Benoni Northerns turns 50
SUB-SECTIONS
No less than 8 Benoni Northerns’ sub-sections through which men, women, boys and girls, can represent our esteemed club, at varying levels of competition.
Click and read what they’re all about below.
Benoni Northerns Football Club
Benoni Northerns soccer club has proved its strength for over four decades.
Benoni Northerns Hockey
Hockey was the original flagship sport of Benoni Northerns and teams continue to fly the flag high.
Benoni Northerns Cricket Club
BNCC has a proud history, from the days of Denis Lindsay back in the 70’s to our recent appearances at Club Champs.
Benoni Indians Ball Club
Looking for the best place to play Baseball or Softball in the greater Ekurhuleni area?
Benoni Northerns Athletics Club
The famous three-scimitar logo has been seen on the vest of many a great runner in South Africa’s top marathons.
Benoni Northerns Bridge Club
Bridge serves to remind us that sport doesn’t have to be about who is the strongest.
Benoni Northerns Rugby Club
Benoni Rugby Club teams have been running onto the pitch since the club was formed in 1910.
Benoni Northerns Tennis Club
Benoni Northerns Tennis Club welcomes young and old to its courts, as it has done since the club’s formation in 1972.
He ain’t heavy… he’s my brother
These two fresh-faced young brothers would go on to be two highly regarded sporting talents within the club. Steven (left) and the late Anton ‘Joe’ Vercueil.
“Steve was mainly a hockey player at Northerns and played cricket for Benoni Cricket Club before unity with Northerns. Like Dennis Lindsay, we accepted them and their past achievements as part of Northerns,” said Ted Jarvis. “Steve played provincial cricket for Northern Transvaal and hockey for Transvaal. Brother Joe played for the cricket and football first teams at Benoni Northerns.”
Rod Scheepers, in the Scimitar newsletter of August 21, 2018 , wrote of Joe: “I was fortunate to have played with and against him and was a spectator on many occasion to the genius of Anton ‘Joe’ Vercueil in the various sporting codes he represented at Northerns and can honestly say that he was one of the most hugely gifted players that I have ever been able to share, oppose and always watch in absolute awe at his rare talent, on and off the field.
I think that off the field he created and made as many friends as he did on the field of play. Someone summed it up really aptly for me recently, when they described that Joe made you feel special in every way each time he met you, whether it was in a fleeting greeting, meeting, fines session or a serious discussion.”
Viva le Rogue!
The Rogues hockey team was formed over 30 years ago at the Kempton Park Hockey Club. After departing Kempton Park around 2015, we spent a handful of seasons at St Dunstan’s College before finally finding our home at Benoni Northerns Sports Club in 2021. Founded on the principles of friendship, being a Rogue is as much about what happens off the field as what happens on it; we are about ‘Gees’ and hockey.
We even have our own “Rogue-stock”.
Several generations have had fathers and sons represent this team and even the occasional ‘other halve’ have stepped in for a run around. All of the above are what makes us the Rogues family and that is something which we are very proud of and hope will last long into the future.
Viva le Rogue!
Donning the red and white squares
The team came together in 1983 after the Benoni Northern Areas Club was invited to join a new “Social Hockey League” to play on Sunday mornings, made up of older players, some of whom played Masters League.
Other Clubs on the East Rand who were invited to enter sides were Old Bens, Brakpan, Modder, Boksburg and Kempton Park. The aims of the league were, to play socially on Sunday, to maintain a high standard of play and to keep costs down. I know Gary Talbot, who was the driving force in creating the league, worked tirelessly to maintain these aims.
The games at that time were all played on grass pitches which were always in use, five months for the hockey season and then re-marked for either football or cricket. The side formed a committee to determine guidelines for the “Geriatrix”, a name that was adopted about 9 months later, with a new logo designed by Chris Coetzer.
Founder members included Jerry Bayley (sometime captain and admin), Barry Kelvie, Alan Castleman (advisor), Harold “Tagger” Wright (tour organiser), Johnny Schaap (social), Chris Leigh, Derek Manning, Tony Metzer, Stan Spittal, Graham Gemmel and Gerald “Moose” Mills. Barry was the captain of an occasional invitation side and first league captain, a league from which most of the original players came after playing there for 10-15 years.
