Debasis Sen, Antigua: Meet Labon Kenneth Blackburn Leeweltine Buckonon Benjamin, popularly known as Gravy. Fans all across the globe will forever remember Gravy on a small platform in front of the Double Decker stand at the Antigua Recreation Ground, keeping the crowds entertained with his antics, his colorful and sometimes outrageous outfits and gymnastic ability.
The 66 year old Gravy is never short of bursting a joke and entertaining you at a cricket match and the crowd here in the Caribbean still love him for that. But somehow or other he misses the entertainment which existed in the late 90’s. He still never give it a miss whenever West Indies play a cricket match here in Antigua, but is not seen with his famous dresses any more ever since his retirement in 2000.
The chat with Gravy starts with a beer. It’s been quite a long time since he started entertaining the crowds.
“It started to rain during the presentation ceremony, and the podium was left open.”Something told me, Gravy, this is your time. I went down on the podium, in the rain, and started dancing. Everybody was excited about it. They loved it,” Gravy recollects.
His association with Antigua Recreation Ground became folklore for the fans across the world. Remember once Sir Viv Ricahrds told him, “Keep on doing it, because the world is happy when you do it.”
The people of Antigua miss the entertainer and so does he miss the entertainment at Rec. It all started when cricket shifted from ARG to Sir Viv Richard Stadium. As Gravy puts it, “It’s the love for the game, the love for cricket and the love for fans. To make them happy gave me a special feeling. Coming to a test match is pretty boring like in England and Australia. You just sit and clap. I need entertainment. I need to make you happy. I need to make you laugh.” Gravy gets emotional as he speaks.
He still visualizes the buzz and entertainment at ARG during its hey days. For him the best moment was , “to see Curtly Ambrose coming down for the first over and I make sure I don’t blink an eye because it’s either a wicket or somebody in real trouble.”
He once walked up to Lara when he scored that famous 375* and stood upside down. A police officer had to come running into the ground to escort him out of the ground.
He still has a lot of respect for Lara. “To me Lara is the best because he is my Caribbean man and I just love him. I just like the way he bat you know. Tendulkar is very god but I can’t give up for anyone else.”
Gravy was present at Sir Vivian Richards stadium, witnessing Virat Kohli score his maiden double hundred. According to him, “Virat is a good batsman. He is patient and goes through the motion. I just enjoyed the double century he scored and hope he continues to do great things.”
66 year old Gravy is very disappointed to see the decline of West Indies cricket. He gets very animated to explain what is wrong with the current West Indies cricketers.
“I am very disappointed with the current boys. I just hope they loved the way Vivian Richards , Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh loved the game and look forward to continue. The love for the game is not there. The spirit for the game is not there. Not because you have to lose but go down fighting.”
Gravy, who was shot at due to mistaken identity in 2004 received no financial support from either the board or the ground authorities, relying on income from his small gifts and souvenir shop in St John’s, and after his retirement in 2000 – marked by a triumphant stroll around the ground wearing a white wedding dress – was so badly treated that he even had to pay to attend matches.
Lastly on being asked what keeps him going maan, he replies with a grin, “One Red Stripe. That’s the one I like the most and it keeps me going. Ha ha ha .” signs off the biggest entertainer in Caribbean cricket.