Matches between West Indies and England are never just about cricket: the Tests starting on 8 July look no different
When Learie Constantine first came to Nelson in 1929, the rag-and-bone man was the only other black man living in the town. Little kids from the school over the road used to peep in through the windows of Constantine’s house, trying to steal glimpses of their local cricket club’s new pro. They pointed at him in the street, asked him if he’d been working down a mine, whether he could wash it off with soap.
Hard as it was, Constantine decided that most of the racism he faced grew out of ignorance rather than spite. Most, but not all. As he found out when he met Jim Blanckenberg, the South Africa all-rounder he had replaced.
Written by Andy Bull
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/30/learie-constantine-and-a-thread-that-runs-through-west-indies-cricket-history under the title “Learie Constantine and a thread that runs through West Indies cricket history | Andy Bull”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
