|
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
INTRODUCTION |
|
Jamaica has produced some to the world's
most talented individuals, these individuals have shone a light on
Jamaica making the country more visible to the world. These icons
have represented Jamaica in music, drama, sports and other fields,
below are just a few of the many. |
| |
|
ROBERT NESTA MARLEY (BOB) |
|
 In the year 1944, Captain Norval Marley married a young
Jamaican girl named Cedalla Booker. On February 6, 1945 at two thirty in
the morning their son, Robert Nesta Marley was born in his grandfather's
house. Soon after Bob was born his father left his mother. He did
however give financial support and occasionally returned to see his son.
It was now the late fifties, jobs were scarce in Jamaica, so Bob
followed his mother from their home in St. Ann to Trenchtown (West
Kingston) to seek employment in the big city. Trenchtown got it's name
because it was built over a ditch which drained the sewage of old
Kingston. In Trenchtown Bob spent a lot of his time with his good friend
Neville Livingstone who people called by his nickname, Bunny. Also in
the big city Bob was more exposed to the music which he had loved,
including such greats as Fats Domino and Ray Charles. Bob and Bunny
attended a music class together which was held by the famous Jamaican
singer Joe Higgs. In that class they met Peter Macintosh and soon became
good friends. In the meantime Jamaican music evolving and became very
popular throughout the Caribbean due to it's invention of Ska music.
When Bob was 16, he started to follow his dream of becoming a musician.
Music to many young Jamaicans was an escape from the harshness of
everyday life. One of those kids was Jimmy Cliff who at the age of 14
had already recorded a couple of hits. After meeting Bob, Jimmy
introduced him to Leslie Kong, a local record producer. Bob followed his
advice and auditioned for Leslie Kong. Bob's musical talents shone much
more brightly then anyone else that day and found himself in the studio
recording his first single "Judge Not". Unfortunately neither "Judge
Not" nor his 1962 single "One more cup of Coffee" did very well. Bob
soon left Kong after she failed to give him his pay. The following year
Bob, Bunny and some other friends formed the Wailing Wailers. The didn't
get off to a great start, after just a couple recording sessions two
members, Cherry and Junior Braithwait left the band. The band continued
on and were introduced to Clemet Dodd, a producer of the record company
Coxsone. It was here where the Wailing Wailers recorded the first song
"Simmer Down" which did quite well in Jamaica. To help with the
recording of their songs the studio provided several talented Ska
musicians. The Wailing Wailers consisting now of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh
and Bunny were starting to become quite popular locally. Their audiences
rapidly grew and they recorded several more songs on the Coxsone label
which included "It Hurts to be Alone" and "Rule the Roadie" Bob soon
took on the role of the leader, being the main songwriter and all. Bob's
life continued to look more bright on February 10, 1966 when Bob Marley
married girlfriend Rita Anderson. The next day Bob left for the United
States to visit his mother who lived in Delaware. While in the US he
worked to better finance his music and soon returned home. When Bob
Marley returned the Wailing Wailers' music evolved from Ska to Rock
Steady. This evolution conflicted with Coxsone who wanted a Ska band. So
the newly Wailing Wailers left Coxsone to form and renamed themselves
the Wailers. Instead of looking around for a new label the Wailers
decided to form their own which they called Wail 'N' Soul. This
coincided with the birth of the Marley's first born who they named
Cedalla. They released a couple signals on their label such as "Bend
down low" and "Mellow Mood" before it folded the very same year. The
ending of their label affected the band greatly, it wasn't until they
met Lee Perry that they got back on track. With the help of Lee Perry
the Wailers produced such great tracks as "Duppy Conquerer", "Soul
Rebel", "400 Years" and "Small Axe".
1970 saw the Wailers family grow with the addition of Aston "Family Man"
Barret and his brother Carleton. The Wailers were now quite popular
throughout the Caribbean but still internationally unknown. With
this popularity a second more successful label was formed by the
Wailers called Tuff Gong after a nickname of Bob Marley.
The Wailers met
Johnny Nash and soon Bob accompanied Nash to Sweden and London. When in
London, Bob recorded "Reggae on Broadway" which was released by CBS.
After this the rest of the Wailers arrived in London to help promote the
single only to find that there were out of money and stranded there.
With little options available, Bob went into the Island Records Basing
Street Studios and asked to speak to the boss, Chris Blackwell with
hopes of a possible record deal. Mr. Blackwell had already heard of the
Wailers and signed them on the spot. He advanced them eight thousand
pounds so that they could fly back home and record their first album for
Island. This was a massive deal, for the first time a reggae band would
have access to the finest recording facilities. The album they released
was "Catch a Fire", it was very well received by critics and was one of
the first reggae albums. Before the Wailers reggae was sold on signals
or compilation albums.
