Ramos Publishing
Belizean publications...
Chapters
1. Radio
2. Edwards Park
3. The ladies
4. The horror of 1971
5. Clemente
6. Ali
7. Tebbe and McElroy
8.
9. Money (and sex)
10. Diamond A and Charger
11. Radio
12. Geritol
13. Cycling and boxing
14. Eckert Lewis
15. The eighties – television
16. Anecdotes
17. The referees
18. The Raiders
19. The crazy ride of ‘92
20. Raising the stakes
21. Madness
22. Bigger than big
Biography
FACT FILE |
BIOGRAPHY |
|
Name: Evan X Hyde Current Home: Belize City, BZ Occupation: Newspaper publisher |
Evan X Hyde - born Evan Anthony Hyde on April 30, 1947 - is the publisher and sole proprietor of the Amandala, Belize’s most widely circulated newspaper, and the chairman of Kremandala, a multimedia conglomerate in Belize City. As a creative writer, Hyde deems 1969 to 1975 as his most dynamic years, during which he penned exceptional stories, plays, essays, and poetry. Since then, his work has been focused on journalism. While he writes the From the Publisher and sometimes the Editorial columns in the newspaper, X Hyde has long had the ambition to publish more extensive works. His first such piece was X Communications, and now he presents his second extended work - Sports, sin and subversion. This book is a bio in itself, as throughout its pages Hyde reveals himself to be a revolutionary thinker, always trying to reconcile the past with the present in such a way that people of today, and especially young people, can see the bigger picture. Sports is the avenue he uses in this book to open up consciousness of greater social issues. Growing up in urban Belize, Evan X Hyde emerges out of a stable, middle class family of Belize City, and through the Catholic education system. He is the eldest of nine children born to Charles Bartlett Hyde, former Postmaster General and former Speaker of the House, and Elinor Belisle Hyde, seamstress and homemaker. Notwithstanding this background, his thinking is best described as non-conformist. X Hyde’s transformation was sparked by his experiences of the 1960’s, at the time when the Black Power movement was peaking in the United States. His experiences between 1965 and 1968, as a student at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, U.S.A., utterly revolutionized the way he saw himself and the world, and it deepened the scope of his insights into social and political issues, and the plight of his own people. Evan Hyde graduated from that U.S. university, Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Returning home from Dartmouth College in 1968 with a Bachelor’s degree in English, Hyde wasn’t looking for a routine job behind a desk. He followed the more arduous path of becoming a radical leader and civic activist at the young age of 21. He was one of the founding members of the United Black Association for Development (UBAD). He served as president in 1969 – the year he dropped his middle name and began using an X, symbolizing his respect and honor for his African ancestors whose names were erased during the course of slavery. The Amandala newspaper was first published in August of that same year, as a propaganda organ of UBAD, and it has continued to exist on the same fundamental principles of social justice for people of color which were promulgated by UBAD four decades ago. Hyde’s candid and outspoken manner of expressing himself, his high energy and revolutionary mindset, meant that he quickly ran afoul of “the establishment.” It was not uncommon for the powers that be, to target activists for jail time, and so it was that Hyde along with another UBAD founder, Ismail Omar Shabazz, was accused of seditious conspiracy for a newspaper article – a charge of which they were later acquitted. Even while Evan X Hyde has continued to be a black power activist, he became actively involved in sports at the organizational level, having been the backbone behind football and basketball teams in Belize City and Dangriga. These efforts have been guided by a broader mission to drown the despair of his people with the high esteem and euphoria that accompany the competitive games of sports. Realizing the risks young Belizean men would eventually face of falling into a life of gang and criminal activities, he invested a lot of his time, energy and money on developing sports in Belize, with the aim of providing a positive outlet for young Belizean men. Grigamandala, Warriors and Raiders are testimonies of these efforts. In this publication, it will be clear to the reader that Hyde’s initiatives in Belizean sports were driven by a larger vision for the positive advancement of young men in Belize, but the same forces that swiftly moved to quash the Black Power movement of the 60’s have continued oppressing and suppressing the development of sports in Belize for their own selfish reasons. As a former Senator and former politician, Hyde speaks with authority on the way in which politics, at all levels, affects people in ways they might not even be aware. Much more of Evan X Hyde is revealed on the very pages of this book, which gives readers an insightful and captivating account of personal experiences, reflections and lessons about life and sports. (Written by Adele O. Ramos) |
Press Release
For immediate release:
Friday, July 18, 2008
From Xaibe to Jalacte, Sports has always been very central to Belizean life, but there has never been a publication that gives proper respect to sports, and to the many movers and shakers who have made it all happen – at least until now.
The fulfillment of this dire literary need comes in the long-awaited second book of Amandala publisher, Evan X Hyde, Sports, sin and subversion, which is set for release next week.
The 230-page publication chronicles major developments on Belize’s sporting scene from the 1950’s to current times, and it encapsulates some of Belize’s favorite pastimes - football, softball, basketball, boxing, and even dominoes.
