History of Cricket in the DMV and the WCL
Our deepest gratitude goes to Mr. Richard White (our League’s first President), Mr. Sheldon Ellis (our first President of the 21st century), and Mr. Ram Ragoo (our omniscient documentarian) for compiling the History of Cricket in this area and our beloved League.
WCL luminaries include Mr. Clayton Lambert, Mr. Jermaine Lawson, Mr. Marlon Samuels, Mr. Chris Gayle, Mr. Imran Nazir, Mr. Corey Collymore, Mr. Muhammad Asif, Mr. Venkatapathy Raju, Mr. Junior Murray, and many more.
History of Cricket in the Region
Documented Evidence
Cricket was played as early as 1709 at Westover on the banks of the James River in Virginia.
Valley Forge
There is also evidence that George Washington’s troops at Valley Forge, in 1778, played a game of wickets, known to be some variation of the game of cricket.
War of 1812
The games were played on a small picturesque field on the estate of Commander Leander McCormick-Goodhart, called Belapais near Mt. Vernon. This estate was formally owned by President George Washington and was the location where the British fleet was spotted sailing up the Potomac River at the beginning of the 1812 war.
Fast-forward to 20th century
Needless-to-say, the field at Belapais was inconvenient for the players from the Washington D.C. area. Transportation was a problem and practice sessions were impossible to arrange. Therefore a search was launched for locations closer to Washington D.C.
Cricket in the DMV Region
Later in 1953, a diplomat from the British Embassy known only as Mr. Hammond, formed a cricket club he called the British Commonwealth Cricket Club (BCCC). This club consisted of members form the British, Indian, Pakistan and Ceylon Embassies, students from Howard University and others living in the Washington Metropolitan area. A few years later, W.D.S. Fraser, an employee of the World Bank became the principal organizer of the games.
Field Permits
In 1957, the District of Columbia issued a permit for cricket to be played at the East Potomac Park. However after only a few years construction of the South East/South West Freeway forced the relocation of the cricket field to West Potomac Park.
Growth of Cricket in the DMV Region
During the 1960s, membership increased under the umbrella of the BCCC with the addition of teams such as the Diplomats, the Nondescripts and the Academicals. The Diplomats consisted of players from the various embassies. The Academicals were mainly students from Howard University and the Nondescripts were a diverse group of players from the Washington Metropolitan area.
Prescient Events
In 1967, Vishaw Mohan, son of an Indian Diplomat, organized a team, which comprised mainly of the sons of diplomats from India and Pakistan. This team, not surprising, was named after the Potomac River and is currently known to us as the Potomac Cricket Club.
Similarly, the Maryland Cricket Club emerged from the suburbs of Baltimore City and joined this informal league.
Ali Mahzar, a young employee of the Embassy of Pakistan, who at that time played for BCCC, followed suit and formed a team that is now known as Pakistan Cricket Club.
Prior Cricket Club from Pennsylvania headed south to join this group.
Later, word got around to the West Indian community that cricket is being played along the banks of the Potomac River this gave birth to Windies Cricket Club and later Trindies Cricket Club.
The Cricket Fields
The need for a second field became evident and Vishaw Mohan led the charge to acquire the land adjacent to the field at West Potomac Park.
The politicians in the District of Columbia acquiesced to his request and allowed a second field to be built along the banks of the Potomac River. The fields were named The Lincoln and The Jefferson to reflect their respective proximity to the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.
It was known from the onset that the Lincoln Field was the proposed site for the Roosevelt Memorial.
League Inception
In 1973, many players decided it was time to create a formal cricket league which would span from Washington D.C to Pennsylvania and convened a meeting to discuss its feasibility.
By all records, this was a marathon meeting. Some reports indicate that the meeting lasted for twelve hours. However, when it was finally concluded, the Washington Cricket League (WCL), as we know it today, was born.
Lincoln Field
Fortunately, it took twenty five years for the architects to design the Roosevelt Memorial, during which the original clubs continued to provide great tourist attraction along the banks of the Potomac River.
The Roosevelt Memorial was finally completed and now occupies that field.
Growth and Popularity of the League
As the seventies came to a close and the eighties progressed, the WCL saw the birth of teams such as Jamaica Cricket Club, Metro Cricket Club and Suburban. All the other original teams are still in existence, however only Potomac, Prior and Pakistan currently plays in the WCL.
Many departed the WCL and formed the Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board.
WCL hosts the British and Australian Embassy
To commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the War of 1812, WCL hosts a team comprised of diplomats from the British and Australian Embassy at the famed Jefferson Field.
WCL welcomes the 21st century
WCL has grown by leaps and bounds during its lifetime. Only two of the original founding Clubs still exist and play in the WCL (Potomac and Pakistan).
Cricket has shot in popularity with the influx of immigrants from cricket-loving nations.
Currently more than forty (40) clubs participate in the league.
History of the League
WCL Incorporated
WCL was incorporated as a League serving cricket lovers in the Maryland, Virginia, and the Washington D.C. Metro Area.
Richard White was the first President and Vishaw Mohan was the Vice-President.
However, Richard White later around June 1974, resigned due to new responsibilities at the Pentagon and Martin Padarathsingh was thereupon elected as the president of the WCL.
WCL Grounds
The two grounds managed by the D.C Parks Service on the banks of the Potomac in the Tidal basin area of the West Potomac Park. These were matting wickets. The fields aptly named Jefferson and Lincoln for their proximity to the respective memorials, served the league.
The League conferences are still named Jefferson and Lincoln in their honor.
WCL Teams
The League initially boasted of managing six (6) teams, being:
– British Commonwealth Cricket Club
– Howard University Cricket Club
– Maryland Cricket Club
– Potomac Cricket Club
– Prior Cricket Club
– Windies Cricket Club
Pakistan Cricket Club joined the league in 1978.
WCL Joins USACA
On August 14, 1974, as President of the WCL, Richard White wrote a letter to the United States Cricket Association informing them of the formation of the Washington Cricket League and seeking membership in that organization.
The Charter members were:
– British Commonwealth Cricket Club
– Howard University Cricket Club
– Maryland Cricket Club
– Potomac Cricket Club
– Prior Cricket Club
– Windies Cricket Club.
The WCL thereupon became a member of the United States Cricket Association.
New Club Genesis
Later, there was a split in the Maryland Cricket Club and many of its members separated themselves and formed the Baltimore Cricket and Social Club.
WCL Hosts the 1983 World Champions
The League hosted many members of the Indian team returning from England after winning the Prudential World Cup.
Senior members of the league still talk about the massive sixes Kapil Dev hit into the Tidal Basin and the Potomac for an exhibition match between the league and the Indian Team.
WCL Silver Jubilee
A fabulous gala and celebration marked the 1999 season. Twenty-five years with the league growing to more than (twenty-four) 24 teams and ten (10) cricket fields was an hallmark of a year.
Teams as far away as Allentown PA, Philadelphia PA, and Newcastle DE were keen on joining and enriching the WCL experience.
League Reorganization
As a growing league, the WCL adopted a progressive self-auditing system of management with a new Board of Directors overseeing the league.
The Board will be elected by the Member Clubs with specific long-term vision in mind.
Fiftieth Anniversary
The League celebrates a fabulous fiftieth anniversary.