LINDY DELAPENHA
WHEN Lindy Delapenha started playing professional football in the English First Division over 50 years ago, he was the first non-white player to do so.
A pioneer in his time, Lindy represented Portsmouth as a striker and won a league championship medal in 1949.
Portsmouth won back to back Division I titles in 1948 and 1949. But Lindy only played four matches in the first year and all of 24 in his second year with the club.
In 1949, two years after a scout spotted him playing for the British Army in Egypt, Lindy was regarded as one of the most lethal strikers in English football. He played at both the inside right and outside right positions.
After a successful stint with Portsmouth, Lindy was transferred to Middlesborough for 1500 pounds in 1950. He played with distinction for the Division I club from 1950 to 1955, scoring a record 22 goals in 1952. That record still stands.
Middlesborough was relegated to the second division in the mid-50s and Lindy stayed there until 1958 before moving on to Mansfield Town to play Division III football. He was transferred for 6000 pounds.
Getting on in age at the beginning of the 60s, Lindy wrapped up his professional career in 1963 with non-league side Burton Albion, helping the club to win the Southern League Cup in 1963 by scoring the winning goal in the final.
After returning to Jamaica in early 1965, Lindy not only played Sugar Estate cricket, but represented Boys' Town at football, taking the club from Division III to Division I, before moving to Liguanea/Mona. Shortly after he became director of Sports at JBC (raidio and TV) and was instrumental in brimging English Division I football and horseracing, among other things, to television in the late 60s.
An old boy of Wolmers' and Munro where he represented the latter at football, cricket, track and field, hockey, boxing and gymnastics, Lindy went on to represent Jamaica in golf for many years in the Heorman Cup.
For his outstanding contribution to football, Lindy Delaphena was inducted to the Jamaica Sports Hall of Fame last year.
