George
Headley was born in Panama where his father
had migrated to work on building the Panama Canal. When he
was ten years old Headley was sent to Jamaica to get an
English education. In 1928 at eighteen years, George was good enough to be selected to represent Jamaica against a visiting English side. During this same year, his parents had migrated to United States from Panama and had sent for george to come and study a profession. Ironically the papers that had been sent from Panama were delayed.
By the time the documents had
arrived Headley had made 78 and 228 against the Englishmen. The
local authorities and fans persuaded young George to give up the idea of going to study and West Indies cricket gain it's first cricket hero. Headley made his debut in 1930 and for the period between the wars he carried the West Indies batting with his scoring feats.
Headley's scoring feats led to his being dubbed the black Bradman. Through this period Headley's contribution was critical to the achievements of the West Indies. When the war came Headley had played 35 test innings in ten years. He had scored two double centuries, eight centuries and five fifties at an average of 70.64.
Headley had a fascinating start to his career at the age of twenty in four Test Headley scored 704 runs at an average of 87.88, including four centuries. When compared with Sir Don Bradman who at age twenty one made his debut in four Test in 1929 scoring 486 runs at an average of 66.85. In 1948 George Headley became the first black man to captain
the West Indies,
George Alphonso Headley
MBE, died in Jamaica on November 30, 1983, he
was aged 74.
George Headley Test Cricket
Statistics
Full Name
George Alphonso Headley
Number
of Test
22
Test Run Aggregate
2,190
Test
Batting Average
60.83
Total Test Wickets
0
Test Bowling Average
--
Test
Centuries
10
Date of Birth
30th
May, 1903,Colon, Panama
Died
November 30, 1983, Meadowbridge, Kingston,
Jamaica
Test Debut
West
Indies v England at Bridgetown - Jan 11-16, 1930
Last Test Match
West
Indies v England at Kingston - Jan 15-21, 1954
Batting
Style
Right hand bat
Bowling
Style
Legbreak
Screenshot
Description
Cricket
Legends These players are the 50 greatest cricketers of
the century, as voted by a blue-ribbon panel of judges assembled by
ESPN. The panelists were asked to list in order, their top 50 players.
Cricketing legends from Australia, England, India, New Zealand,
Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies all made it to the final 50.
Among them are some famous West Indies fast bowlers, great Aussie
legends, and modern heros of the game. Disc 5 features the great George
Headley.