Evan X Hyde singles out for recognition scores of major Belizean personalities and icons. In fact, many whose memories have faded from the nation’s recollection, find their incredible stories resurfacing on the pages of X Hyde’s captivating new book.
You’ll find over a hundred names listed in the book’s very extensive index, and the numerous snapshots from the past scattered through the book’s pages give the book a life of its own.
Among those featured in Sports, sin and subversion are the legendary Ludwig Lightburn, Eckert Lewis, Buck Belisle, Wilton Cumberbatch, Pulu Lightburn, Jawmaine Meighan, and Kenrick “The King” Halliday. Teams featured include The Happy Homebuilders, Mike’s Tough Guys – dominoes champs, and the Kremandala Raiders and Warriors.
The hot new book – guaranteed to quickly find its way among Belize’s greatest literary works – tells not just about sports, but of all the intrigue surrounding the games, from gambling to the importance and impact of the media on sports. Like in many other arenas of community life, politics have always infiltrated the games - and the book also demonstrates just how all these facets of our daily life move the ball both on and off the often skewed playing field.
Even before its formal launch, Sports, sin and subversion has already generated quite a buzz among many sports enthusiasts. Much more about this great Belizean publication will be revealed at the official launch, slated for 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, on the Kremandala compound.
Sports, sin and subversion was published by Ramos Publishing, and printed at the Angelus Press. Copies will be available around the country and through Amandala in
For more information, please call 602-0181 or e-mail amandalapress@yahoo.com.
Book Review by Lawrence Vernon
“When you count the loves of your life, is sports first or second?”
(Foo Yee Ping: Museum Tribute to Sports Greats)
Whenever a book on
When the Sports Museum of America was opened in
In the last paragraph of his book Hyde laments that he “started this book with the innocence of the fifties and sixties” but ended up “with a broken heart in the third millennium”. Actually from the time the reader begins to explore Sports, Sin and Subversion, from the Foreword and the Introduction, we can detect Hyde’s evident passion for sports on every succeeding page. By his own admission, when he treats us to his early upbringing and family ties, he says he was raised to be a lover of sports.
Although he admits being influenced by American sports writers in the 1950s, he was also privileged as a child to see football history in the making at Edwards Park (now Rogers Stadium). The innocence of his early experiences in football, basketball, baseball, ladies softball, cycling and boxing in the early chapters give readers an idea of the times he grew up in. Hyde was born in 1947, so this meant the 1960s and the 1970s were ideal platforms from which to view the development of sports in
Evan X Hyde asserts more than once that Sports, Sin and Subversion is not a history book. It is however, a book which is even more than a sports fan’s guide to the last century – it is in essence a reflection of ourselves as we grew as a nation through racial and political upheaval, and the never ending quest for money. As an encompassing look at the development of sports, the book at once portrays the growing popularity of sport in a large part of the Belizean consciousness.
Those who choose to read this book – and assuredly it will be of interest even to non-sports fans – will get a great sense of change in Belizean society. Surely the book is about sports, but there is a blend of the coming of bigger money, and greater fame. Sport is undoubtedly a great window on society, and Hyde brilliantly opens this window by telling us that most of the things we are arguing about in sports will sooner or later be reflected in the politics of the society. This reviewer joins with the author in the hope that his book will prompt our relevant authorities to ensure that opportunities for participation in sports exist for all communities in every part of
The narrative process that Hyde has gone through in Sports, Sin and Subversion has resulted in giving the reader the feeling that you knew the sports personalities personally. He has named names, he has put faces to names we had only heard of before, and he has given us profiles of legendary figures. Readers are treated to some memorable victories and defeats in our sports history, as well as very welcome photos to complement the text.
All through this Hyde has been careful to adhere to the principles of putting together a book of this sort -- that is, one that offers perspective on where we have been and where we are headed -- there might still be critics who will be quick to note that he did not mention some athletes that were great in someone’s mind. But the book supersedes all this by being an example of good sports writing which resonates like a quality literary work. By telling tales of epic sporting battles and the dedication and determination of our heroes to succeed in their chosen discipline, the author has the power to inspire the next generation of sportsmen and women. This is most vividly brought out in those instances where Hyde tells of sometimes harrowing yet hopeful experiences of persons emerging from the very humble beginnings, and battling against abandonment, poverty and depression to share their talent with
We cannot compare the quantity of talented sports writers in
The innuendos of gambling, sex, racism and politics which are evident in sections of the book, serve to show the forces at work behind the scenes that have had significant influence on major sporting events, and serve to justify the “sin and subversion” aspect of the book.
Other countries have written profusely and published prodigiously articles and books about their sport greats. Evan X Hyde, through a timely social commentary, has reminded us that “historically speaking sports are a wasteland in
Anyone interested in reading good stories about sports in
Media Reports
(Shortened versions)
Evan Hyde’s new book: A reflection of ourselves
Friday, 25 July 2008 (Reporter Newspaper)
By Adolph Lucas Jr. - Staff Reporter
Sports are more than just games. They’re about life, emotion, passion, and some of the greatest highs and lows one can experience. Imagine a book written on Sports in
This unique book has been written by one of
The book’s publisher, Assistant Editor of Amandala, Adele Ramos, commented: “He has invested a lot of time, energy, and money in sports.”
