Lindy Delapenha, legendary footballer and broadcaster, is dead

Lindy Delapenha, the legendary former professional footballer and sports journalist, died Wednesday morning at age 89.

Born Lloyd Lindberg Delapenha, “Lindy” served with the British armed forces in the Middle East following World War II.

It was there that he was spotted by scouts playing football and became the first Jamaican to play professional football in England, where he became a legend with Middlesborough, having started his professional career with Portsmouth.

The Munro College old boy’s professional football stint lasted from 1948 to 1960.

Soon after returning home to Jamaica, he became Director of Sports at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC).

He remained at JBC there for 30 years. There he not only engineered many initiatives in sports coverage, but also later became one of the main anchors on the television station’s morning time programme.

He spent much of his final years in sports journalism at KLAS Radio.

Meanwhile, lecturer and broadcaster Fae Ellington has expressed sadness at the passing of Mr. Delapenha.  
   
Ms. Ellington, who was a close friend and former colleague, remembered him for his professionalism, directness and tremendous contribution to Jamaican sports.

"Lindy Delapenha is a trail-blazer. He was an outstanding broadcaster. He was a household name in Jamaica and I know that Jamaicans will miss him, but what I want to say to Jamaicans - he was ready," she declared.