Counting down six of Boksburg’s greatest sportsmen

The city of Boksburg does not only boast high-class infrastructure, but the city is also blessed by some of the best sportsmen produced by the country.

With the lockdown all but rendering our minds to work under pressure and forgetting some of life’s positives, allow the Advertiser to remind you how talented Boksburg is, whether it be on the field of play or boxing ring.

6. Kieran Cree (Baseball): The Boksburg Cardinals pitcher, few may know, is a prevalent feature and a stalwart in the South African national men’s baseball team. In fact, he earned his first national call-up at the tender age of 17, grabbed the opportunity with both hands and never looked back.

Now 29, Cree was also included in the national side which looked to qualify for the 2021 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Tucson, Arizona, USA. What was supposed to follow was unfortunately put to an abrupt end by the coronavirus pandemic. Upon landing in the US, the national squad was ordered to return home amid the pandemic.

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5. Grant Thomson (Cricket): In June 2018, Grant Thomson was named in the squad for the Titans team for the 2018?19 season. In September 2018, he was named in Easterns’ squad for the 2018 Africa T20 Cup. He was the leading run-scorer for Easterns in the tournament, with 182 runs in five matches.

In October 2018, he was named in Paarl Rocks’ squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament. In September 2019, he was named in the squad for the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament. Later the same month, he was named as the captain of Easterns’ squad for the 2019/20 CSA Provincial T20 Cup. Thomson lead the team to their inaugural title in the tournament.

4. Conrad Jantjes (Rugby): Former Springbok coach Harry Viljoen handed the silky fullback his debut against Italy in 2001, but he fell out of favour before forcing his way back into contention during Jake White’s reign as the team’s coach.He unfortunately failed to win a place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup but found a new lease of life under Peter de Villiers, playing all South Africa’s test matches in 2008.

However, despite looking like the Springboks’ first choice full back for the 2009 British & Irish Lions series, he broke his leg during the 2009 Super 14 season, and was ruled out for over a year until making a return in the 2010 Currie Cup. He was never the same.

3. Tommy Oosthuizen (Boxing): What else can be said about Thomas Oosthuizen, otherwise known as Tommy? It?s a pity and desperately unfortunate that the former multiple IBO champion will probably be remembered more for his out of the ring conduct, or rather lack thereof but make no mistake he’s a helluva boxer – that’s why he makes this article. You cannot deny him of his squared circle talent which is headlined by mesmerising hand speed and a stinging left hand.

Undoubtedly the most talented pugilist of his generation at his peak, Oosthuizen’s professional record reads 28 wins out of 33 attempts – of which 16 of them were won on knockout. The record also includes two draws and three losses; all those losses arrived in the last three years or-so where his talent alone could not defend him from his out-of-ring conduct anymore. The ABU cruiserweight title, IBO super-middleweight and light-heavyweight are some of the gold he’s had around his waist.

2. Bernard Parker (Soccer): Attacking midfielder Bernard Parker is one of the more prominent stars reigning from Reiger Park. He was quite good in a variety of sports and excelled in short and long-distance running as well as achieving Eastern Gauteng colours in swimming. A product of the School of Excellence, Parker made his debut in the professional ranks for Cape Town’s Hellenic FC, later bought and renamed Benoni Premier United.

Parker’s career soared as he became a better footballer throughout his career. He’s starred for European Cup winners Red Star in Serbia as well as Dutch outfit FC Twente which won the league in 2010. After receiving interest from Swedish clubs Malmö FF and Helsingborgs IF as well as South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs, Parker chose the latter ahead of the other clubs and the rest was history. He’s also featured for Bafana Bafana and won over 70 caps between his debut in 2007 and 2015.

1 Gerrie Coetzee (Boxing): “The Boksburg Bomber” as he’s known, Coetzee’s career was ground-breaking. He was the first African ever to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984. He holds notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and former unified world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas.

One of Coetzee’s nicknames, “The Bionic Hand”, came about because of persistent troubles with his right hand, which required the insertion of several corrective items during three surgeries. Despite all this, the man managed to put himself in the conversation about the best heavyweight boxers in history not just in the country but globally too. His 33 wins from 40 fight include 21 K.O. wins, six losses and just one draw.

In addition to the great boxers who were his opponents in his time that are mentioned above, Coetzee also faced the like of John Tate, Mike Weaver and Frank Bruno to name more. The Bionic Hand fought the very best in the world in his time between 1974 and 1986 and managed to finish with an 82,5 per cent win ratio.

Hats off to all of them!

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