CECIL THEODORE KING
Born in St. George’s Parish, Antigua, Cecil Theodore King, affectionately known as “Charlie,” is an accomplished top-order batsman and a part-time off-break spin bowler. Charlie represented Antigua in the Regional Leeward Islands Tournament, playing alongside legends such as Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Andy Roberts. He was regarded as one of the finest batsmen of that era.
Charlie’s rise to the highest tier of Leeward Islands cricket began at the tender age of 20, where he occupied the critical fourth position in the batting lineup. He was the top scorer on numerous occasions, scoring two centuries and multiple fifties. However, Charlie’s quest to represent the Leeward Islands in the Shell Shield Tournament was short-lived, coming to an end after the 1972 season.
In 1973, Charlie immigrated to the United States and settled in Hartford, Connecticut, where his reputation as a complete cricketer preceded him. Thanks to his brother Basil King, who had immigrated a few years earlier, the West Indian cricketing community was well aware of Charlie’s skills. For the next 20 years, Charlie dominated the Boston and Connecticut cricket leagues as the key player for the New Britain Social Club. He captained the club for fifteen years and was widely respected throughout the Northeast United States for his batting prowess.
During this period, Charlie was regarded as the finest batsman in the Northeast United States. In a notable highlight of his career, Charlie was selected to represent a combined New England team that played against the 1983 Cricket World Cup champions, Team India, which included legendary players such as Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, at Keney Park in Hartford. Gavaskar famously admired Charlie’s skills, saying, “You remind me of Viv Richards.”
To this day, the New Britain Social Club commends Charlie for his unwavering efforts in forging long-standing relationships with the Montreal Cultural Social Organization, Toronto Community Cricket Club, Rochester Cricket Club, and Philadelphia Cricket Club. Alongside other officers of New Britain Social Club, Charlie was instrumental in relocating the cricket field from Hungerford Park in Berlin to its current location at Walnut Hill Park, New Britain.
Charlie remains a staunch advocate for the upkeep of the cricket field, working closely with the Parks and Recreation Department to ensure the proper dimensions are maintained and the appropriate amount and type of clay is used on the wicket. Additionally, Charlie has tirelessly worked to mitigate potential conflicts with non-cricket entities.