The guidelines introduced were:
A Social side, all fees to be paid to the club,
Play in club colours (red and white squares),
No fundraising,
No fines,
No chirping of umpires (who were all certified volunteers),
No forfeit for not staying after the game,
No drinking before the game (but Old Brown Sherry very welcome at half time)
The only levy: two crates of Castle after the game
Admit youngsters so long as they understood “social” hockey
Admit any senior players so long as they paid dues to the Club
To have an annual tour at the end of the season (Pay and Play) with invited players to make up numbers if needed.
Generally, these guidelines were followed. Geriatrix was one of the last to play in “squares” (club colours).
At times, the team struggled, as do all closed sides, with retirements, emigration and relocation from Benoni.
About 120 players have been in the side and many travelled with us on tours to Durban, Cape Town, Richards Bay, White River and Nelspruit.
The side has recently (after Covid) been rejuvenated, losing its social status as, in the interests of the club, the Social League became the basis for a new formal league in which to build on the returning hockey players.
The Geriatrix now has registered players, new kit, and new management under Gavin Troskie and Marinda (admin), Warren Wallendorf (captain), Gavin Richter (social), Charlie Wallendorf and Michael Holland.
I wish them every success, and have helped them out this year when a man down, but only as a “cone”, being much slower than I used to be.
A 45-year hangover
We have had approximately 100 players representing the team over the last 45 years.
Once a player has played for this side, they usually remain loyal and have a long career with the side. Simon Hardman is currently the longest serving playing member of the side spanning 34 years, which is an amazing achievement – I am not too far behind him.
The Hangovers were a well-known touring side and walked away with many trophies and much of the touring towns’ bar regalia.
The Hangovers have won the EGHA League on many occasions and have been awarded the BNSC Team of the Year Award on 10 occasions.
We currently compete in the EGHA men’s Premier League which comprises of players substantially younger, but we still manage to hold our own and offer a competitive game.
Four of the current players have represented Masters Hockey South Africa in World Cups, which is another great achievement, namely, Dale Griffiths, Gavin Oosthuizen, Mark Webster and Andrew Dudley.
Virtually all the Hangovers have represented EGMHA over the years.
We are an extremely proud team that always strives to play within the spirit of the game and make new hockey buddies.
A great game played by world-class people.
A footballing legacy of note
– by Enrique Juanas-Uriol, with assistance from Manny Ferreirinho
Benoni Northerns Football Club was established 48 years ago in 1974.
We pride ourselves as being a community club and we regard the development of football amongst players of all races as a vital part of our amateur organisation. We try our utmost to assist and encourage players who excel in football to further their skills.
Benoni Northerns’ football section has proved its strength for over four decades now. Today we boast a host of teams playing across the different leagues in the Eastern Local Football Association and Gauteng Cross Border Super Leagues. We have grown to become one of the biggest amateur football clubs in South Africa with 530 registered players and 36 football teams.
We are very proud of our achievements on and off the field, the numerous league and cup trophies which our teams have won, the large number of players from our club that have gone on to represent their district at provincial level and received their Eastern Local Football Association colours (over 250 players), those players who have gone to study abroad through football scholarships and those that have become professionals and represented South Africa.
Most importantly we are proud of the community service, social responsibility and charitable initiatives, projects undertaken by our football section. We owe this to the hard work of our football committee, sub-section members, players, their parents, families, and volunteers.
We are committed to the development of football, creating a healthy environment for our communities, and spreading the ideals that football teaches.
We embrace the ethos of our main club by welcoming all types of players, from juniors putting on their first pair of boots to stars like Rowen Fernandez who have gone on to represent Bafana Bafana.
Historical dates of importance and interest plus achievements:
1974 – Benoni Northerns Football Club was founded during the month of March. The first committee comprised of Roly Metzer (president), Dave McBride (vice-president), Manny Ferreirinho, Tony Metzer, Anne Ferreirinho, Reg Goodrich, Johnny Vryonide, Frank Giles, Peter Saayman and Noel Lewis.
