Message Board Archives

A truly great West Indian was born on January 17,1926 in NEW ORLEANS!!!! Who knew there was a New Orleans in Barbados
CLYDE LEOPOLD WALCOTT

His contribution to cricket in the West Indies and indeed WORLD CRICKET is immense.

He epitomized the concept of a CARIBBEAN MAN.

Whilst he was born in Barbados,he made a huge impact on Guyanese cricket during his stay in the country from 1954 until 1970.His impact on the careers of Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher and Joe Solomon was enormous.He also played a significant role in preventing what would have been a catastrophic loss to West Indies cricket when he singlehandedly persuaded Clive Lloyd not to walk away from West Indies cricket in 1973.He was manager of the WI team to England in 1975 and 1979 when we won the World Cup as well as the tour of England in 1976 when Richards, Holding and Roberts destroyed England.He also became the first non-English person to head the ICC and all this after an outstanding cricketing career highlighted by 15 test centuries in a mere 44 test matches including a record breaking 5 centuries in 1 series against the powerful Australians in 1955.

I never saw him play first class cricket but a searing memory was him visiting my school where his son Ian, AKA Juggie was 2 classes ahead of me and him knocking up and Clyde batting against one of our leg spin bowlers and hitting the ball over the trench and the road into the cricket ground across the street.I have never seen a ball hit so far before or since.
He was a huge man and had a tremendous sense of humor and we were all in awe of him.

Continue to Rest In Peace Big Clyde,your contribution to cricket will never be forgotten.

In reply to Dukes

clyde was a great batsman....plenty WI cricketers in the WI team in the 80s or those on the fringes of the side or with touring parties complained about him though

In reply to Dukes

One of his son played u19 for Bim, and may have also played 1st class cricket.
What was his relationship with the other W like if you have any idea.

In reply to Jumpstart

I did not know him very well but statements like the above are impossible to combat as there is no specificity.

What did they complain about???

In reply to Dukes

Just like the statement “Hety is the best player of spin in the region”

In reply to Dukes
I read in Unforgiven, the story of the WI rebel players that he was less than approachable and in some cases tyrannical. Now i know that some of these guys are looking for scapegoats for the choices they made in life, but honestly he does come across as very tyrannical as a manager. Its possibly because he was from a different time than them but they never complained about Wes Hall. who seems to be the most popular WI manager ever, or Willie Rodriguez, who was also very popular. The friction seemed to be more than a generation gap issue

In reply to tc1

That would be Michael who is the older son.I did not know him but the one that went to Queen's College with me is younger than Michael and I heard was an artist.He was Ian and I was told he passed away some years ago.Ian was famously hit on the box by Colin Croft circa 1970 and forced to retire hurt in a match between Queen's College and Central High School.




I do know from my reading that he campaigned for Worrell to be made captain in 1960.

I also know from a former Under 19 cricketer that apparently Weekes had seen this opening batsman from Guyana and was impressed by him and he called Walcott who selected him even though he had not actually seen him play.Walcott told the player that he was selected simply because of Weekes and he therefore had to perform so as to not let down both of them.
That anecdote suggests that he trusted the judgement of his fellow W.

In reply to Dukes

who was the opener?

In reply to sudden

Sounds like a job for Inspector Clousseau!!!!!!

The "perceived" differences may have stemmed from the way Barbados was socialised in those days?

Walcott went to "Harsun" College: the elite school, and Played for Spartan: The middle-class black club

Worrell went to Cawmere: not as prestigous, and played for Empire: the working man black club

Weekes didn't attend any of those, but played for Empire.


In addition Walcott went to work in a senior position at BS&T: the biggest corporation in bim.

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

Walcott famously spoke out vociferously against any notion of Robin Bynoe becoming West Indies captain so it is not like he was cow towing to any "white supremacy" mindset

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

That is Harrison Kolij!

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

What difference are you talking about?

You ever know any Cawmerian who gave a rat’s ass about what others think especially a man who left Cawmere to guh to Harsun Kolij

Dem fellas does attend we reunion to know how it feels to be comfortable in their own skin

In reply to sudden

De man seh PERCEIVED!!!!!

In reply to Dukes

I saw that

And I doubt there was any difference and even if there were I doubt Frankie being a Cawmerian gave a Shoite

In reply to sudden

Frankie would hardly be the source of those idiotic perceived differences Fuzzy is talking about.He is talking bout de IGRANT ones in the society.
Clyde Walcott was a very intelligent man who paid attention to details.He ensured that prior to any and all tournaments he went over the rules with the umpires so there was no misunderstanding about them.Umpire Kippins told me he was the most meticulous cricketer he had ever met.