TT RED FORCE Vs W I VOLCANOES

seriouslly we need to get some subcontinent coaches in the region to work with the batsmen

In reply to Narper

I had a great uncle who lived in La Brea and another in Point. As children, We used to spend holidays in Point and in Sando where another great aunt lived. Those sunsets from Point were amazing. Charlie King was a policeman who was burnt to death in the oilfield riots in the 1930s.

In reply to PalsofMine and granite
Thanks for rekindling some memories with the mention of some of your countrymen Corneal and Leo John.
John could bat and surprised to know he only played once for Trinidad...Came to Jamaica with the Caroni Sugar estate team
and was very impressive with the bat..
Corneal along with Gally Cummings were two of my favourite players from the Twin Island State. Corneal was absolutely brilliant.
He forged a friendship on the field with Jamaica's Sidney Bartlett during the a WI soccer team tour of England in the summer of 1959.
Willie Rodriquez was also on the tour where they engaged amateur club teams.
When I last saw Alvin at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games in 1978 we had a ball and recalled some fabulous times when Jamaica would play Trinidad
at soccer. Jamaica was more on the losing side too.
But ion that tour, Bartlett who I still regard as the best ever to play for Jamaica was nicknamed 'worm. so adept at breaking down defences as
he weaved his way in beautiful dribbling skiils. At first the WI party found the going tough but once Corneal and Bartlett began their alliance
things changed and reports of Corneal to Bartlett, goal became a regular feat. Of the 'Worm' it was said by those in the know that he was the
best man to pass to and the best to receive from and Alvin was full of praise for hi as one if not the best he ever played with.
Alvin was a true baller, good left handed batsman too ..on the evidence of today, he could make a West Indies Test team although football was his main forte.
Bartlett was similar, and was a top notch wicketkeeper rated by many locally in Jamaica as not to far below Allie Binns and Hendricks.
He however confined himself mostly to football for his team YMCA which did not play Senior Cup cricket but was a top Division One football Club.
Back in the 50s and 60s competition between Jamaica and Trinidad at football was one of high class intensity and so enjoyable.
BTW Alexander the then WI cricket captain was also invited to tour with the WI football team in 1959 but after an exhausting 8 Test match tour of India and Pakistan from
October to March, he begged off, otherwise he would have atttained unique feat along with Rodriquez as playing for WI at Football and cricket. Willie has the prize.
Both of you have been blessed to see some good sportsmen in your young days . Me too.

In reply to PalsofMineaihubert is talking about people I used to dream about,I saw Bartlett at Skinner Park when we played Jam,we one 1-0,the Jamcans were very skillful

In reply to hubert

Interesting that Alvin Corneal was more reknown for football than cricket. He was a tremendous footballer. One of the very best we’ve ever produced. His left foot was a magic wand.

Had he represented West Indies, he would have joined his compatriot Willie Rodriguez as someone who would have represented West Indies in BOYH football and cricket.

In reply to imusic
Fabulous player...deadly with the left.
But even more important, he was back then a dynamic personality and fun to be around.
Being a Trini it was no surprise he would be the life of any party and so he was with our group of Five at the Games.
Last to arrive I joined the other four,Corneal, Reds Pereira, Hugh Crosskill and Ewart Fatz Walters for what was one of the
most enjoyable two weeks of my life .
We bonded in true Caribbean manner and attracted notice from so many strangers who commented on our closeness,
merry and joyful togetherness. We were seldom apart.
We did for a a short interval one day during the break between athletics sessions when we could not find Alvin.
However just before the restart he showed up happy as ever offering to buy the drinks with more than a handful of
Canadian dollars...When we sought an explanation for the Wad, he said he had found a Horse racing track.
That was my thing as well as his, and not the others, so next day having got the directions to get there, I went from early
and duly returned with a puny profit too to much acclaim.
It was a good time,as my own Syndicate back in the Yard scored with our favorite steed, Golden Pendant and my then
GF who became the wife, covered well as instructed prior to my departure for the Games.
Owed much to Alvin for a rewarding time and Reds for being the Sane One. Hope they are both ok as Fatz and Hugh have
gone ahead.
But in all, we all at that time represent well as good Caribbean men and I still have some pix of us Five.
Did nor mean to digress from the cricket.

In reply to imusic

In reply to hubert

That is such an awesome story Hubert! Thank you so much for sharing.

Can you please share your thoughts on a Jamaican legend that unfortunately I never had the chance to see……..Alan “Skill” Cole