rowe and Buchanan, exactly. So he would have been way under 19 in '69. I think the dictates for the early tournaments was 20 and under.

I recall Fast bowler Chester Cato playing for Jca in the Guyana leg of the 1966 tournament...

In reply to Maispwi

He was badness whenever he stepped on the track. Just ask TC.

In reply to Elsie

My recollection was the 66 tournament was in Bim, as 3 of my team mate made the Bim team, many of us thought that our school should have a least 6 players of the team.
The 66 tournament was definitely u19.

In reply to tc1

don't think so! that probably was a school boy tournament, U19 started about 70-71.

In reply to JamMack

You are spot on with your dates...

Shorty was wicketkeeper and opening batsman for StGC
My cappo on the Sunlight Team...

If I recall, you were on the Rabalac team with McIntosh?

Great thread

In reply to googly1961

You are partially right about me being on the Rabalac team with McIntosh.. I was on that team. I captained that team. Check out my handle & figure out why you are only partially right. I thought we went through this several years ago.

Shorty was my friend. We hung out a lot! I would love to link up with him again.

This really is a fantastic Thread. The 70s was a great decade for wicket keeper batsmen from my perspective. My 10th birthday was early 1970 where I was still at prep school. I was a center forward for the All Alberga Cup team. Like all the esteemed mentions (Mordecai, Dago, Danny Germs & Duj) I had no idea at 10 that one day I was going to also don inner gloves with decent results and like them be a multi-sportsman.

In reply to camos

I get what you are saying now , it might have been a schoolboy tournament, but not a specific age group.

Wicket keeping came by accident (pun intended). "Thommo" the resident Colts keeper at Rabalac was struck in the throat by a ball during practice at the time I I was trying out for the team. They needed somebody to stop two as they say. I volunteered and Thommo lost his job.

Around that time (start of the decade) the known top tier keepers in the "Land of Wood and Water" were affectionately known as Dessie & Pinnie. The former was the resident WI keeper who usurped Findley for the position. The latter was the most stylist cricketer ever and quite a character, a folk hero for Jamaica. My Dad took me to Sabina to watch test and Shell Shield before I tried out for Colts. Wadekar's India team and Glenn Turner's NZ teams were my initiation.

By 1974, I was a fan of both Mordecai and Dago. As qualified as I might be to opine a rank for the two BEST young keepers of their day. I will not as to me they both were really really good. I can only say that I wanted to be like Jeff Mordecai.

As an allround sports person it was a close one between Mordecai and Danny germs, in terms of wicket keeping Mordecai was better than Dujon, however Dujon was the better batsmen of all of them, he has over twenty centuries at school boy level. Danny germs could make his national team as a cricketer and or a footballer

In reply to JamMack

Hmmmmm... You are McIntosh!

The other guy that I am thinking of... his name is Stephen? Opened the batting with you?
I must confess that I have forgotten. I am bit younger than you. My first Sunlight Cup game for StGC was against you and your Rabalac team. I was still on the Colts team and the coach thought I could use the experience. Shared the new ball with Stephen Lewis (Wayne's older brother) and just remember how broad the bats were.
Both of you also played at Kingston Cricket Club?

Some other names I played against
Mark Neita was at KC before he went to Wolmer's
Randy Olson at KC
Clive "Billy" Hunter at KC
Others have mentioned Hackett and Percy Tomlinson when he was at Camperdown with Earle Melbourne
There was a leg spinner nicknamed "Gun Court" from KC
My team mates besides Shorty, Trevor Adams, Paul Adams, Hugh Maragh...

Good times!

In reply to googly1961
Gun court last name was Gordon I dont remember his first name i played with him at youth trials. I think he went to KC .He was a very good legspinner.

In reply to russean76

Leroy

In reply to googly1961

Yes. Stephen also played at KCC.

RIP Sam.

The Adams brothers from StGC. One of them, I think Trevor, was hard to dislodge. Chances are I would have played against you then Googly.

In reply to JamMack

Macky I think you meant Graham Dowling's team but your point is well made especially with Turner being the cog.

In reply to JoeGrine

Trevor Adams succeeded Shorty Morris as StGC Sunlight Cup team captain. We were a good and competitive side but not great. Addy was our star batsman and good leggie.

JoeGrine... what school?

In reply to JamMack

RIP...

My debut Sunlight game at Winchester Park (for some reason, the match was not at Emmett Park) against you guys was unforgettable for me. As he was batting, Stephen was doing play by play. He would play a shot and then do commentary all while making calls for the runs...