In the Spring of 1973 the Wailers arrived back in London to kick off
their three month tour of Britain. At the conclusion of the tour they
returned back to Jamaica where Bunny decided to quit touring. He was
replaced by Joe Higgs. The Wailers along with Higgs travelled to the US
were they were scheduled to open 17 shows for the number one black act
in the States, Sly and the Family Stone. The Wailers were fired after 4
shows because they were more popular then they band the opened for, the
crowd often chanted "Wail-ers" well into the Sly and the Family Stone
set. Also they opened a couple dates for Bruce Springsteen. After Sly
and the Family Stone axed the Wailers they found themselves once again
without money and stranded, this time in Las Vegas. Somehow they found
their way to San Fransico. While there they did a live concert broadcast
for the radio station KSAN-FM. The whole experience boosted their
popularity in North America.
 With 1973 winding down the Wailers released the much anticipated follow
up album to "Catch a Fire" called "Burnin". On this album many Wailer
classics appear such as "I shot the Sheriff" and "Get Up Stand Up". The
Wailers popularity in North America grew even more when Eric Clapton
re-recorded "I Shot the Sheriff", becoming a number one hit on the US
singles charts.
1975 saw the release of the Wailers's third album, "Natty Dread" with
such great tracks as "Talking Blues", "No Woman No Cry" and
"Revolution". On the down side though two thirds of the original Wailing
Wailers, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer quit the band to pursue solo
careers. This caused the band to change their name again. This time to
Bob Marley and the Wailers. The departure of the two members created a
hole in the backing vocal section, this hole was filled and then some by
the I-Threes (Rita Marley, Judy Mowatts and Marcia Grittiths). That
summer the band started a new European tour. Two of those shows were at
the Lyceum Ballroom, both shows were considered among the top of the
decade. Both shows were recorded and made the album "Live!" which
included the unforgettable live version "No Woman No Cry" which was a
world wide hit. The band underwent more changes with the addition of Al
Anderson and Bernard Harvey who were later replaced by Junior Marvin and
Tyrone Downie. The last time the original Wailers ever played together
was at a Stevie Wonder concert for the Jamaican Institute for the blind.
Bob Marley and the Wailers continued their roll releasing the incredible
album "Rasta man Vibration" in 1976. This capped off a type of
Reggae-Mania happening in the states. Rolling Stone named them band of
the year. On the Rasta man Vibration album was the powerful track "War"
which lyrics came from a speech given by Emperor Haile Selassie. Bob
Marley decided to play a free concert at Kingston's National Heroes Park
on December 5, 1976. The idea behind the concert was a peaceful message
against the ghetto wars happening in Trenchtown at the time. Tragedy
struck two days before that he get on stage, gunmen broke into the
Marley home and shot at Bob, Rita, and two friends. Luckily no one was
killed. Despite this Bob Marley went on to put on a memorable show two
days later at the Smile Jamaica concert. Following the show the band
left for the UK. While they were there they recorded 1977's "Exodus".
Possibly their best album to date, it solidified the band's
international stardom. It went number one in many countries including
England and Germany. It was also one of the top albums of the year.
During their European tour, the band did a week of shows at the Rainbow
Theatre in London. It was at the start of the tour when Bob injured his
toe playing football. It was later diagnosed as cancerous. Also during
this tour Bob received a very important ring, who's previous owner was
the Ethiopian Emperor. In May Bob was informed of his cancer. His cancer
would most certainly be taken care of by amputating the toe but Bob
refused. To do so would be against his Rastafarian faith. With this news
the remainder of the Exodus tour was cancelled. His illness didn't
prevent him from recording music though, 1978 saw the release of "Kaya"
which had a much more mellow sound then previous albums. Bob was accused
of selling out because many of the songs were love songs or tributes to
ganja (marijuana). Rastafarians believed the smoking the holy herb would
bring them closer to Jah (god).
In April 1978, Bob returned to Jamaica to play the One Love Peace
Concert. In attendance was Jamaican President Michael Manley and the
leader of the Opposition Edward Seaga. It was Bob who got them on stage
and even got them to shake hands. On June 15 he was awarded the Peace
Medal of the Third World from the United Nations. For the first time he
visited Africa going to Kenya and Ethiopia. On this trip he started to
work on the song "Zimbabwe". The band also released their second live
album "Babylon by Bus" with was recorded in Paris. The album which
followed it was Survival in 1978. Throughout the album the theme of
black survival was evident. The Seventies were now coming to a close,
Bob Marley and the Wailers were the most popular band on the road
breaking many festival records. In 1980 the band found themselves in
Gabon to perform in Africa for the first time. Here Bob Marley
discovered that there manager had defrauded the band, Bob gave him a
beating and fired him. The Zimbabwean government invited the whole band
to perform at the countries Independence Ceremony in April. Bob later
said of the invitation to be the biggest honour of his life.
