Rob in the ‘Hood: Sporting legends call back the past
I took a back seat, just admiring these men talking all things sport.
Greetings. During the five years I’ve been writing for the Herald, I have met some really interesting people, from an old Manchester school-mate to South African sportsmen from yesteryear. This continued when old-timer Russell McKinley, from Anerley, phoned me.
Football in the ’50s
“Hello, Rob,” he said, introducing himself, “I once read that you and Tommy Ballantyne, the sports writer, are friends. I used to play football with Tommy and his brother Jimmy in Bulawayo in the late 1950s.”
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My interest was piqued. Tommy was instrumental in my coming to Southern Africa in 1965. We have remained friends ever since.
“Come round, Russell, it will be nice to meet you.”
Russell duly pitched up, armed with his sporting life in pictures.
“Okay, Russell, start at the beginning. Tommy and his wife are in Australia, due to this Covid-19 thing. It would have been great if I could have brought you and Tommy together to recall your days in Bulawayo. However, Johnny Louch is coming round to meet you, as he knows everybody connected with sport.”
Meeting Stanley Matthews
As a two-year-old Russell left for the then Southern Rhodesia with his family in 1939.
The toddler would go one to become a long-distance specialist, cycling 17 miles to school each day, and 17 miles back to the family homestead outside of Bulawayo.
Russell added that his father had once run from Bulawayo to Johannesburg, some 564 miles, in nine days, to deliver a SA 100 Pound note!
A natural sportsman, as a teenager, Russell played football and baseball, and was awarded colours for both sports.
Highlights of his young sporting life were meeting and playing against England legend Stanley Matthews, plus marking ‘out of the game’ South African-born left winger Bill Perry, who scored the winning goal in the famous Matthews FA Cup Final in 1953 at Wembley Stadium.
Russell also played against the then all-conquering Wolverhampton Wanderers, led by England captain Billy Wright, at the old Glamis Stadium.
Baseball player
Russell’s footballing career was cut short by injury. He then turned to baseball, where he achieved further success and recognition, playing at provincial and national level, and touring Spain and England.
A walking Wikipedia of sporting days gone by, Russell was in his element recalling sporting heroes of yesteryear. His recall was amazing: Russell still knows who’s who and counts Des van Jaarsveldt, Bobby Chalmers and Ian McIntosh among his friends.
After retiring from sport, Russell spent time in the plumbing business, and later becoming an auctioneer before finally calling it quits.
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Russell was married to his beloved Yvonne for 51 years. She died in 2008.
They raised a son, Brad, and a daughter, Mandy, both still living here on the coast. He has six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
From the land of Oz
Johnny Louch arrived, and conversation continued about the many South African sporting greats who are still around, known to both Russell and ‘Louchie’.
I took a back seat, just admiring these men talking all things sport.
My phone rang. “Hi, there! It’s Tommy Ballantyne, calling from Queensland, Australia!”
I couldn’t believe it.
I shouted down the phone: “I’ve got two old mates of yours here – Russell McKinley and Johnny Louch.”
Tommy immediately remembered Russell, and of course, Louchie.
Wishing that Tommy could have been here to join in the trip down memory lane, I handed over the phone to Russell and Johnny.
Short but sweet of course, but the reunion made it all worthwhile.
See you, Rob.
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