Clyde the Cricket Fan

July 24, 2001.

By Stan Walker

A regular spectator to cricket matches at Keney Park is Clyde, a pet female parakeet (she was named before her gender was determined). The very friendly, feathery spectator, who began coming out to the park last year, is often seen perched on the arms or shoulders of her owner, Hartford resident, Vernon Felicien.

The likable bird enjoys the attention given her by the other spectators and pays attention to the game just like anyone else. Clyde is so tame that she does not get excited, ruffled or reacts in anyway to the excitement, applause and discussions that takes place around her.

According to Felicien, Clyde not only loves to ride in the car or the visits to the park but enjoys sharing a shower with him. Clyde, possesses a number of human traits. For instance she does not only speaks her own name and at times repeats things that she hears but will laugh whenever you say something funny. Hello and goodbye is the way she greets and bid you farewell.

Clyde, he said, is also an admirer of beauty. She will whistle at any pretty young girl. A very good whistler, when she is in a good mood, Clyde will whistle out a pretty melody.

Felicien, who bought the bird from a friend two years ago, said that he is planning to make a video of Clyde to send to the television program “World’s Funniest Animals.” Clyde, who is definitely a big attraction at the cricket matches at the park is seen here perched on the shoulders of Felicien’s wife, Latisha, during the recently concluded Cricket Hall of Fame’s annual Six-a-Side Tournament.