Our Friend Burton Doars

Founding Members of Key West Rangers Juniors.

When I first met Bosie, he was living on the upper east side with his family on Mount Hill Flat. It did not take long to understand that inside his gate was holy ground and I was not welcome. But in quick time, between our chores, we met other boys who faced the same restrictions. However, we found time to get together and make plans, like playing allies, softball, fishing, swimming and playing football and around Cup Match time tried to play cricket.

Of course all of us could not come at the time and I wasn't not sure whether Bosie went to West Pembroke or Central School. The following people came from within the Flat they were as follows:

Alton Dears Leon Wilkerson, Stampford Hart, Charles Masters, Ronnie Simmons, John Clark, Ceciel Young, Vincent Roberts, Keith Astwood, Bobby Young, Victor Cann, Charles Vaucrosson, Mackie Hart, John Richardson, Millett Robinson, Arthur Doars, Quinton Stovell, Rudolph Swan, Wesley Masters, YY Butterfield, Brinkie Tucker, Ray Ratteray, Gary Rawlings.

Then one day, True Robinson (now deceased) called us to see who wanted to form a club. Those of us who were present said yes and the first meeting was held at her house which was also in the Flat. She talked about a club and what we should do to establish a chain of command like a President, Vice President, Secretary and Asst. Secretary. Bosie was in charge of neighbourhood activities (like gardening, going to the store, carrying out the trash, trimming hedges, etc.) this did not mean that the got involved to oversee the projects but he received reports from area members from the west, east and middle sides of the Flat and he picked Solly Wellman as his partner. They discussed these reports together and were mentioned at the next club meeting.

Then at one of our meetings, True asked what should we call the club. Bosie stood up and said that we should be called Key West Juniors. All present agreed that this is what we should be called. He also suggested that we write to Key West Rangers Senior Club to inform them of our intern and we all wanted Bosie to be the delegate but he declined. Then he wanted to know who was going to be the captain of the football team and no one seemed to know. He suggested that Austin Sockie Wade should be captain and that I should present then team to the club for acceptance. Of course I knew that Bosie was going to play Inside Left for the first eleven and I was amazed that in early Winter, Bosie did not play as he was the best ball controller on the Flat.

In the meantime, a letter was received from the Senior Club requesting that two delegates be present at their weekly Monday meetings and that a schedule of games was to be presented upon attendance. We knew at this time that we were going to be primarily involved with football. Bosie was nominated as one of the delegates again to which he declined and in the same breath, announced that we were scheduled to play Wellington Rover this Sunday at 1:00. At this time, the topic changed to transportation and money to get to St. George's and if you knew Bosie he had an answer. With no money available he suggested that we ride our push bikes down there and of course we had to be back before we were missed from around the house. Now as all of us did not have bikes, we had to borrowed our sisters, brothers and delivery bikes from the grocery stores, O.R. Lubblin and A-One.

We all arrived in St. George's for the game but Bosie did not show. He also did not show up when we played Southampton Rangers in Southampton and Paget Bomberders in Warwick Park. By him not showing up for these games, it was thought that he would not play. But low and beyond he showed up for our first home game at the Box and put on a show about ball control.

The letter that we received from the Senior Club also asked us to meet with the other neighbourhood teams on a Friday night. These were from Serpentine Road to Northshore Road and from St. John's Church to Spanish Point Boat Club. The Secretary, Quinton (Pancakes) Stovell made all the arrangements for the meeting. It was the most boys I have ever seen come together and the meeting was held at Erskine Adderley's carpenter shop. This meeting officially endorsed the Key West Junior to the Senior Club. This was the beginning of Junior football.

In closing, I dedicate John 3:16 to the above mentioned deceased players and in particular, True and Ernest Robinson, Erskine and Pearl Adderely, Bosie and all the Key West Juniors for that wonderful time in our lives.