1978 – Started the senior five-a-side tournament (24 teams), which became a most popular and annual event for many a year. Supported very strongly by the East Rand football fraternity.
1978 – We used to have fundraisers at 19 Sunny Road for R2.00 a couple. Annual Dance Tickets were R8.00 per couple, held at Scorpios restaurant in Northmead Mall.
1979 – Our first senior team won the Easterns League, Easterns Castle Cup, also won the Floodlight Cup and were promoted to the Transvaal League.
1980 – Formed the Benoni Northerns ladies football team coached by the former soccer Springbok, Rocco Smith (goalkeeper).
1980 – Prize-giving held in town hall, double tickets R15.00, which included free drinks.
1981 – Promoted to Transvaal League (TFL) Second Division.
1985 – Won Transvaal League Second Division and promoted to Transvaal League First Division.
1986 – Won Top Eight of the East Tournament.
1988 – Tour to East London and won the tournament.
1988 – Transvaal League Colts champions.
1990/1 – Won Transvaal League First Division.
1991 – Won South African Club Championship in Bloemfontein.
1991 – Qualified to play in the OK league.
2002 – First team won the Super League Cup.
2002 – Reserves won the double, league and cup.
2009 – First team won the Super League Cup.
2012 – First team won the Super League Cup.
2017 – Won prestigious Colts league for the first time in a decade.
2018 – Won the double, Colts league and cup.
2018 – Reserves won the league.
2020 – Awarded the Eastern Local Football Association Club of the Year for 2019.
First team coaches and managers:
Roger Yates, Ronnie Strauss, Colin Austin, Rocco Smith, Malcolm McDonald, Johnny Ferreira, Mike Kelly, Leon Roux, Manny Pinhero, Graham Gosling, Scott Slater, Charlie Sadler, Jannie Van Den Berg, Manny Ferreirinho, Marco Capazario, Brent Vos, Mark Vorster, Flavio Mariuzzi, Enrique Juanas-Uriol and Len van Rooyen.
Recent notable players from Benoni Northerns: Alex Dowling (Clayton State University an All American, USA). Carlos D’Oliveira (SA colours indoor football and SA Currie Cup Team), Carlos Antonio (SA colours indoor football), Darren Fernandez (Stanford University), Gavin Lane (Orlando Pirates and South Africa), Gilio Peneda (SA colours indoor football), Glynn Hurst (Barnsley, Swansea City, Mansfield Town, Stockport County and Bury), Harold Ellis (Blackpool/Highlands), Jose Soares (SA colours indoor football), Manny de Sousa (SA colours indoor football), Marco Capazario (Clayton State University and All American captain), Michael Cornish (Harvard University), Rowen Fernandez (South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs, Bielefield and SuperSport United). Ryan Chapman (Bidvest Wits, Santos, Golden Arrows, Royal Eagles and South Africa). Sean Geyer (South Africa u-19), Troy Bingham (Amazulu and South Africa u19), Wayne Sandilands (Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, Orlando Pirates and South Africa), Lorenzo Gordinho (South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs, Blomfontein Celtic, Bidvest Wits, Viborg and HB Køge), Anthony Gordinho (SuperSport United, University of Pretoria, Bidvest Wits and Royal Eagles).
Longest serving football member of Benoni Northerns and a true legend – Manny Ferreirinho
Today we can all say, that we are proud to have been involved with Benoni Northerns football section, but none more than Manny Ferreirinho, he stands head and shoulders above the rest, a true legend of our football section and sports club, one of the founding members of the football section and longest serving individual, still actively involved after 46 years. His name is synonymous with football in the East Rand/Ekurhuleni.
Facts on Manny
1966 to 1972 – played cricket for St Patrick’s Cricket Club.
1972 – cricket committee member when St Patrick’s Cricket Club amalgamated with Benoni Hockey Club to form Benoni Northerns Sports Club. Played cricket for Benoni Northerns’ cricket section.