After the amazing honour and experience Bob Marley continue to record,
"Uprising" was released in 1980. Everything was looking bright, the band
was planning an American tour with Stevie Wonder for that winter. Bob's
health was deteriorating, but he still got clearance from a doctor to go
on the road. The tour started with Boston, followed by New York. During
the New York show Bob's looked very sick and he almost fainted. The next
morning on Sept. 21 while jogging through Central, Bob collapsed and was
brought to the hospital. There a brain tumour was discovered and doctors
gave him a month to live. Rita Marley wanted the tour cancelled but Bob
wanted to continue on. He played an unforgettable show in Pittsburgh but
was too ill to continue so the tour was finally cancelled. It would be
the last show he ever performed. Treatment prolonged his life somewhat
but the inevitable was soon to happening. Bob was transported to a Miami
hospital where he was baptized Berhane Selassie in the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church on November 4. In a final attempt to save his life he
underwent a controversial treatment in Germany. While in Germany he
celebrated his 36th and final birthday. Ultimately the treatment didn't
work. Bob wanted to die at home so he was flown back. Unfortunately he
didn't finish the trip, he died on May 11, 1981 in a Miami hospital. He
was internationally mourned for and thousands showed up at his May 21
funeral to show their respects. In attendance wereboth the Jamaican
President and the Leader of the Opposition. Bob Marley now rests in a
mausoleum at his birthplace. After his death he was awarded Jamaica's
Order of Merit. The Prophet Gad insisted on becoming the owner of Bob's
ring. However, amazingly the ring the disappeared and still has yet to
be found. Bob's mother said that the ring was returned to it's place of
origin.
Bob Marley knew of his fate. Being a visionary he foresaw this, his
words will forever be immortalized in the lyrics in which he wrote.
"One bright morning when my work is over I will fly away home"
Written By
Thirdfield.com's Mike Peake. |
| |
|
LOUISE BENNETT-COVERLY (MISS LOU) |
top of page ^ |
 Louise Bennett was
born on September 7, 1919. She is a Jamaican poet and activist. From
Kingston, Jamaica Louise Bennett remains a household name in Jamaica, a
"Living Legend" and a cultural icon. She received her education from
Ebenezer and Calabar Elementary Schools, St. Simon’s College, Excelsior
College, Friends College (Highgate). Although she has lived in Toronto,
Canada for the last decade she still receives the homage of the
expatriate West Indian community in the north as well as a large
Canadian following.
She has been described as Jamaica's leading comedienne, as the "only
poet who has really hit the truth about her society through its own
language", and as an important contributor to her country of "valid
social documents reflecting the way Jamaicans think and feel and live”
Through her poems in Jamaican patois, she raised the dialect of the
Jamaican folk to an art level which is acceptable to and appreciated by
all in Jamaica.
In her poems she has been able to capture all the spontaneity of the
expression of Jamaicans' joys and sorrows, their ready, poignant and
even wicked wit, their religion and their philosophy of life. Her first
dialect poem was written when she was fourteen years old. A British
Council Scholarship took her to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where
she studied in the late 1940’s.
Bennett not only had a scholarship to attend the academy but she
auditioned and won a scholarship. After graduation she worked with
repertory companies in Coventry, Huddersfield and Amersham as well as in
intimate revues all over England.
On her return to Jamaica she taught drama to youth and adult groups both
in social welfare agencies and for the University of the West Indies
Extra Mural Department. She has lectured extensively in the United
States and the United Kingdom on Jamaican folklore and music and has
represented Jamaica all over the world. She married Eric Winston
Coverley since 1954 (who died in 2003) and has one son and several
adopted children. She enjoys Theatre, Movies and Auction sales.
Her contribution to Jamaican cultural life has been such that she was
honored with the M.B.E., the Norman Manley Award for Excellence (in the
field of Arts) , the Order of Jamaica (1974) the Institute of Jamaica's
Musgrave Silver and Gold Medals for distinguished eminence in the field
of Arts and Culture, and in 1983 the Honorary Degree of Doctor of
Letters from the University of the West Indies. In September 1988 her
composition "You're going home now", won a nomination from the Academy
of Canadian Cinema ad Television, for the best original song in the
movie "Milk and Honey".
In 1998 she received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from York
University, Toronto, Canada. The Jamaica Government also appointed her
Cultural Ambassador at Large for Jamaica. On Jamaica’s independence day
2001, Bennett-Coverly was appointed as a Member of the Order of Merit
for her distinguished contribution to the development of the Arts and
Culture.
|
| |
|
MERLENE OTTEY |
top of page ^ |
 Born in Pondside, Hanover in 1960, Ottey has won many medals in
major international competitions for Jamaica; including a record
eight at the Olympics, and six in the World Championships. A former
student of Ruseas and Vere Technical High schools, Ottey first
represented Jamaica at the US-boycotted 1980 Olympics Games in
Moscow. Though new to the international sprint scene, the
twenty-year old Ottey placed third in the 200 metres.
