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His birthday was yesterday.
Maurice Linton Churchill Foster of St. Mary Jamaica was one of Jamaica's most consistent batsmen of the 1960's and 1970's.Even though his test career may not have been very successful he was a constant thorn in the side of regional bowlers and averaged almost 50 for Jamaica with the bat.In addition to being able to bowl a consistent line and length to keep batsmen quiet he was a shrewd captain.
Off the field he was a jovial figure and fun to be around.
Happy Belated Birthday to a great Guy.

In reply to Dukes

Original regional bullies.

Jamaica: McMorris, Foster, Pinnock
Barbados: Bynoe, Lashley
Trindad : Carew

Hail the man who gave Viv Richards a break in life...

In reply to Raggs

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

Peter Lashley gave Guyanese bowlers nightmares.He scored 2 double centuries against us and averaged 68.

However let us celebrate Maurice Foster who I had the pleasure of meeting at an event in New York where he and Jackie Hendriks were honored by Wolmers Old Boys Association.Very jovial guy. We sneaked out of the event to hear how Shiv was doing in a test match in England at the time.He was a Shiv fan.When he accepted his award was pure jokes. Really nice guy.

When I think of Shell Shield cricket one of the prominent names is Maurice Foster...forever making runs. Herbert Chang is the other Jamaican batsman that always cones to mind

Foster, to a young man's memory, tormented Guyana. Always a daunting task when he came in. Rowe & Foster. Then Desmond Lewis.

Respect to Maurice.

In reply to Oilah

Outstanding Shell Shield batsman and excellent cricket commentator. Seemed to be a jovial person. I always enjoyed hearing him and Hugh Croskill senior commenting at Sabina Park matches. I would love to meet him.

Played Sunlight cricket VS Foster for 3 seasons;1959-61. Wolmers then had an awesome team..great spin bowling and excellent batting. Foster was a superb schoolboy sportsman. He represented Wolmers at cricket, football, field hockey and of course Table tennis. Heard stories that he and Sobers never got on.

In reply to DonD

Did not know about field hockey and football but of course the tennis.Was Joy his sister?

In reply to Dukes

Yea! Joy was/is his sister and Dave his brother. All 3 played TT for Ja. I believe joy first played for Ja at the ripe old age of 8 years old.

In reply to DonD

Stop exaggerating!!!. She was 9.




Joy Foster is a Jamaican table tennis player. She set the Guiness World Record as the youngest sportsperson to represent their country in an international match when she participated in the West Indies Championship in 1958, aged eight. She is also the first and youngest recipient of the Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year Award.[1]

In reply to Dukes

Could you please allow me to go off on a tangent now that table tennis is mentioned?

Back in the day, I worked for the Shipping Association of Jamaica and represented them at Business-house TT. We hosted a round at Bellevue (we played cricket and football there too). The opponents were from Jamintel (??).

During the practice rounds I was bouncing with this young lady and getting what I thought was the better of her, so when the captain matched me up against her for the real contest I didn't mind at all.

During the game I was only able to get 7 points in the 1st followed by a hard earned 6 in the 2nd. It turned out that the girl was none other that Marjorie Ritie, the then Jamaica women's champion and a leading Caribbean player.

As if the under-10 beating by (a woman) itself wasn't embarrassing enough, it was the lead story on Lindy Delapenha's TV sports broadcast that evening, complete with my name and actual footage.

In reply to Drapsey

You will get no sympathy from me.Imagine growing up in a family where you are the dunciest in the family.Such has been my lot!!!!!!
I bear it with some pride!!!!!LOL

In reply to Dukes

I empathize.

My sister, my only sibling, has a PhD (Education).

In reply to Dukes Had the pleasure of sharing a flight between Kingston and Curacao on ALM.He was travelling with his wife and I was with my work group.For the entire trip , he regaled us with cricket jokes and stories that had us in stitches.
One story he told was that of a batsman playing for Jamaica, who was so nervous that, when his turn to bat came around,was walking out with his bat and gloves - he had not put on his pads!.(That player was a
Melbourne CC player who two of us knew since we were Melbourne members)
On another not, he was one of the last amateurs to play for WI , whose 'raison d'etre' was not cricket.I think he toured England twice with WI and on each occasion, he allegedly turned down offers to play County/professional cricket.

In reply to DonD

He was indeed a multi-talented sportsman who also represented Jamaica at golf and played football for Kingston C.C.

In reply to alfa1975

Man, I couldn't help but crack up in laughter. I was waiting for wet himself until you said unpadded!

Happy belated birthday Fos. Learned a lot from you.

One of my late uncles was a great Foster admirer, and it was not just for cricketing reasons. He always said Fos was a nice guy, based on casual interactions he had with him.

I recall seeing Fos about town in late 60s early 70s and was impressed by the way he was dressed, whether for work or casually. The man back then seemed to have a great sense of fashion.

Drapsey, I believe the name of that female TT player was Sandra Rettie.

Happy and blessed birthday Mr. Foster for being a tremendous Wolmerian as a multi-talented sportsman. A wonderful example to Wolmerians and other sportsmen who followed.
"If my memory is correct I remember in more than one discussion/arguing who was the better batsman "Foster vs. Rowe with one of my then classmates." Despite belonging to Wolmer's I went with Yagga, but Foster seemed to be someone who could be depended upon to make a 100 in FC. Why he did not make more runs at test cricket is still a mystery for me?
His getting out for 99 after terrific innings is still a sad memory Good memory when from time to time he was at our Sunlight practice sessions and he only seemed to use SS bats. He played in a few Wolmers old boys matches, but I do not remember him making many runs (but, my brain is now going, but Mr. Foster and other Old Boys was playing for a few years against some of the best Wolmer's cricket teams)

:
May God grant Mr. Foster more good years.

In reply to CWWeekes

You are right. Sandra Reittie and her Excelsior High schoolmate, Roberto Byles, were once Caribbean Table Tennis champions during the '70s.

I think Sandra is now Jamaica's national female TT coach

In reply to CWWeekes & jacksprat

Thanks guys.

Pardon the memory lapse.

The mid to late 70s, that's a long time ago.

In reply to Drapsey

I recall the story but for some reason I thought it was Anita B. Ever encountered Wes Daley of JBC or Don Topping of RJR? Fun days, man.

--Æ.

Fos and I have a special Tie(bond) that few here can never guess and I probably will not tell...NO. we did not go to the same School,Wolmers'.
Someone said he is funny and can tease ? Yes sir. Every time we see each other he teases the heck outa me..all because of an
accident in MoBay 44 years ago. No words necessary, he breaks out in a huge smile and then let have it.
A wonderful man, Fos.
A very special dude and fine multi sports personality. I knew he played..cricket,soccer,field hockey and table tennis at School. Golf too later;
he could make a success in all too at a very high level. Used to enjoy his cricket commentary too.

Here is a man that has many stories to tell and some real funny ones too.

Belated 77th Fos.Keep on keeping on. Luv You ,Churchill.

In reply to hubert

The BOND-2 of St. Mary's finest!!!!

In reply to Dukes

Very very close ..a little extra Two of St.Mary but I don't know of 2 finest.

In reply to hubert

Just sent you a PM....hope it went through

In reply to newdread
Got it.
Response sent ..hope it gets through, Let me know..been distracted watching SURVIVOR