Hashtag: #CupMatchHistory

Column: Man Who Made The Greatest Impact

[Opinion column written by Terry Lister] Anyone who knows me knows that I am as much a diehard Somerset fan as there can be. Nothing could ever change that. When you grow up in the Sixties under the lash of a Cal” Bummy” Symonds led team of Cup Match all stars you could never find a reason today to leave your team!! I can remember going... Read more of this article

Column: The Beginnings Of Cup Match In 1835

[Opinion column written by Larry Burchall] Cup Match’s history gives insights into old Bermuda while showing much about modern Bermuda. Originally, Cup Match involved only black Bermudians. It started in August 1835 with recently freed black Bermudian slaves taking an unofficial day off work to celebrate their August 1st 1834 Emancipation. Taking... Read more of this article

Burchall On The History Behind Cup Match

[Written by Larry Burchall] Bermuda’s Cup Match holiday is an historic occasion of global importance because it represents, in a sense, the world’s longest strike. That first labour withdrawal happened on 1st August 1835. Exactly one year after Emancipation Day 1834. On 1st August 1835, as far as is known, thousands of Bermuda’s ex-slaves, now... Read more of this article

25 Cup Match Cricket Classic Facts

In the late 1880’s it was a common practice to hold a cricket match during the Emancipation Day celebrations. The informal game grew into the official Cup Match Classic that we know today. Below follows 25 facts about the Classic: The first formal game was played on June 12,1902 and St. George’s won by 7 wickets The first draw was in 1907 The... Read more of this article

Col. Burch: Emancipation, 21st Century Version

[Opinion piece written by Lt. Col. David Burch] The enduring nature of the holiday we call Emancipation Day is proof of just how important an event it really was. In a very British fashion no war accompanied the freedom of the slaves in the Colonies. In some cases it took months for news of the Proclamation granting slaves their freedom to reach... Read more of this article

Cup Match: History Behind The Holiday

[Written by Larry Burchall] Cup Match began as a day off to celebrate Emancipation Day 1st August 1834, the day when all slaves in Bermuda were freed. One year on ex-slaves who were now employed as paid workers simply did not turn up for work on 1st August 1835. They stayed off work and celebrated. Amongst black ex-slave Bermudians, the practice of... Read more of this article