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Raymond Chester and Jon Gower

Sports Day: Raider – The Raymond Chester Story

Hay Festival 2025, 

Dive into the thrilling life of Raymond Chester, the Oakland Raiders legend. During the 1960s, while America was convulsed following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Chester was making historic changes that brought Black American football into the mainstream. From his college glory at Morgan State to his iconic moments on the NFL field, Chester’s story is one of resilience and triumph which resonates far beyond the world of sport and proves the significance of sport in our social and political lives.

Welsh author and rugby fan Jon Gower’s Raider is based on extensive conversations and interviews with Chester himself – a love-letter from Wales to an American football icon whose legacy transcends the game.