1974 – formed Benoni Northerns Football section. Played football for Benoni Northerns 1st side, 2nd side and 4th side.
1974 to 1988 – Chairman of football section. Currently still an active member of committee.
1988 – made a life member of Benoni Northerns Sports Club.
1991 – manager of Benoni Northerns first football team that went on to play in the Dave Snaier Tournament in Bloemfontein against the best clubs in SA. At the end of the tournament Benoni Northerns were crowned SA champions.
2005 to 2010 – Chairman of Benoni Northern Sports Club. Was on the main club Committee for 25 1972 to 2020 – Still an active member of Benoni Northerns for 48 years.
1976 – Voted on the Eastern Local Football Association Committee, still active member to this day, 44 years.
1988 – Manager for Easterns Senior team.
1992 – 1995 Manager of Ekurhuleni SAFA team, for Transnet tournament Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Maritzburg.
2007 – Manager of Gauteng Senior team in Bloemfontein for South African Games.
Been on football committee for 36 years
1992 to 2000 – Chairman of Easterns Football Association.
2020 – Fixtures chairman of Easterns 30 years, Chairman of competitions committee for SAFA Ekurhuleni for the past 10 years, a life member of Easterns Local Football Association and still actively refereeing
How Northerns became the home base
– by Steve Burrage with contributions from Keith and Carol Smith
The first baseball game recorded in the Transvaal was between Simmer & Jack Mine and City & Suburban Mine in the winter of 1885 in Johannesburg.
In the early days the mines on the Witwatersrand had many American miners who introduced the game to ‘Darkest Africa’ as travelling to South Africa was known. As the mines spread along the East Rand, mines such as Simmer & Jack, ERPM and SALLIES to name a few had a very active baseball league known as the Eastern Transvaal Baseball league which played annual tournaments against the Transvaal Baseball Association.
This league stretched from Germiston through to Nigel and was very strong, but with the mines fielding teams with players only sourced from staff, these teams were a mixed bag of excellent players and some that were not as great. Many of the better players from the mine teams who wanted to play a higher standard started forming clubs or joining existing clubs.
This started spelling the demise of the mine teams and they became social teams. In 1953, Les Freel, the chairman of Eastern Transvaal Baseball Association, reported that junior baseball had been started in Boksburg and Benoni.
A club evolving from a Catholic Youth Baseball team started at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Benoni and at Christian Brothers’ College in Boksburg, and although we are not sure of the name of the catholic priest in Benoni who started baseball, both junior and senior, he nurtured the Saint Patrick’s players into three teams.
The players from the mines, ex-soldiers that returned from World War II and from the church, we believe, formed the transition platform for baseball at Benoni Northern Areas Sports Board of Control to members of Benoni Northern main club.
This transition occurred around the mid 1980’s according to Keith and Carol Smith. When Keith and Carol got involved, it was known as the Benoni Baseball and Softball Club, eventually becoming the Benoni Indians Baseball Club in 1991. The history behind the name of ‘Indians’ is that during the 50’s, with encouragement and patronage from the mayor at the time, George Walmsley, a baseball club was established, known as the Benoni Red Indians.
Teams played in the East Rand league.
Keith Smith, his father Chappie and brother Noel all participated in the league those days. Sadly, this league was doomed when the mines later closed down and baseball was no longer played at the mines.
This is when the league fell under the Transvaal Baseball Association and the Eastern Transvaal Baseball league folded because of limited support. Once the baseball club was absorbed into the Benoni Northern main club, it was run by a loose-knit group of enthusiastic parents and various interested participants.
Without any doubt, credit must be given to all the coaches, scorers, umpires, masters, parents, players and bands of loyal spectators, without whose valuable time and commitment these heights could never have been achieved.
It was an enormously successful and concerted team effort, all contributing selflessly of their time and knowledge. When Keith and Carol took over the running of the club, it became obvious that a growth development plan was needed to develop and build the club.