She confessed that she had drawn her early inspiration from the news
of fellow countryman Donald Quarrie's gold medal winning efforts, in
the 1976 Montreal Games over the same distance. Ottey listened to
this historic event on her transistor radio at her home in the
country.
She was later to become one of Jamaica's most acclaimed Jamaican
sprinters who, though she has never won an Olympic gold, has been
one of our most formidable athletes at these games.
Since her first Olympics, Ottey has won seven other medals at four
Olympic Games - a silver and bronze in the shorter sprint; a silver
and two bronze medals in the 200 metres and a silver and bronze
medal each in the four-by-one relays. In 1988 in Seoul, South Korea,
Ottey failed to take home a medal, despite running a blistering
21.99 seconds in the 200 metres final. She placed fourth. She was
solidly beaten by Florence Griffiths-Joyner of the US, who posted
the phenomenal women's world record of 21.34 seconds.
Silver went to country woman Grace Jackson-Small in a fast 21.79
seconds.
This is Ottey's seventh Olympics
Arguably, the most difficult of Ottey's Olympic expeditions may be
traced back to the twenty-seventh Olympiad in Sydney, Australia in
2000. The story, however, started a year earlier when the
high-flying sprint queen was declared to have cheated by the
International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). A urine sample
submitted at an out-of-competition meet in Luzerne, Switzerland had
returned positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. Her
'B' sample contained higher than normal levels of the substance.
Ottey was deemed to have an unfair edge over the competition and
subsequently banned by the IAAF. Jamaicans were shocked.
The embattled Ottey, however, fought to clear her name. Finally,
redemption came in the summer of 2000. The IAAF dropped all charges
against her. Jamaicans were elated. However, there was one other
major hurdle Ottey had to cross in her bid for a fifth Olympic trip.
She had to compete at the National Senior Trials prior to selection
for the Olympics. She placed a disappointing fourth at the trials -
prematurely ending her dream of competing in the finals of the
hundred metres at her fifth Olympic Games. According to the rules of
the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) only athletes who
had finished in the top three at the trials were eligible to run.
Ottey could only run on the relay team. Ottey, however, was
convinced in her decision that she be extended the courtesy the JAAA
had done to others in the past. The situation had all the signs of
impending trouble.
In the weeks prior to the Sydney, Ottey registered two sub-eleven
seconds times in warm-up meets prior to the Games. She was the
fastest of all the Jamaican female sprinters over the distance
leading into the Olympics. The JAAA had the unenviable task of
deciding which athlete would run at the Olympics, - one of the three
women who had finished ahead of Ottey - Peta-Gaye Dowdie, Tanya
Lawrence and Beverly MacDonald or Ottey. In the end, Ottey was given
the green light over national champion, Dowdie, who it was later
confirmed, was injured.
Many of Ottey's teammates objected to the JAAAs' decision. In their
estimation, the veteran sprinter should have had the grace to step
aside and allow younger talents to come forward. Quarter-miler
Gregory Haughton, himself an Olympian and medallist at major
championships, was reputed to have taken it upon himself to lead the
notorious Games Village protests to oust Ottey, which made headlines
worldwide. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) threatened to
throw the Jamaicans out of the Games if the team managers were not
able to control their charges. The protest ended immediately. It was
agreed, Ottey would face the starters in the short sprint. Her
teammates, reportedly, had made peace with the decision.
Despite being at the centre of a major row, Ottey ran her races
smartly. In the first semi-finals, she ran a relatively fast 11.22
seconds to beat the Bahamian duo of Chandra Sturrup and Debbie
Ferguson and the European pair of Christine Arron and Zhana
Pintusevich. In the next semi-finals, US runner Marion Jones beat
Ekatreni Thanou of Greece and Jamaican Tanya Lawrence. The race was
faster than Ottey's semi-final.
In the finals, Jones dismissed all-comers in copping the title of
Olympic champion. Thanou was second. Ottey and Lawrence dueled
valiantly to the tape. Unfortunately for Ottey however, she was
relegated to fourth spot. A mere one hundredth of a second separated
the two Jamaicans. Though disappointed, Ottey congratulated Jones
who registered 10.75 seconds for a memorable Olympic victory. Thanou
stopped the clock in 11:12 seconds. Lawrence posted 11.18 seconds
and Ottey was timed in 11.19 seconds.