There were a couple of other Colts players in the game too and we were laughing. Did not know what to make of that

One of you (i think Stephen) got out doing a leg glance to an amazing one handed catch by our wicketkeeper...
Rabalac won the game

In reply to JoeGrine

You right Joe. Couldn't remember his name, Dowling. Thanks for that factoid. I was aware that Turner was not the captain., but as you know he made most of the runs in the series on their side. Slowly. While we were blessed with classy Yagga.

In reply to JamMack
thought Glen Turner came on the tour after that, the only name I remember from that team is Jack Alabaster.

In reply to camos


Glen Turner
Bevan Congdon
Murray Webb - falsely accused of being a "pace" bowler
Graham Dowling - captain
Terry Jarvis

Those are some of the names I can recall.

In reply to JoeGrine and Camos

NZ 1972 Touring Team

The weakest Test Team Ever Assembled....

Glen Turner - slow boring batsman

Bevan Congdon - the best of the lot, became captain after Dowling returned home

Murray Webb - falsely accused of being a "pace" bowler I agree

Graham Dowling - captain: returned home after the second test

Terry Jarvis - so so batsman

Jack Alabaster - he was already 40 years old

Bob Cunis - decent bowler

Graham Vivian - a former rugby player selected for his fielding ability. He used to dive head first and stop the ball from reaching the boundary

Hastings - middle order bat

Wadsworth the 'keeper

Headley Howarth - Slow Left Arm - kept things tight

A few other names escape me now... old age..

In reply to Elsie

The reason I cannot remember the names is because it took a lot of energy and teamwork to get into Bina without paying at the right times to see if Rowe would make a century whenever he went to bat.

We had a groundsman named 'Taddy' at KC who was famous for having 2 left feet but since he worked at one of the gates at Bina and at the Bleachers at the stadium he was very popular.

In reply to Headley


Aahhh, I see. Well all of the gates at Bourda had turnstiles, except the Players/Members gate which was mainly out of bounds; and the gate below the commentary booths. If you hang out at the latter gate, someone might let you in. Mostly after Lunch...

Plenty plenty history on this thread. Some of you guys older than my pops
Brilliant got to be more respectful and address y'all with some Mr and Miss lol

Thanks for the stories keep them coming.

My testimony...it was Renford Pinnock late sixties and early seventies that mostly inspired me to want to become a batsman/keeper. He was from Spanish Town, St Catherine (my hometown) which made him even more special to me.
There was just something special and admiring about him on the cricket field. Pinny had "something groovy" about him. He rivals as among the best West Indian players player never to be given a West Indian cap.

So sorry that a man with a remarkable FC class batting average of above forty runs per match and a brilliant wicket/keeper could not make the WI team is disgraceful.

Is anybody on this thread familiar with Derrick Delahaye (spelling may be incorrect), a good left-handed spin bowler (Sunlight cricket player) from St Jago for about 5 years in the early seventies?

In reply to solidrock
Is anybody on this thread familiar with Derrick Delahaye

Ask Yadi, he is from Hampton Green and went Jago about that time.

In reply to solidrock

Derrick "Soft Mouth" Delahaye. Very decent spinner, should have made the U19 national team. He was a member of what I think was St. Jago's best team.

Steve Wint
Gregory Brown - capt
Derrick DelaHaye
Robert Harley
Barrington Whitely
Blair
Reece

Unfortunately the zone they were in made it difficult for them to make the Sunlight Cup semis or finals.

In reply to JoeGrine

We (Gregory, Derrick and I) go back to being peers at Spanish Town Primary or Barracks. Gregory and Derrick went to St. Jago and I went to Wolmer's. I believe we met times on the cricket field. Of course (with respect) we won. I wonder how my true friends from childhood are doing today? I pray that they are both very well.

In reply to solidrock

Happy to report that Mr Delahaye is doing fine in Virginia.

In reply to CWWeekes
If you can send a message as to how he can be contacted it would be appreciated.

In reply to camos
What year did you work at Sugar Research? my brother worked there in the mid to late 80"s I think

In reply to solidrock

PM me your info and I will try to make the linkup.

In reply to CWWeekes

Please E-mail me sluggymorgan@aol.com to follow up. The message board does not work for me. Thanks.

In reply to carl0002

80-82! remember we talk about that sometime back and you said you knew Manning from DC?