GLORY DAYS - the legend that was TOM Deen
The legend that was Tom Deen had its genesis on the playing fields of St.Anthony's College, when he first attended cricket practice for the under 12 team. And thus began a fairy tale which saw this promising youngster graduate to the under 14 side, and before one could say "How's that?" in cricketing parlance, he hardly made the under 16 team before he was summoned to attend 1st Eleven cricket practice. And there the legend came to life when the powers that be soon realised they had a fast bowler the likes of which had never been seen at college. Tom Deen and his bowling partner Sali Doranegama earned the reputation of being the fastest opening bowlers in school cricket at the time. Sports journalists writing in the national newspapers had an armoury of colourful adjectives whenever they wrote about Deen. "Deen the demolisher" "Deen the destroyer" "A batsman's worst nightmare" "Terror of the turf" were some of the phrases they used in the cricketing lingua franca at the time. He won the coveted "Eagle" for his haul of eleven wickets in the big match of 1953 and his blistering pace was the terror of any batsman.
Apart from his tearaway reputation as a bowler, he could also swing a mean bat to destroy any bowling attack! The Anthonian- Josephian cricket encounter of 1954 remains a classic example of his wizardry with the willow. That year, St.Anthony's had the reputation of having the best batting side in schools, to the extent that when the team travelled to Colombo for this particular game, the sports page of "The Ceylon Daily News" headlined its account of this match with "Batting machine comes to Colombo". The crowds that thronged the Darley Road grounds were in for a special treat that would live in collective memory forever. When it was Deen's turn to bat, a hush of anticipation greeted his walk to the wicket because his reputation as a hitter of the ball preceeded him. They did not have long to wait ! They were entertained to a batting bonanza or batting fiesta - call it what you wish -- which sent them into raptures. Deen cut loose with a series of 6's which are still remembered to this day even by the old Josephians as the most memorable piece of batting witnessed on that ground. The first 6 cleared the Bonjean tower, a feat which remains unequalled to the present time. The crowds went berserk with delight! The second 6 smashed into a bicycle shop in Darley Road which fortunately did not injure anybody on the premises. The third 6 landed in the Home for the Aged, and again it was a stroke of luck (pardon the pun) that none of the inmates in that institution were injured! The fourth 6 - miracle of miracles - cleared the Bonjean tower again, and by now the reaction of the crowd was akin to the crowds in a Roman arena during a gladiatorial contest ! They wanted more, and Deen did not disappoint them. The fifth 6 landing smack in the middle of Darley Road causing a minor traffic disruption and the sixth sailed clean over the Josephian pavilion. He was finally out for 61, and the authorities had considerable difficulty restraining an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd who wanted to carry him shoulder high back to the pavilion!
In 1954 with legendary West Indian Learie Constantine. Left to Right: ACM Lafir, Fr Rosati, Constantine, Br Macky and TOM Deen.
Those were the days when mobiles phones were unheard of. So when College played a match in Colombo, the only means of obtaining information about the game was to use the telephone in the college office, by telephoning the school concerned to obtain scores etc. I was a young 10 year old hanging about the terraces with some friends when Father Leo (later Bishop) asked Solomon the head peon to telephone St.Joseph's college and get the latest score. I remember Solomon rushing out of the office in a state of high excitement - almost delirious –shouting incoherently "Shix.....shix.......shix...... Deen hitting shix.....shix......and nearly collapsing in a heap! A bemused Father Leo sensing that something sensational had happened telephoned St.Joseph's himself and then broke the news of Deen's 6's to a crowd of students who had gathered near the main building . This was the talk of the college for the rest of the day, and as far as memories go, now belong to the ages, in terms of Anthonian cricketing history. Deen continued to play cricket for the Moors Sports Club after leaving college, for the Sara Trophy matches.
Tom Deen was also a soccer superstar. He was a centre forward in the 1st eleven soccer team and after leaving college, made a wise move by joining the Saunders Football Club which was the premier football club in the country. He played for Saunders as centre forward, and in no time at all was selected to play for the national team. This involved some overseas travel which took him to China, Burma, Pakistan, Malaysia, Korea and Russia, where he was awarded the medal for the best player in Tashkent. When I was in Standard 2 with Mrs. Stevens as class teacher, she taught us a poem titled "Grasshopper Green", the first verse of which was "Grasshopper Green is a comical chap/ He lives on the best of fare/ A mantle of green and a colourful cap/ These are his Summer's wear". Grasshopper Green may have been a comical fellow, but the "Swiss Grasshoppers' who toured Ceylon in the late fifties were no comical chaps. They were the champion football team in Switzerland, and on an Asian tour had scheduled a fixture with the All Ceylon team. Although Ceylon lost that game, football fans remember it for one spectacular moment - the goal scored by Tom Deen who was centre forward. It was not scored anywhere near the opposing team’s goalpost, but from the centre of the ground by Deen. The moment the ball left his boot, it turned into a supersonic meteorite which whizzed past both full backs, and the goalkeeper, to nestle safely in the nets. It was the only goal scored by Ceylon, but one which sealed his reputation as a star centre forward. In appreciation of this fantastic goal, the captain of the "Swiss Grasshoppers" team presented him with a pair of golden boots as a mark of esteem. Deen also played Soccer for Nestle's where he was employed.
Tom in 1972 as Chief Guest at the Colours Night, with Gavin Stevens, Mr M.S. Mendis and Fr Aiden.
The great Sir Learie Constantine visited Ceylon when Deen was still a schoolboy and conducted a cricket coaching camp in Kandy. He was so impressed with Deen's talent that after returning to England, he made arrangements for him to visit the UK after he had completed his schooling to further his cricket career. Sadly this did not eventuate, and one can only speculate where cricket would have taken him if he had graced the playing fields of England.
In Australia he was actively involved as Directors of the Junior Cricketers and was responsible for the advancement of some outstanding cricketers in the country like David Warner when he was a junior of just 9 years of age. For his services to cricket he was made a life member of the Waverley Cricket Club in 2007 in the distinguished company of people like Malcolm Turnbull.
Tom in 2015 at the Sydney Cricket Grounds with fellow Antonians of a different generation.
The redeeming feature of all this was that Tom Deen was humble at the height of his fame, and remains ever modest and humble to this day - the mark of a true sportsman and gentleman, which cannot be said of some sportsmen today who make the headlines for all the wrong reasons. As the old proverb states "He walked with Kings but never lost the common touch". He brought glory to St.Anthony's and although he walked in fields of gold, he always kept it simple, and never lost sight of the human element. In conclusion I wish to amend the original title of this article to : GLORY DAYS -- THE LEGEND THAT IS TOM DEEN.
I am very grateful to Gordon Cooray and Tony VanCuylenburg for helping me with material for this article.
An Anthonian, a sportsman, a gentleman and a living treasure. One could even call him a role model for role models. We are proud of you Tom.
Thank you for the memories.
