Cricket, the national sport of Antgua and Barbuda.
Antigua is not only famous for nurturing top players but the country has also produced some of the most impassioned fans. Two fans in particular, Nigel Baptiste better known as Chickie and Labom Kenneth Blackburm Llewelyn Boucanom Benjamin or "Gravy" have changed the melody of Cricket forever. For those who have not had the pleasure of attending a Cricket match in the Caribbean, or should I say, a Cricket festival, you are missing an experience of lifetime. Calypso Cricket is not just a game; it is a celebration where the sport is the focus but the music and the movement is the soul. Local Antiguan disc jockey "Chickie" created the concept of the Caribbean party stand in the Oil Co. grandstand more than 25 years ago.
Chickie introduced music to Cricket as a homage to Sir Vivian Richards. When Richards made his legendary 56-ball hundred, Chickie played the famous "Captain, the Ship is Sinking" number, taking a dig at David Gower. Since then music has been a crucial element in the Antiguan stands. Chickie explained, "We started with a boom box, and pulled together the guys, bought the drinks and the girls supplied the food. What began was the Caribbean version of Cricket, one with great music, food, dance and good times." Chickie, a native Antiguan, also understood cricket culture, and made sure that his speakers were positioned where the wind would fade the music away from the players.
To this day you can find Chickie running the music at regional games and test matches. He is typically heard before play, at the fall of a wicket, at the signal of a boundary, through each adjournment and into the late evening. In fact, Chickie has his own World Record in Cricket — he is the only non Cricketer to receive the "Man of the Match" award which was given to him in a rain washed game against India in 1996. He won the honor for his ability to keep the crowd at the ground even though play was impossible. In a careful marriage of Caribbean soul and sport, Calyspo Cricket has been hitting sixes for over twenty five years. It is no surprise that Chickie himself has been chosen to provide the music on the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds during the World Cup Cricket tournament this year.
For 12 years world famous cricket enthusiast, Gravy, livened up the rafters at the Antigua Recreation Ground
Never far from the sounds of Chickie was the entertainment of Gravy, a comic, dancer, and all around performer. Gravy began his career in 1988 during an England versus West Indies game that was also disrupted by rain. "The crowd was getting restless and so I went out onto the field and danced my heart out," said Gravy. The entertainment of Gravy had the audience in uproar as he spun on his head, swung from the bleachers and did flips down the field. Since that day, Gravy made an appearance at one test match or game every year. His shows became more and more involved. His costumes were changed throughout the game. One fan reminisced, "we never knew what would come out of the stands. One time Gravy popped out as Santa Claus. It was April. Gravy’s shows brought laughter to the game."