The book is about those who play and those who enjoy games, explained C.B.Hyde, Evan’s sports-loving Dad. He recalled that Henry Charles ”Eagle” Usher is in the Hall of Fame, but the greatest basketball player in his time was Clinton “Pulu” Lightburn.
Sports enthusiast Nellie Trench cheered and said: “Everyone should get a copy of the book - straight like that.”
Also at the launch was basketball legend
Pulu asked “Where have all my heroes gone?” The book brought back a lot of memories, he said. “There are school systems, and church systems, but there is no system for the “temple” – which is the body,” Pulu commented.
In his Book Review Lawrence Vernon writes that Sports, Sin and Subversion is not a history book. It is however, a book which is even more than a sports fan’s guide to the last century – it is in essence a reflection of ourselves as we grew as a nation through racial and political upheaval, and the never-ending quest for money.
Evan X's Sports, Sin and Subversion
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 (Channel 7 News)
It’s named “Sports, Sin and Subversion” and it is the remembrance of a sporting life. For this revolutionary writer, turned newspaperman, it’s his first original collection of writing in probably three decades.
And while X Hyde confesses that he never played sports at the highest level, he lived it, from being a fan of the teams at the Seminal Edwards Park which is now Roger’s Stadium, to managing football teams in the 70’s, to owning the basketball Raiders in the 90’s. But more than just discussing his own involvement, the book is written to try and create some kind of record of great sportsmen in
And while it is not a historical retelling, it is for the record, setting down in writing the oral tradition of sports stories, the conversations that are usually held across bleachers and upon bar stools where legends are born and community heroes are jealously claimed.
The book was launched today and X Hyde said he did it to tribute those who had inspired him.
Evan X Hyde, Author:
“It was a bridge I think from all this politics and you know just a transition I think in my life to try do some writing, some serious writing. In a way I the pay respect to all the people who add so much spice and flavour to my life because money isn’t everything in life. I enjoy my life and I live an exciting life and I meet lot of people who I like and who like me too so that is what it is all about, doing on to others and competing with others and a lot of people who are on the street right now who don’t have money, they are really great stars to me.”
Adele Ramos:
What was the hardest part in it for you?
Evan X Hyde:
“Just to, you know the columns and the editorials they kind of just have a limited thing but this is a journey which you didn’t know when it would end so I think after all the years of just the columns and things which were confined, I have to open up my heart and my soul and my real being inside of being one of those bogus politicians. So it is a move away from back to the real. Now the real risky because when I was real I was bruk bad.”
Sports, sin and subversion is launched
Thursday, July 24, 2008 (Amandala)
Yesterday, the KREMANDALA compound was the venue for the launching of Amandala publisher, Evan X Hyde’s latest work. Hot off the press is Sports, sin and subversion, published by Ramos Publishing. The 230-page book chronicles sports in
Among the honored guests joining the KREMANDALA family for the milestone occasion was the Hon. Mark and Mrs. Espat; Hon. Cordel Hyde; Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya; Dr. Leroy Taegar; the former Ombudsman - Paul Rodriguez; representatives of the ruling United Democratic Party, staff members of the National Library Service, and many other well-wishers.
The program began with a libation and a moment of silence for Smokey Joe, who passed away on Sunday. The libation, according to YaYa Marin-Coleman, is done to invoke the presence of our African ancestors.
Following the libation, Adele Ramos, the book’s publisher, introduced the book and spoke briefly about Evan X Hyde and his writing career. Ramos said that in Sports, sin and subversion, it will be clear to the reader that Mr. Hyde’s initiatives in Belizean sports were not at all driven by egotistical motives.
When he took the microphone, Evan X Hyde reminded those present that the nature of a writer is usually lonely and introspective.
“The thing is that between 1963 and 1965, and 1965 to 1968, I was out of the country, so there is a little hole in that period. But a man that could fill that gap is a man that I have been quarreling with for many years - Michael Finnegan, but now the quarrel is over. The reason I write the book is because of the disrespect that has been shown to our athletes,” said the author.
Hyde explained that he had this great love for football that he could have watched football all day. His father, Charles Bartlett Hyde, one of two persons to whom the book is dedicated, raised him to love sports. The book is also dedicated to Hyde’s uncle, Buck Belisle.
“I had some happy times, I had some irresponsible times when nothing was happening with me,” X Hyde recalled.
The next item on the program was a reading from the book done by Mr. Charles B. Hyde. Nellie Trench made a presentation from the standpoint of a sports enthusiast.
Mose Hyde’s presentation dealt with sports ventures that came from “Behind the Zinc Fence”
Hon. Cordel Hyde conducted a toast. EJ Hill, KREM Radio’s sportscaster, was the master of ceremonies and ended the afternoon’s program with a thank you.
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