Raymond Sharpe dead at 62 VETERAN sports journalist Raymond Sharpe is dead. Sharpe, 62, died on Sunday night at his home in Barbican after a short illness. The exact cause of death is not known. Close friend Ossie Clarke of the sports group Custom Tourers of Jamaica said a post mortem may be done today. According to Lloyd Brown, a co-worker of the late journalist at the Sunday Herald, Sharpe had been complaining of dizziness for the past two weeks and he was having problems keeping food down. He said Sharpe worked on Saturday at the Sunday Herald but left for home because he was not feeling well. A journalist for over 40 years the Kingston College Old Boy worked at Kingston Wharves as a clerk before joining the Gleaner as a sports reporter during the 1950s. He later became the sports editor and while at the Gleaner worked alongside Keith Fiddler, Baz Freckleton, Keith Brown, Martin Mordecai, Clarke and Prime Minister P.J. Patterson who were "stringers" (freelancers) at the time. Sharpe covered the world title fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman at the National Stadium in 1973 before leaving to work as public relations officer at National Sports (now the Institute of Sports). Later in the early 1970s, Sharpe, then public relations director of the Custom Tourers of Jmaaica, introduced cricket to the American mid-west. Two years later, Wembley Athletic Club of New York hosted the Custom Tourers where Mayor John Lindsay presented them with the keys to the City of New York. Sharpe was up to the time of his death employed as Sports Editor of the Sunday Herald newspaper. He leaves behind daughter Dianne. "Sharpe was a tremedously brilliant journalist. He excelled on whatever beat he was put on. He stands out in my mind because of his versatility. He was full of fun and jokes. He loved life. He loved people and he loved dancing...even on crutches," Clarke said.
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