The junior teams had to work to a development programme to become strong enough to compete in the then Transvaal leagues. The coaching staff included Sheldon Smith, Jerry Woodrow, Trevor Tew, myself and a number of dedicated ex-players. The same programme remains in place today and is responsible for the growth of baseball and Benoni Indians becoming the biggest club in the new Gauteng league. The junior coaching formula is run by ex-players some still playing in various senior leagues as examples to the players they coach.
This junior program bore fruit eventually after many years of dedication and hard work. Benoni Indians Baseball achieved the ultimate and desired success by having two teams promoted to the Major League, the Comanches, and the Redskins.
Both teams committed themselves with distinction alternatively winning the Easterns Baseball and the Gauteng Baseball leagues. The Redskins won the Triple Crown (The Gauteng league, Easterns League and the Knockout Trophy), Trevor Burrage Memorial Trophy for three consecutive seasons.
During Keith and Carol’s tenure and the subsequent executives with Peter Pressley, Mark Peddle and the current committee, Benoni Indians have successfully competed in every junior and senior inter-provincial tournament.
Benoni Northerns has had the privilege of successfully hosting many such tournaments, including the Italian National Team, Athletes in Action from the USA at Northern’s main diamond, which is the only baseball diamond in a walled off stadium layout.
Many of our top players were awarded provincial colours, excelling, and taking top honours in their various age groups.
A great number of our Benoni juniors achieved “All Star” status.
During this period Trevor Tew, Mark Holdsworth and Justin Smith were awarded Springbok colours for baseball and Di Tromp for softball. Later on, SA colours were awarded to Richard Greenslade, Colin Sampson, Mark du Plessis, Mark Holdsworth, Rowan Ebersohn and Wayne Rudolph to name a few. These Benoni Northerns Baseball club players and members have made the South African baseball national team selections for participation in international tournaments including the Olympic Games, international and Africa qualifiers.
Tournaments in Cuba, Taiwan, USA and Japan have all had representatives from Benoni Northerns Baseball Club.
In junior baseball, we have had a large number of players who have been selected to represent South Africa in the early years, including Bruce Burrage, Richard Greenslade, Mark Du Plessis and Rowan Ebersohn in junior selections, and now the current crop of juniors including u-12’s Josh Cook, Tatum White and the reserves Logan Gardiner and Keagan Merrifield, with a Benoni coach, Clifford White, being selected to go with these players to the WBSC U-12 Tournament in Tainan in Taiwan in July 2022.
There are several Benoni Indians players that are waiting for final selections in u-15, u-18, u-23 and seniors.
We know that once selected they will keep the Benoni Northern flag flying high.
In the early 2000’s it became apparent that the club needed further development and lights, ablutions, a clubhouse and the existing fields upgraded.
We applied to Lotto and with the Benoni Northern Main Club assistance with Mark Peddle auditing our financials we were initially awarded R1.8 million, but after receiving notification the South Africa Baseball Union appealed the awarding of the money, on the grounds that the money be awarded to the Baseball Union, and they would award the money allocation to the clubs.
Eventually Benoni Northern Indians was awarded a smaller sum to build the clubhouse only. The allocation was not sufficient and long-standing club members Shane and Lenny Hennessy assisted financially in finalising the clubhouse. The club now has two senior diamonds and five junior diamonds. All have been developed to accommodate the club’s growth, particularly junior baseball.
These facilities have been developed by players and parents of children without any assistance from the government sports councils with the funds having been raised and donated from private persons. The success of Benoni Northerns Ball Club is based on clear foundations of family and the “Little League” motto of “play fair and strive to win.” Our coaches are ex-players who donate their time and knowledge on a volunteer basis with the teams they coach and this they do for no personal gain or payment.
This section of Benoni Northerns would not have survived without the main club support, and for players and members it has been an honour to wear the Benoni uniform colours all these years and to be part of Benoni Northern Sports Club’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The main club has always been supportive of the baseball section’s activities and without the main club’s support the baseball section would not be where it is today.
From the archives of Richard Greenslade.
