TRIBUTE: South Coast mourns sporting character Russ
Sport was his passion, and he excelled at whatever he did, particularly enjoying football, baseball, softball, fishing and golf.
The South Coast is mourning the death of one of its real characters, Russell McKinley of Anerley, who died peacefully on March 9, aged 84.
Also known as Russ, his larger than life personality endeared him to many and he was involved in so many different activities – many of them sport – that even his family struggled at times to keep track of it all.
Russell was born in South Africa, but grew up in what was then Rhodesia (Bulawayo).
He would later return to South Africa, to the South Coast.
Sport was his passion, and he excelled at whatever he did, particularly enjoying football, baseball, softball, fishing and golf.
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.
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.
His footballing career was cut short by injury and then turned to baseball, where he achieved further success and recognition, playing at provincial and national level, touring Spain and England.
At one point, he was nominated as sportsman of the year for his all-star pitching abilities.
On the coast, he was a founding member of the Sonny Evans Small Craft Harbour, which was established in 1974.
He took great delight in being involved with the construction of the first ramp in 1976.
Russ was involved with the annual Scouts softball tournament which started in 1985 which ran until 1998.
He was coach to a women’s team called Rays Rovers which was sponsored by Alan and Mary Jacobson and they won most of the tournaments they played in.
Russ was instrumental in bringing a team from Durban to play ‘his girls’ to prove how good they were and they subsequently beat them as well.
When it came to golf, he was captain at Port Shepstone Country Club and played league for the club for a number of years.
After retiring from sport, Russ spent time in the plumbing business, and later becoming an auctioneer before finally calling it quits.
He was married to his beloved Yvonne for 51 years. She died in 2008.
They raised a son, Brad, and a daughter, Mandy; he had six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
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