Players — emulate Constantine

THE EDITOR: Me a youngster with a very mature gentleman, old sportsman (cyclist, footballer, cricketer) telling me stories of the great Learie Constantine (raise your head in pride when you hear his name!) and about the father Lebrun Constantine, great name in cricket himself, placing a handkerchief on the pitch and having Learie bowl to hit it over after over after over at whatever speed; and about Learie in deep conversation just flicking his hand out and catching a fly in the air.

The wonder of the lot was at the Oval when in a match, he hit such a shot that the ball went up and up and out of sight and did not come down till near the end of the day’s play, boop; it hit the ground so hard that everybody could hear it and they found on it, a note from Papa God that said, “Look here young man, don’t disturb me up here again, you hear.” Papa God had some fun with the boys but our bowlers and coaches may well think of kerchiefs or similar objects on the cricket pitch to build the accuracy and consistency we absolutely need if West Indies will ever regain its old position as world champions. Item 3 is pure myth, the sort of thing that is made up about great players but items 1 and 2 are pure fact. Hopefully, our batsmen seem to begin to understand George Headley’s acid comment when a batsman got out from a worthless stroke, “He don’t like to bat.”

VAN STEWART
Diego Martin