The birth of the “Cheese and Tomatoes”
– by John Ansell
In the late seventies, the sport of road running was nothing like it is today – the 1979 Comrades was an up-run and had only 2 820 finishers. The most famous East Rand club at that time was without any doubt Germiston Callies, helped in no small part by Alan Robb’s frequent top ten appearances. At this stage, Benoni Harriers had stopped their road running section to focus on track and field.
Callies had several Benoni residents who would travel to Germiston for club runs and functions. There is some comfort in knowing that as much as things change, they also stay the same.
For most residents of Benoni, Germiston may as well be on the back of the moon. A few of these former Callies members first approached Benoni Harriers about re-forming their road running section.
This was rebuffed. Benoni Northern Sports Club was well established by 1980 with a vibrant hockey and cricketing scene. The decision was made to approach BNSC about forming an athletics club under the Benoni Northerns umbrella.
The rest is, as they say, history. The new club was formed under the initial chairmanship of Martin Theron. The club’s distinctive colour scheme was drawn up by Ivan Attwell and Martin Theron. There is no historical record of whether rum and coke were involved in the design.
Success came early to this young club with Jim Mabusela running a gold in the 1983 Two Oceans Marathon. Jim was the winner of the second ever Benoni Northern’s Sportsman of the Year Awards. He also went on to represent the then Transvaal at the South African Marathon Championships. He has an unrivaled Comrades pedigree with five silvers to his name and a slowest time of 6:57. In 1985 Terry ‘Tex’ Cullen became the first Benoni Northerns runner to attain a double green number for Comrades.
Tex Cullen went on to run a further seven Comrades.
The honour of the club’s first triple is yet to be bestowed. No talk of road running from the eighties would be complete without a brief look at Benoni’s most famous daughter (sporting-wise. We cannot claim any link to Charlize Theron) – Frith van der Merwe. Frith dominated the ultra-marathon scene in a country obsessed.
Her down run record of 5:54 at Comrades still stands 30 years after she demolished the women’s field in the 1989 down run (at the time of going to print). Described by some as the greatest Comrades race ever run, she beat second-place Valerie Bleazard, also of BNAC, by over an hour and two minutes.
Her record for Two Oceans stood since 1989, but was broken by Gerda Steyn in 2022. While it would be easy to focus on the podium positions held by BNAC during that era; there were significant achievements at Comrades by other BNAC members.
Gary Turner ran four gold medals and two silver medals between 1990 and 1996. The rise of amateur triathlons through the late nineties was also matched in the club. Con Roux competed very successfully in triathlon at the highest level. He also was present at the first South African Ironman when it was hosted in Jeffrey’s Bay.
Kristian Fesel, is one of seven people to have completed every full distance South African Ironman. In 2019 Jasper ‘Jazz’ van Rensburg qualified for the World Half Ironman Champs at the South African leg of the half Ironman.
BNAC remains a club that is heavily focused on ultra-distance running, but this is not unusual in a country where the road running calendar is defined by Two Oceans and then Comrades Marathon.
Though over the years as the sport of road running has increased its base the club is now far more accommodating for people who don’t wish to run ultra-distance. The club retains its large family-feel to it, and it has seen many lifelong friendships formed. Trail running has become one of the fastest-growing athletic disciplines.
Once again BNAC has been well represented as people have begun to turn their back on tar. In 2012 Phil Waudby ran from Benoni Northerns to the Augrabies National Park before completing the Augrabies Extreme Ultra to raise funds for charity. Life members: Barry England, Riaan van Wyk, Jan Jordaan, Norman Milne, Derek Wright, Stephen Msimango.
Welcomed with open arms
– by Jaco Havenga
Benoni Rugby Club was formed in 1910 at Willowmoore Park.
We called Willowmoore Park home for 87 years. Rugby was pushed to the back field and after a lot of break-ins we moved to Hoërskool Brandwag and played from there for three years.
After Brandwag we moved to Hoërskool Hans Moore and played from there for 17 years. We built a nice clubhouse at Hans Moore but were were moved out of it and given the option to build a new one at Hans Moore. Our juniors were based at Brandwag and we wanted to find a field where seniors and juniors could be based at the same club.
