Over the many decades since international sport was established during the 19th century, of the thousands of sportsmen only two lived beyond 100 years of age. Both were South African.
When the 1938-39 England touring team arrived in the country, SA’s Norman Gordon proved to be SA’s most effective bowler.
This scribe managed to contact Gordon in 1989, 50 years after the match, as well as 1999, the 60th anniversary.
He said the Durban weather had caused his trousers to stick to his legs and he was most uncomfortable bowling so many overs.
In later life, he played golf and was very popular at the club where he played.
Gordon was born on August 6 1911 and was nick-named “Mobil” because he liberally applied hair oil to his dark hair. He was Jewish by faith and died on September 2 2014 at the age of 103.
When the New Zealand All Blacks toured SA in 1928, young Western Province loose-forward George Murray Daneel was selected for all four Test matches. He was later selected for the Springbok tour to the British Isles in 1931-32. He scored two tries in his eight Test matches.
He studied and became a Dutch Reformed Church minister while during World War 2 he served as a most popular chaplain for SA troops.
He later became a hard worker for the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) campaign and decided in 1953 to devote his life to working for MRA. He also travelled overseas for MRA.
Born on August 29 1904, Daneel died on October 19 2004 at the age of 100