Then came the women sprint relay finals. The Jamaican team comprised
bronze medallist Lawrence, teenager and newcomer Veronica Campbell
and curve specialist Beverly MacDonald. Ottey anchored. In the end,
the Jamaicans took silver. They were beaten by Caribbean neighbours
and long-time arch rivals, Bahamas. They finished ahead of the
highly touted US team, anchored by a fast finishing Marion Jones.
Ottey's anchor leg and silver medal win in a team event was fitting
deliverance from the tribulations which dogged her attendance at the
Sydney games. The moment truly belonged to Ottey. It was her finest
hour. She permanently etched her name in the record books by copping
her eighth Olympic medal. Ottey is the only female sprinter to have
achieved such a feat. But despite the fact that Ottey had brought
glory to her country, the sting of the controversy had left a
distinctly bitter aftertaste. The 'Sprint Queen' had, obviously,
fallen from grace. Ottey was construed as a desperate and aging icon
trying to retain power by any means necessary and was accused of
usurping the place of younger and equally worthy athletes. Little
wonder she requested to be released from representing Jamaica in
order to run for Slovenia. That decision came in 2001.
By Agostinho Pinnock for
The Jamaica Observer
Marlene Ottey, one of the greatest athletes of all time,
is now in her forth decade of international competitions.
This year she is participating in a record breaking
seventh Olympic Games. Born on May 10, 1960 in Cold
Spring, Jamaica and now living and competing for Slovenia.
Olympic Games
Moscow 1980 / 1x bronze medal
Los Angeles 1984 / 2x bronze medal
Barcelona 1992 / 1x bronze medal
Atlanta 1996 / 2x silver medal, 1x bronze medal
Sydney 2000 / 1x silver medal
Outdoor World Championships
Record breaking 14 medals between 1983 and 1997
Personal Records
100 m Outdoor / 10.74 sec
200 m Outdoor / 21.64 sec
200 m Indoor / 21.87 sec (World Record)
60 m Indoor / 6.69 sec
Stats from
http://www.merleneottey.com
|
| |
|
JIMMY CLIFF |
top of page ^ |
 Jimmy Cliff...
Reggae Ambassador – the last surviving icon of reggae music, has
earned his Musical Innovator, Singer/Songwriter, Actor titles over
an illustrious career in the 20th Century and into the 21st.
Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, the young man who wanted to simply
express himself through music and acting has gone on to influence an
eclectic mix of artists from Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Paul
Simon, to the Clash and Sublime.
As a rambunctious teenager in Kingston, Jamaica, Cliff brazenly
walked into the local ice cream parlor/record shop and sang an a
cappella tune he had written called "Dearest Beverly." The aspiring
record producer/owner of the shop, Leslie Kong was immediately
impressed. He paid for the 14 year old Cliff to record it, along
with his first hit, "Hurricane Hattie."
While at Federal Studios to record "Miss Jamaica" (a song written to
capitalize on the excitement surrounding the newly-crowned beauty
queen), Cliff met Robert Nesta Marley, whom Cliff helped to record
his first tune, "Judge Blot." Over the course of the next few years
these two current day icons helped to create modern reggae music.
"Today's reggae music has gone through many formulations," Cliff
muses. "Originally known as Ska, it has evolved to 'rock steady' to
modern reggae, in its different forms."
After conquering his Jamaican homeland, Jimmy Cliff went on to
conquer England, Africa, Europe and Brazil at the invitation of
Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. That collaboration brought
us Cliff's hits "Wonderful World Beautiful People," "Vietnam" and
"Wild Wild World." He also wrote and produced hits "You Can Get It
If You Really Want," for Desmond Decker and "Let Your Yea Be Yea"
for the Pioneers.
Cliff's introduction to U.S. listeners came as a result of his
critically acclaimed role as a gun toting, drug-selling "rude boy"
in the 1970s cult classic, "The Harder They Come."
His performance garnered him rave reviews and forever established
his place at the forefront of the reggae movement. The film also
introduced the world to the classic reggae anthems "You Can Get It
If You Really Want" and "Many Rivers to Cross." Music would never be
the same again. Jimmy Cliff extended his acting career by
co-starring with Robin Williams and Peter O'Toole in "Club Paradise"
and in "Marked For Death" with Steven Segal.
Known for his easy, pop-friendly reggae style as well as
harder-edged tunes with social and political lyrics and earnest
voice, Jimmy Cliff has put his signature sound on some familiar
hits. Cliff's cover of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now," which
was featured in the movie "Cool Runnings," was a huge radio hit, and
exposed him to a new and younger generation. Other musical projects
included "The Lion King," where Cliff appeared alongside Elton John
on the film's soundtrack.