We started negotiations with Northerns in 2017 and they accepted us with open arms. All the sub-sections helped with the lights on our fields and rugby has benefited a lot since being at Benoni Northerns.
BRIDGE The lovely game
– by Bridie Bullen-Smith
The Benoni Northern Bridge Club, a sub-section of Benoni Northern Sports Club, has 46 active members who come together every Thursday afternoon to pit their wits against fellow members and themselves.
Under one hat or another it has been operating for over 40 years with a small core of the original members still playing, still fascinated, and still learning. Bridge is a card game for four which, sadly, is declining in numbers worldwide – due principally to the attractions of computers and their various games which magnetise the younger generations who can get the same sort of intellectual thrill and challenge while lurking in their bedrooms.
Seen mainly as a pastime for the elderly I was kindly offered condolences by a handsome young athlete assuming that a recent memorial service being held at the main club must be for a member of our bridge club. We are also sometimes entertained by visitors from the bar who pop their heads into our sessions to shout: “BINGO!”
I would like to assure you all that there are many more than 50 Shades of Grey dedicated to this most challenging and stimulating game who can aspire to playing at club, provincial, national, and international levels, the ‘Wimbledon’ of bridge being The Bermuda Bowl and The Venice Cup – in which South Africa has frequently been represented.
Benoni is proud to have one of its sons, Robert Stephens, highly regarded and respected in the international bridge world, both as a player and an organiser/ administrator. He was born in Benoni and was taught by his parents Alan and Lesley Stephens from earliest childhood.
There are several members of our club who are not shy to claim partial credit for Robert’s progress as we would frequently join up to hustle him out of the branches of a large tree and give him a game.
He is presently the manager of The Links Bridge Club and premises in Linksfield, Johannesburg, which is reputed to be among the best in the world.
We are also greatly privileged to field another illustrious Benoni club member and one-time international player, Sid Ismail who has recently been appointed as an International Tournament Director by the World Bridge Federation – he may be seen playing at our club any Thursday afternoon.
An interesting feature of bridge is that during the course of a match at a club, such as our own at Benoni Northerns, it is possible for even beginners to play two hands against a world expert without undue irritation to the champion for whom there is still some challenge to gain rich pickings and the pain for the beginners is quickly over and provides great experience.
Could this happen in tennis or golf, for example?
Bridge proved to be a wonderful pastime during the Covid episode – so many people took to the cards that the international online bridge website, Bridge Base Online, crashed and had to be re-structured. Online bridge has proved, however, to be a double-edged sword as players are now finding it simpler and cheaper to play online from home with the resulting decline in face-to-face bridge clubs – a very disappointing sign of the times.
A quick poll of bridge players reveals that most developed an interest from just being ‘around’ while their parents were playing, or at university.
Nowadays, there are numerous teachers available almost anywhere as well as online bridge lessons. We welcome any interested persons to call in at the club on a Thursday afternoon to see what it’s all about – at 5 pm we would be free to talk. To encourage you, I offer the names of some famous bridge players… Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Martina Navratilova, Omar Sharif, James Bond and even Snoopy.
Learning the game could be a rich investment for your futures.
Come and join us.
Talking tennis
– by Jean Pierre Kohn
Chairman of the tennis section
The tennis section started in 1964 and was officially opened in 1967 by the mayor Pauline E. Davis. The club’s first single men’s champion was T. Spreet and the first ladies’ single champion was J. Hancock, played in 1964.
Other outstanding players were E. Nosworthy, D. Cox, Joe Safr, G. Chowles, and Mandy Metzer, just to name a few. A very good friend, gentleman and benefactor to the club was Willy Riedl.
The club went from strength to strength and in 2014 the first team of N. Alston, Brennan Alston, Derick Alston, Joe Safr and Geoff Lloyd won the Premier League title. At one time the club had about 60 active members and more than 60 juniors. The tennis clubhouse is also used by a dancing studio as well as a tumbling studio by two professionals.
There are at present two fulltime coaches available.
Benoni High School also uses the facilities. The grounds/courts are maintained by the Ekurhuleni municipality and the main club while the interior is maintained by the members of the tennis club.
