Rudolph ‘Chow’ Hunte, former Guyana International 1972 – 1976

Nov 18, 2012 Sports

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Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series of features on Guyana’s World Cup players; today we are pleased to feature Rudolph ‘Chow’ Hunte, former Guyana International 1972 – 1976.
Hunte, was one of the most prolific goal scorers in the then Demico League division-one tournament between 1972 and 1979; in 1977, he was the leading goal scorer with 38 goals.
‘Chow’, as he is familiarly known, is a product of the Bedford Methodist School which was famous for producing some of the most skillful players in the city the likes of Keith Niles, Maurice Enmore, Vibert ‘Durdy’ Butts and Terrence Nicholls.
He started his apprenticeship with the Dorcus Football Club in 1968 into 1969, but the club that made him a household name was the Georgetown Football Club (GFC). His first outing in National colours was 1971 with the Under-19 team to Trinidad and Tobago for a triangular series which also featured Jamaica.
The following year, 1972, after some spectacular performances for GFC in the Demico League, Hunte was selected in an 18-man squad led by Ken Gibbs for three friendly matches against French Guiana in their capital, Cayenne.
He experienced limited time on the pitch in his debut series in Cayenne because, at that time, the experienced Lloyd King, Desmond Morgan, Gordon Forde and Clyde ‘Woolly’ Forde were the preferred strikers.
Hunte played with much more composure in January of 1973 in his fourth and fifth Internationals that Guyana lost to Haiti at the GSC Ground. He produced the pass that Lloyd King scored to give Guyana an honourable draw against Trinidad and Tobago at the GSC.
His 8th International was a disappointing 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago in the series finale at the same venue. As Hunte explained, his 9th game was probably the most disappointing game of his International career because Guyana lost to the un-fancied French Guiana side, 0-1 at the Malteenoes Sports Club.
Although ‘Chow’ failed to score in the final game of series, he was the star player for Guyana which won 1-0 to level the series. Injuries caused Hunte to sit out Guyana’s next International against Hull City in May, 1973 at GCC Ground, Bourda.
Hull won 5-0 and Hunte’s brilliance upfront was extremely missed. The star striker said that his 11th game is the one he will never forget, November of 1973 against Jamaica at GFC Ground under lights.
According to ‘Chow’ Hunte, Jamaica scored first through Carlton Smith with Guyana equalizing when Godfrey ‘Poulis’ Norville hit home a thunderbolt that gave the Jamaican custodian no chance.
After that strike, the Reggae Boyz piled on tremendous pressure on the Guyanese defenders but when it looked like the game was heading for a draw, Hunte outfoxed four Jamaican defenders and scored the goal of his international career that gave Guyana a memorable 2-1 victory.
Please note this was the last time Guyana defeated the Reggae Boyz at the International level. The flamboyant striker’s 12th game was a 2-0 loss to arch rivals Suriname at the GSC Ground, that result sent Ken Gibbs’ men packing from the 1973 CARICOM Championship.
He had to settle for first division Inter Corporation and Inter Sub Association action in 1974 because the then Guyana Football Association failed to enter the national team in any International tournaments.
The next year, 1975, Guyana started World Cup Qualifying preparation and was outstanding in warm up games against Texaco and Bare of Brazil. Hunte scored goals in both series with the National team winning comfortably.
As part of World Cup preparations in 1976, Hunte toured Brazil with the Maurice Enmore led National team where they contested several matches against Club teams. After the Brazil tour, Hunte’s next International opponents were the Mighty Cubans.
Although Guyana lost the four match series 3-0, Hunte was the outstanding Guyanese striker in the series, he scored in the second and fourth matches. He tormented Sir Alex Ferguson’s Scottish division-one team, St. Mirren Defenders in his 17th and 18th Internationals.
His creativity in the series finale setup goals for Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton and Vibert ‘Durdy’ Butts that led a Guyana to a 2-0 win that ended Sir Alex’s men unbeaten Caribbean run. As Hunte explained, his next game was the game of his life, July 4, 1976 when Guyana won its first World Cup Qualifying match against Suriname at GCC Ground, Bourda.
It was Hunte’s power strike that rebounded from the Suriname custodian that Butts scored to give Guyana and early 1-0 lead. Buoyed by the energy and enthusiasm displayed by Hunte, Keith Niles finished off the Dutchmen with a brilliant goal in the 76th minute.
Next up for Hunte and still fresh in his memory, was the ignominious 3-0 thrashing that Guyana suffered in Paramaribo in the return World Cup fixture. Strange enough though, it was Hunte’ final International appearance.
The million dollar question still asked by Hunte’s fans, is why the most prolific striker at the division-one level was never recalled to the National team?
In division-one Demico League action in 1977, Hunte scored 38 goals, the most in the Demico League but he failed to win the selector’s nod for the International series against Trinidad & Tobago as well as Barbados.
He was also overlooked the next year, 1978 for overseas assignments in Bridgetown, Barbados and Trinidad. Hunte played 20 Internationals from 1972 to 1976, hitting the back of the nets on three occasions.
International tours
1971 Trinidad with National Under-19 team
1972 French Guiana
1976 Brazil with World Cup Team
1976 Suriname for World Cup Qualifier

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