His release, "Humanitarian," marked Cliff's first new project in the
U.S. in 5 years, and in 3 years in Europe and South America. Leaning
a little more toward pop without abandoning the style he has made
famous, this CD featured new versions of The Beatles "Ob-La-Di,
Ob-La-Da" and Carole King's "You've Got A Friend."
From decade to decade and more than 20 albums later, Jimmy Cliff is
still drawing capacity crowds of all ages. In December, 1999 Cliff
gave a heartfelt rendition of "No Woman No Cry" with Erykah Badu at
the Bob Marley All Star Tribute. The tribute, which was telecast on
the TNT Cable Network, featured contemporary artists like Ziggy
Marley, Lauryn Hill, Sarah McLaughlin and Queen Latifah.
The 21st Century will find Cliff once again extensively touring the
United States, South America, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Africa and
Tahiti. "I want to stimulate and motivate people to appreciate life
– it's my calling." Cliff reflects. "My way of serving is through
music, so that's what I have to do." |
| |
|
MICHAEL HOLDING |
top of page ^ |
 CRICKETER OF
THE YEAR - 1977
Whispering Death
One of the most enduring memories of the 1976 cricket season in
England – for the spectators if not for opposing batsmen – was the
graceful, rhythmic action of the West Indian fast bowler, Michael
Holding. The speed which he generated from his deceptive approach to
the stumps was, on occasions, frightening and, in association with
Roberts, Daniel and Holder, proved a decisive factor in the West
Indies’ resounding triumph.
It was a series filled with several outstanding individual feats,
but none could quite compare with Holding’s in the final Test at The
Oval. On a depressingly lifeless pitch, the other fast bowlers of
both teams could only take five wickets between them at a cost of
477 runs. Yet the conditions seemed to act as a catalyst which
lifted Holding to an extraordinary performance.
He proved that nothing could deter bowling of great pace and
accuracy by taking eight for 92 in the first innings and six for 57
in the second. No fewer than twelve of his fourteen victims were
either bowled or lbw, an accurate reflection of his speed and his
consistent line. Of all the great West Indian bowlers of the past,
none had equalled this feat of 14 wickets in a Test.
Holding’s rise from the relative obscurity of Jamaica’s Shell Shield
team to the forefront of the game’s finest fast bowlers was
meteoric. A year before his Oval achievement, he had not played in a
Test had not played in a Test and had taken a mere sixteen wickets
in three first-class seasons in the Caribbean at the unflattering
cost of 51 runs each. Yet his potential has always been undeniable
and the West Indies selectors recognised it picking him in the
seventeen for the 1975-76 tour of Australia, a choice for which they
deserve the greatest credit. Since then, Holding has fulfilled the
expectations of everyone who was predicting great things for him
from his days at
Kingston College
in Jamaica.
Born in the parish of St. Andrew, in Jamaica, on February 16, 1954,
MICHAEL ANTHONY HOLDING was fortunate that his parents were keen
sportsmen who encouraged him in all his sporting exploits. His
father, Ralph, a building contractor, playing club cricket to a good
standard and has been President of the strong Melbourne Club – for
which, understandably, his son has played since leaving school. Mr
Holding senior was in Australia to watch Michael make his entry into
Test cricket an, along with Mrs Holding, witnessed his Oval bowling.
At school, young Holding immediately established his credentials as
a natural athlete and he shone both at cricket and athletics. There
is a strong tradition in both sports in Jamaica which, apart from
its long line of great cricketers, has also produced such famous
runners as Arthur Wint, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden and Don Quarrie.
Fortunately for West Indian cricket, Holding’s sports master at the
time, Mr. Trevor Parchment, advised him to concentrate on that game.
It was not long before the guidance was bearing fruit. By 1972, he
was in Jamaica’s team for the annual West Indies youth tournament
and the following season came his first class debut. He made a name
for himself in that initial year by clean bowling the Australian
opening batsman Ian Redpath, cheaply three time sin four meetings.
His development, however, was not spectacular. His lean physique
found it difficult to cope with the strain of fast bowling and he
was troubled by illness and injury. Nevertheless, he was gaining
size and pace all the time and, by the 1975 Shield season, confirmed
reports from Jamaica that he was the bowler to partner Roberts for
the series in Australia.
In some quarters, Holding’s selection, as one of five fast bowlers,
was a surprising gamble. Even some of his team mates, who had not
seen him nor played against him for two years, were astonished by
his hostility in the opening game of the tour against a Colts team
at Adelaide. When he won a close match against New South Wales
almost single-handed by taking six for 60 his place in the Test team
was assured.
By the team the West Indies won the second Test at Perth by an
innings, Holding taking four wickets in the first innings, the
Australian wicket-keeper, Rodney Marsh, was speaking of him becoming
one of the fastest bowlers of all time. Unluckily, injury ruled him
out of the third test and, thereafter, he and his team deteriorated
disappointingly. Richie Benaud was of the opinion that he was a
better bowler at the start of the tour than he was at the end and
thought he was straining too hard for pace and bounce.
