Andy Ganteaume’s Autobiography gets rave reviews

For all you cricket aficionado's out there check out Andy Ganteaume's autobiography, 'My Story The Other Side of the Coin' available at cricshop.com

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It has taken almost sixty years after his only Test appearance for the West Indies in 1948 for West Indies opening batsman Andy Ganteaume to reveal why he thinks, that after being among that select few who scored centuries in their maiden Test appearances, he was never again selected to play in another Test match.

Andy’s “MY STORY The Other Side Of The Coin” was recently launched at a famous West Indies Test venue, the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, to an audience of cricketers, cricket enthusiasts and the local press.

Over the years Andy has in jest claimed that he has “a better test average than the Don” (Sir Donald Bradman), pausing just long enough for the unthinkable idea to register before adding much to the relief of the surprised listeners, “ but it is also my aggregate score”. That sense of humour is reflected throughout his book.

In a prepublication review, Dr. Ian Mc Donald, poet and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, who has written extensively on West Indies Cricket noted that, “Along with much else, he refutes conclusively the misconception, not to say smear, that in that expert and assured debut Test innings he batted “too slowly”. This is absolutely required reading. But his account of this extraordinary cricketing episode is only a part of Andy Ganteaume’s wonderfully interesting, revealing and forthright autobiography, My Story.”

In the foreword, Sir Everton Weekes, the lone surviving member of the famous 3 Ws (Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott) said, “The atrocities that existed and prevailed way back when the West Indies was given Test match status must be properly recorded. The injustices experienced by some players mainly because of social and economic advantages must not be allowed to go unnoticed. Thank heavens the playing field now seems to be more level.”

But Andy did not dwell on the negatives. In his Introduction he wrote, “Nothing I have said is meant to malign anyone but facts are stubborn things. As a matter of fact, to avoid seeming to “paint the lilly”, I have not mentioned all I could have. Obviously, it must be left to the reader to accept or reject. I however have no fear of successful contradiction.”

In his long career as player, selector, administrator and coach, Andy’s life touched many persons some famous, some not known, many of whom became firm friends. In “My STORY” he paints interesting vignettes of many of them. The long list includes Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Clyde Walcott, Clifford Roach, George Headley, Lord Learie Constantine and CLR James.

“MY STORY The Other Side Of The Coin” is published in Trinidad and Tobago by Medianet Ltd and is available on the world wide web from Amazon.com.

Professor Baldwin Mootoo of the University of the West Indies has noted, Andy “has told a unique story in this publication which we should all read if we are interested in West Indian cricket development and thus the evolution of Caribbean society.”