100 years of George Headley: ... hailed as champion of the people

Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Jamaican cricket legend George Headley was hailed as a stalwart who braved the tremendous difficulties of colonialism and triumphed over these adversities to become one of the greatest West Indian cricketers of all times.

At a symposium held in his honour to mark the centenary celebrations of his life, held at the University of the West Indies on Tuesday, Jimmy Richards, cricket statistician, Arnold Bertram, cricket historian, and Christine Cummings, lecturer in the Department of Government at the university, delved into important aspects of his life, work and achievement.

The symposium, dubbed 'George Headley: from Colonialism to Adult Suffrage and Beyond,' analysed the struggles Headley faced as a player, captain and coach in the colonial era.

Cummings in her presentation stated that Headley, as a black man on a conscious level, started to bring an awareness to the populace despite being underpaid and unappreciated for his efforts. "He imparted the technical skills of cricket but left a legacy of values, including the importance of balancing academics with sports," Cummings said.

sense of pride

She said Headley had a sense of pride, which was lacking in today's cricketers.

"He was a 'go-to-hell' batsman who refused to settle for anything less than he deserved. Cricketers today, once they are cashing in, the results do not matter to them," Cummings said.

Richards describe Headley as a pioneering genius who rapidly acquired the technical expertise to achieve at the highest level.

"He was a self-trained batsman who captured the hearts of many Jamaicans. He seldom let down his followers," Richards said.

"Sometimes he received very little support from his teammates but he never faltered," he said.

Headley was held in high esteem by cricket writers of his time and, according to Richards, "it is a shame that his work and achievement in cricket and generally has not received more prominence in Jamaica".

little information on him

He stated that even a popular medium as the World Wide Web had little or no information on Headley, in comparison to other cricket greats of his time.

Richards stated, "If young Jamaican cricketers knew of Headley's legacy it would help to catapult them into having a better appreciation and respect for the game."

Bertram reiterated similar points in his presentation, and compared Headley to National Hero Marcus Garvey. He spoke of the similarities and differences between both men, highlighting their unrelenting strength and determination.

"In 1974, C.L.R. James wrote an essay and he said Marcus Garvey placed Africa and people of African descent in the consciousness of the modern world, and he did so in such a manner that they could never be removed again," Bertram said.

Headley, he said, by virtue of his cricketing skills, put Jamaica in a place of prominence within the British Empire, which served it for a very long time.

"During Jamaica's worst economic depression in the 1930s there was always a crowd at Lucas to watch Headley play. This showed the strength and inspiration the man gave to the Jamaican people," he said.