In the series against India in the Caribbean which immediately
followed, Holding took nineteen wickets in four matches and, on
occasion, looked a truly great bowler. On others, however, he was
again guilty of bowling too short with a corresponding loss of
accuracy. It was a criticism which could have been levelled at him
during the first half of the tour of England as well and it was
probably a team meeting midway through the third Test at Old
Trafford which finally put him right.
He and Daniel had unleashed a volley of very fast, very short
bowling against the veteran England openers, Edrich and Close, in
the final hour and a half’s play on the Saturday. Close took a few
fearful blows, Holding was warned for intimidation and England
closed the day without the loss of a wicket. It was, observed the
West Indies manager, Clyde Walcott, bad bowling – and he obviously
told Holding so.
The effect was immediate. He pitched the ball right up on the Monday
with telling success and the lesson was learned. In the subsequent
Tests, the bouncer was kept in reserve as a surprise weapon and
Holding realized, as have all prosperous fast bowlers, that there is
no counter to genuine pace and accuracy.
Holding has been an irreplaceable acquisition to the West Indies.
Not only has he proved a “lethal” bowler but a useful lower order
batsmen and magnificent outfielder as well. His long, loping strides
as he chases the ball make him a joy to watch. In addition, he is an
intelligent young man who fits easily into any company.
In fact, those meeting him for the first time find it difficult to
reconcile the quiet mild-mannered individual they confront off the
field with the fiercely competitive sportsman they see on it. His
much-publicised display during the Sydney Test of the series against
Australia when he wept publicly after having a caught behind
dismissal refused by the umpire was indicative of his will to
succeed., not of any weakness in character. His hostile bowling
against India in the Kingston Test of that series when several
batsmen were injured was influenced by the same spirit, not
malicious intent.
Eminent fast bowlers throughout history have been in great demand
and, in this age of jet travel, Holding can ask his price from the
clubs of England and Australia, always so anxious to please their
members and their sponsors. Already, he has received tempting
offers, but he is anxious not to subject himself to the type of
labour which could bring a premature end to his career and, so far,
he has resisted them.
As a computer programmer with the Jamaican Government, Holding will
probably be one of the rare contemporary West Indian cricketers who
does not play the game all year round in every part of the globe.
Whether that is good news or not for opposing batsmen is debatable.
They may confront him less often than they might some other fast
bowlers but, when they do, he will be keen and fresh and that, on
all evidence to date, is an alarming prospect. – T.C.
Fact pack
Full name Michael Anthony Holding
Batting right-hand lower-order
Bowling right-arm fast
Allround status bowler, useful tailender
Born Kingston, Jamaica, February 16, 1954
Nickname Whispering Death
Teams Jamaica 1972-73 to 1988-89, Lancashire 1981, Tasmania 1982-83,
Derbyshire 1983, 1985 to 1989, Canterbury 1987-88.
West Indies (Tests) 1975-76 to 1986-87, (ODIs) 1976 to 1986-87
Career figures
TEST BATTING
m inns no runs av hs 100/50 ct st
60 76 10 910 13.79 73 0/6 22 0
TEST BOWLING
o r w bb av 5wi 10wm sr
2077 5898 249 8-92 23.69 13 2 51.16
ODI BATTING
m inns no runs av hs 100/50 ct st
102 42 11 282 9.10 64 0/2 30 0
ODI BOWLING
o r w bb av 4wi sr econ
912.1 3034 142 5-17 21.37 6 38.54 3.33 |
| |
|
MIKE MCCALLUM |
top of page ^ |
 Mike
McCallum, the great ‘Body Snatcher’ from Jamaica, has been
retired since 1997. Despite having been a pound-for-pound
entrant for the better part of fifteen years, as well as being
one of the most complete technicians of his time, he gets as
much recognition today as he did back then: very little.
Whereas in the star-filled 1980’s he was avoided by his
'Fantastic Four' contemporaries – Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and
Duran – nowadays his name is used by Roy Jones ‘nuthuggers’ to
inflate their hero’s body of work. Forget that McCallum was 39
years old and shot when he was out-pointed by Jones. People
would rather use his name as an alibi to prop up their fallen
idol. Check out a Mike McCallum Google search and see what I
mean.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1956, Michael McKenzie McCallum
would prove to be one of the hardest working fighters of his
day. After a wealth of amateur experience, in which he learned a
vast array of skills and achieved an impressive 240-10 record,
he moved to America and stepped into the professional ranks in
1981. He adapted to this new experience quickly, and added body
punching – a facet often neglected in the amateurs – to his
repertoire. McCallum would aim his left hook at the soft spot
below his opponents’ ribcage to wear them down in battles of
attrition.
