Vlassopoulos dies aged 79
Former Benoni Northerns Indians Baseball Club player George Vlassopoulos died at the age of 79, on September 11.
His daughter, Leigh Vlasso, said her father loved sport, including athletics, baseball, swimming and watching rugby.
George was born on April 17, 1935, in Brakpan.
He attended Brakpan High School and moved to Rynfield in 1975, where he lived until his death.
George worked for Coca-Cola for 20 years, starting as a salesman and working his way up to sales director.
In the year he moved to Benoni, George married Kathy, who died in 1986.
He never remarried.
In the early 1980s, he opened his own steakhouses and canteens in Benoni, Boksburg and Brakpan, which included the Angus steakhouses and the High Chaparral.
The restaurateur was also a prolific baseballer.
Leigh said her father earned over 50 caps playing baseball for Eastern Transvaal in the early 1970s – playing catcher, centre out and second baseman.
He was also selected for the first ever South African international baseball team in the late 1950s and turned professional in 1961, with the Callies Rebels.
The side was based in Johannesburg and George would pay R4 for a loss and would win R10 for every game he won.
He also coached many women’s softball teams in Brakpan and Benoni throughout the 1950s to 1970s, as well as the Benoni Northerns Indians Baseball Club throughout the 1990s.
Leigh said her father was selected to represent the Benoni Northern Indians Baseball Club in the Eastern Transvaal Masters Tournament, in Australia, in 1993.
Leigh described George as a friendly man, helpful to people, very active and always joking around.
His funeral was held at the Greek Orthodox Church, on September 18.
