60 and counting a wonderful ‘Crofty’ life
Published:
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Colin Croft
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I am 60 this week, so let us indulge. Have a brandy on me! Cheers! I often wondered if born on “Ides of March” - March 15 – when Julius Caesar was butchered by his so-called friends, was an omen. Despite severe external stimuli, with great efforts to destroy me, personally and professionally, I am still here, fully vertical and very well, planning 60 more. I feel like Count Dracula, “un-dead-able”!
My name Colin Everton Hunte was derived from a combination of three cricketing greats - England’s Sir Colin Cowdrey, West Indies’ Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Conrad Hunte, all world-class batsmen, so I had to become a world-class fast bowler. Adriel “Woody” Richard, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) media manager, commented during West Indies’ 2012 England tour, when Sir Vivian Richards also celebrated his 60th saying: “Crofty, I cannot imagine you guys being 60. I remember your team’s great cricketing exploits as it was yesterday. Where did that time go?”
I have no idea how I got here either. God is great! The year 1953 was a good one, with me being born to Sylvia Celestine, 41, her fourth and last child. It was the year, Joseph Stalin died after exterminating millions; Weekes, Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott made hundreds against India; and Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was crowned Queen Elizabeth II. I share a birthday with General Andrew Jackson, USA’s seventh President, and gorgeous actress Eva Longoria. From1959 to 1966, I attended Lancaster Government School, bordering Unity Village, which produced Shivnarine Chanderpaul. During that period I played football and cricket, holding post of goal-keeper and wicket-keeper, respectively, and I also ran relays.
I moved on to Central High School (CHS) where known as “Big 12”, I became a prefect, and continued playing football, cricket and competing athletics, picking up table tennis along the way. I am probably unique, never having a girl-friend in high school over five years, despite sporting and educational progress, so gangly I was! Between 1970 and 1971, I played cricket for Guyana’s youth team, and had my first flight ever – what joy - to Jamaica, via T&T, in a beautiful BOAC VC-10, starting my aviation fever.
By 1971, I had my first job at age 18, thanks to CHS’s Principal “Rudy” Luck, teaching Mathematics at Commenius Moravian School. Many thanks to Rudy, Winston Hunter, Malcolm Harris, David Bacchus, “Robbie” Roberts and “Slanty” Rodway, who made sure that I knew everything mathematical. My First Class debut came in 1972 versus Jamaica and courtesy legend Lance Gibbs and Guyana Chronicle’s Godfrey Wray, I went to Warwickshire CCC, on three-month training course: on cricket’s way.
The following year, I confirmed my greatest love—aviation—becoming an Assistant Air Traffic Controller. I am greatly obliged to Aviation Officers Ronald Lee-Own, Bill Mahaboob, Geoffrey “Reds” Murray, Tony Moore, Robert Roberts, Aubrey Alexander, Cuthbert Ferdinand, Caribbean Airlines pilot Clinton Riley, Guyana Airways pilot Astil Paul and GDF pilot Philip Payne for massive inspiration along the way in my aviation career.
However, my love for sports remained and in 1974, I played football with the Guyana Colts against Brazil. The next year, I won everything in T&T with Paragon Sports Club while on navigation scholarship. It was there that Ron Faria, Prince Bartholemew and “Joey” Carew convinced me that I would play for the West Indies and in 1977, I made my Test debut.
I claimed 33 wickets from five Tests versus Pakistan, even earning the “Man of the Series”award. My eventual overall Test returns were quite good, from 27 Tests, I nabbed 125 wickets at an average of 23.30.
“Bomber Croft” became a reality in both aviation and cricket. Love was next in the books for and in 1978, I met Lynette, who ruled my heart, filling me with tremendous happiness. Then came “Professor” Colin Lee two years later to rule us both. She left in 1986. It was within that period, “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”—Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Colin Croft and Joel Garner—dominated, leading the West Indies easily to the 1979 World Cup. Thereafter was truly one the high points of my cricketing career being named the No 1 bowler in the world from 1980-1982.
I would be the first to admit that from 1983 to 1993, I needed focus. During this timespan, I had my daughter, “Queen Nefertiti”—Shannon Renee—in 1989, courtesy of spouse and my second love, Gail. I eventually returned to T&T in 1992 with my Commercial Pilot’s License, Teacher’s Certificate, and Mechanical Engineering degree, working for Air Caribbean and Mustique Airways. I was also employed at Tobago Express/Caribbean Airlines, UWI as SPEC’s first facility manager, and Guardian Media, even driving, in 2012, commercially for Walt Disney’s Corporation during that ten-year span.
But it was my advent to Sports Journalism in 1993 which I stuck with to present time. A profession which has taken me throughout the cricket world. Best friends Butch Savory and Jimmy Harewood always remind me: “Everton, I do not know anyone who had your luck, who still somehow managed, miraculously, to survive and continue on so very well!”
What a life indeed! Anything is very possible for my next 60, anywhere. Enjoy!
