Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share The cricket star who learned to fly
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
The cricket star who learned to fly
Ricky Ellcock’s rollercoaster life as a fast bowler and airline pilot
Barbados-born Ricky Ellcock had twin ambitions as a boy – to become a cricketer and fly airplanes. His father was, like Ricky, cricket-mad – but on the question of him becoming a pilot his answer was emphatic: black people don’t fly planes.
Ricky’s talents as a fast bowler won him many plaudits and a scholarship to come to England. Before long he was playing at the top of the sport, but the stresses on his body meant he kept breaking down. When those injuries threatened to end his career completely, Ricky looked to disprove his dad and make history in the skies.
Ricky's autobiography is called Balls to Fly.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Edgar Maddicott
Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784
(Photo: Ricky in action for Middlesex. Credit: Middlesex CCC)
View all episodes
By BBC World Service
4.7
445445 ratings
Ricky Ellcock’s rollercoaster life as a fast bowler and airline pilot
Barbados-born Ricky Ellcock had twin ambitions as a boy – to become a cricketer and fly airplanes. His father was, like Ricky, cricket-mad – but on the question of him becoming a pilot his answer was emphatic: black people don’t fly planes.
Ricky’s talents as a fast bowler won him many plaudits and a scholarship to come to England. Before long he was playing at the top of the sport, but the stresses on his body meant he kept breaking down. When those injuries threatened to end his career completely, Ricky looked to disprove his dad and make history in the skies.
Ricky's autobiography is called Balls to Fly.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Edgar Maddicott
Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784
(Photo: Ricky in action for Middlesex. Credit: Middlesex CCC)
More shows like Lives Less Ordinary
View all
In Our Time
5,408 Listeners
The Documentary Podcast
1,830 Listeners
Global News Podcast
7,704 Listeners
6 Minute English
1,792 Listeners
Learning English Conversations
1,083 Listeners
Witness History
959 Listeners
Desert Island Discs
1,998 Listeners
The Infinite Monkey Cage
1,948 Listeners
Newshour
1,040 Listeners
The History Hour
589 Listeners
The Inquiry
754 Listeners
Curious Cases
812 Listeners
Americast
741 Listeners
You're Dead to Me
2,989 Listeners
Life Changing
101 Listeners
Tortoise Investigates
3,391 Listeners
History's Heroes
493 Listeners
World Of Secrets
879 Listeners
The Gift
47 Listeners
Young Again
53 Listeners
The Louis Theroux Podcast
508 Listeners
Intrigue
167 Listeners
Extreme
102 Listeners
Strangers on a Bench
578 Listeners