McCallum began his career impressively, stopping his first
fourteen opponents. Two fights later, in only his second year as
a professional, he faced the former WBA junior middleweight
champion Ayab Kalule. McCallum put on a boxing clinic to
dominate his foe, and was so impressive in breaking his man down
that he was avoided for almost two years by champions and
contenders alike. It is a measure of McCallum’s class that
Kalule had previously given a prime Sugar Ray Leonard a stern
test, albeit in a losing effort.
McCallum found himself taking on low-key opponents, well below
his level as one of the best fighters in the world. In spite of
this disappointment, McCallum simply bid his time and faced the
best opponents available, using the setback as a positive
experience to sharpen his skills. A fight with the great Roberto
Duran fell through, and Sugar Ray Leonard wanted nothing to do
with him.
By the time he secured a title shot, against Sean Mannion at the
end of 1984, McCallum was more than ready, and outclassed his
rugged foe over fifteen rounds. He would go on to defend his
title 6 times in the next 3 years, defeating such stellar
opponents as David Braxton, former WBC welterweight champion
Milton McCrory, and the feared Julian Jackson, perhaps the
hardest puncher of his generation and a future three-time
champion himself. None of them went the distance.
The most impressive defence was also his last at junior
middleweight. In July 1987 McCallum faced Donald Curry, the
brilliant former welterweight champion who had been a leading
pound-for-pound entrant prior to a shocking defeat against the
unheralded Lloyd Honeyghan. Curry – a master boxer with
tremendous power – had battled the scales as much as the
impressive Honeyghan, and saw it as a sign to prove himself in
the higher division.
Viewers were treated to a superb contest from the opening bell.
Both men boxed at the very highest level of world class, each
taking turns to punish the other for even the slightest mistake.
Missed McCallum jabs were countered by crisp Curry right hands
over the top; Curry’s body punches were answered by sharp
McCallum hooks and uppercuts to the uncovered head. The two men
were like mirror images, waiting for the split second that they
saw an opening, in an exciting ebb and flow tactical match.
After four rounds it was dead even. Although Curry had staggered
McCallum with an astonishing right hand in the second round,
‘The Body Snatcher’ recovered well and came back to close
Curry’s left eye with crisp inside work. By round five Curry
seemed concerned by the swelling, and, suddenly inspired, began
to baffle McCallum, alternating his work between in – and out –
side, and firing laser-like combinations. Curry, however, was
made to pay for his success. Curry stepped in with a sharp left
hook. McCallum countered with a hard body shot that lowered
Curry’s guard, and then knocked him senseless with a sweeping
left hook.
"The Donald Curry fight was maybe my best fight," said McCallum.
"It was a short fight, but it was a very back and forth fight.
Donald was pound-for-pound one of the greatest fighters at the
time. He was a good thinker, he punched quick, was very precise
and he had me going for a minute until I knocked him out. It was
a great fight, it was like a chess match, a real thinking man's
fight."
McCallum was subsequently viewed as an outstanding champion.
He'd proven himself a superb craftsman with all the tools of the
trade, who could adapt to any style or situation. He was rated
as one of the best fighters, pound-for-pound, in the world, as
well as one of the best technicians of the decade. Emanuel
Steward, who trained McCallum prior to his fight with Mannion,
still has a very high opinion of him:
"The main thing that I remember about Mike is he's the most
naturally gifted fighter that ever walked into my gym. He did
everything effortlessly. One day he was boxing with Tommy (Hearns),
and I said to him, 'I'm gonna show you a little trick. Tommy
jabs with his left hand down, so I want you to parry it and step
over real smooth, and shoot a little one, two and hit him on the
chin.' He hit him three consecutive times, and finally Tommy
stopped and said, 'How come I can't stop him from hitting me?'
And everyone laughed… The workouts between Mike and Tommy were
just unbelievable. They were better than most fights. They were
just phenomenal!”
In spite of this, McCallum was never a big attraction. His
subtle, calculating fighting style and his quiet personality
failed to capture public interest. He was only appreciated by
the purists, and was shunned by the public who preferred to
watch Duran, Hearns, Leonard and Hagler fight one another.
McCallum’s plight was similar to that experienced by greats such
as Ezzard Charles, Charley Burley and Archie Moore during the
‘40s and ‘50’s (as well as their many contemporaries and
antecedents). But whereas they were held back for being black,
McCallum – every bit a good as his contemporaries – was avoided
because he wasn’t ‘box office.’
Part two will chart McCallum's career from 1988 to 1997,
from his days as middleweight champion through to his light
heavyweight reign.
Click For
Part II
From
http://www.doghouseboxing.com
|
| |
| . |
top of page ^ |
|
