1974 - Rumble in the Jungle

[flashman]

October 30th, 1974 - Staying in rooms in Sheffield, owned by Ms. Campbell, who owned a little store across from the post office. She is a proper English Jamaican lady who we grew to love dearly. A friend of mine stumbled into Sheffield after getting confused at the roundabout and ended up staying with her. He got up with her at dawn each day to make cookies and cakes for her store in the brick oven outside. With a handwritten letter of introduction she welcomes us, shuts the store in mid-day, and takes us to her home. We had a nice room with a light, outhouse to go, and a well to draw buckets to bath. $10/day for the guys, $7/day for the ladies.
Mohammed Ali, who to this day is a hero in JA versus George Foreman. The only light in town comes from candles in the lone bar in town. It is pitch dark and we are the only non-locals in town. Having a few white rums and whatever, and playing some dominoes. Suddenly a pickup pulls up and a sheet is mounted and somehow we are watching the fight live with everyone from miles around going crazy. Still don't know how they did it but a memory of a lifetime.

[Bnewb]

Thank you Flashman...great start....more?

[Jim-Donna]

sweet story

[original spanky]

great story. my first year also

[johng]

Flashman great story!! My first trip to Negril was 1975 and much like you I stayed with the the Jackson family across from the church on the hill to Red Ground from town. I was also in Jamaica and Negril on November 25th 1980 the date of the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Duran II. Although I didn't watch the fight I did listen to it on the radio drinking Red Stripes and Appleton. The same trip I saw Michael Manley at a rally in Negril the day before the 1980 election that he lost to Edward Seaga. Man great memories!!

[Odinson]

Flashman great story!! My first trip to Negril was 1975 and much like you I stayed with the the Jackson family across from the church on the hill to Red Ground from town. I was also in Jamaica and Negril on November 25th 1980 the date of the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Duran II. Although I didn't watch the fight I did listen to it on the radio drinking Red Stripes and Appleton. The same trip I saw Michael Manley at a rally in Negril the day before the 1980 election that he lost to Edward Seaga. Man great memories!!

Great memory and great shot! Manley is staring right at you!

[johng]

Hi Odinson thanks for your big up on the photo and I applaud your observation that Mr. Manley is staring at me. To understand completely the situation you must understand the turmoil and violence that accompanied the 1980 elections in Jamaica. The PNP and JLP, the two political parties, fought tooth and nail with guns during this time. There were very few tourists on the island at this time because of the negative publicity worldwide. MM came to Negril the day before the election and there was a rally held by the roundabout and I was one of about 5 foreigners in the crowd and the only one with a camera. I had several people try and prevent me from shooting pictures. To this day I wonder what Michael was thinking as he stared over at me. I believe from what I now know that he thought I was from a foreign group infiltrating the rally. Visible security was almost nonexistent so it would have been quite an opportunity for violence. Rasta no CIA, Oh what a rat race!!



Shaking hands with Michael Manley at the Negril Beach Club 10/9/1980

[Odinson]

Hi Odinson thanks for your big up on the photo and I applaud your observation that Mr. Manley is staring at me. To understand completely the situation you must understand the turmoil and violence that accompanied the 1980 elections in Jamaica. The PNP and JLP, the two political parties, fought tooth and nail with guns during this time. There were very few tourists on the island at this time because of the negative publicity worldwide. MM came to Negril the day before the election and there was a rally held by the roundabout and I was one of about 5 foreigners in the crowd and the only one with a camera. I had several people try and prevent me from shooting pictures. To this day I wonder what Michael was thinking as he stared over at me. I believe from what I now know that he thought I was from a foreign group infiltrating the rally. Visible security was almost nonexistent so it would have been quite an opportunity for violence. Rasta no CIA, Oh what a rat race!!



Shaking hands with Michael Manley at the Negril Beach Club 10/9/1980

So cool! Another great shot - I feel like you were part of history. We were in Treasure Beach when AHolness took over from PSimpson and the island was electric!

[Summer]

I heard about this gentleman