Steve ‘Kalamazoo’ Mokone has joined the Coventry City Former Players Association.
Charles Buchan (left) & Steve in 1955
As readers of the news pages will be reminded by now Steve came to Britain from a South Africa in the grip of apartheid as an 18 year old already having already represented the Bantu part of his nation internationally since age 16. His passage was paid for by Charlie Buchan renowned Arsenal footballer turned sports journalist (who is pictured with ‘Kala’ at the time of his arrival) who recognised his precocious talents.
Coventry must have seemed a strange, cold and forbidding part of a distant land when Steve came for a trial at the Club in 1955, though the Coventry public quickly warmed to him as the immediate signing as a professional was seen as a sensational and progressive departure from the somewhat drab and lacklustre expectations the fans then had of the Division 3 South club. ‘Kalamazoo’ as he was quickly and affectionately nicknamed only played 4 times in the first team (with 1 goal) but made a big impact not only on both Coventry public and also foreign scouts in his one season with us as he became the first black South African to play professional football in Europe.
Steve says “your e-mail brought back many, many memories of folk like, diminutive Peter Hill, “Big” George Curtis, always willing to give me a helping hand in my new environment, Ole Ken McPherson and Roy Proverbs. I still remember all those faces”.
The club’s unhelpful culture and playing style under manager Harry Warren as well as the condition of the Highfield Road pitch which was not suited to Steve’s pace and dribbling ability led to his departure for the continent where he really started to hit the headlines with Dutch club SC Heracles of Amerlo, a small town 15 miles from the German border. In the 1957-58 season he was part of the Heracles team that won the championship of Division 3 B and was voted player of the season by the fans. The team only lost three games all season and these were when Mokone was injured. He played for Heracles for three seasons becoming a local legend, even appearing in a friendly game against Santos of Brazil for whom Pele appeared.
His subsequent mercurial playing career, though his potential was never fully realised, developed at top clubs throughout Europe - in Holland (PSV Eindhoven – 1957); France (Olympique Marseilles – 1959); Spain (Valencia and FC Barcelona – 1959), Italy (at Torino at the same time as English players Joe Baker and Gerry Hitchens) and Portugal (Benfica- 1960). As his fame and awareness of his ability spread ’Kala’ became lauded as ‘the Black Meteor’ - the name of a book (and subsequent film) about him by Dutch journalist Tom Egbers which highlights his pioneering role (as a personal journey) in opening up awareness of the footballing potential of the African continent.
Steve also played further afield having spells in Australia, Canada and the USA where, on retirement from playing in 1971, he completely changed direction developing an academic career by taking a bachelors degree at Rochester University, Masters at the University of Pennsylvania and Doctorate at Rutgers University subsequently becoming an Assistant Professor in Psychology. He had moved to the USA rather than return to live under the apartheid regime in South Africa (which had threatened to take his passport away if he returned there). He only was able to return to South Africa in 1995 after Nelson Mandela came to power but sadly his whole family had died in the intervening period.
Though his academic career was sadly interrupted by his conviction and a lengthy prison sentence in the States (on charges Steve has always denied and some would argue were politically inspired) ’Kala’ has come out the other side to win plaudits on all sides for his work in encouraging young footballers from his country to fulfil their potential through his ’Kalamazoo South Africa Foundation’. He has also served as his country’s Honorary Ambassador for Tourism in the USA.
Steve has subsequently received many honours including in 2003 being presented with a presidential medal (the Order of Inkhamanga in Gold) for his sporting and cultural achievements by the then South African president Thabo Mbeki. The Order is the highest civilian award in the country and he is one of only two sportsmen that have been so honoured (the other he tells us is golfer Gary Player ). Steve was also inducted into the South African Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He also tells us that, in recognition of his trailblazing contribution to Dutch sport Steve has very recently also been inducted into the Dutch ‘Wall of Fame’ (see http://www.bekendealmeloers.nl/#!__sport).
Steve tells us that he has ”kept up my interest in football in Europe and South America. I watch four football games every week-end, from Europe and South Americas. The last game from Europe was the Final at Wembley between Barca and Man. U. a few weeks ago. What a dazzling display by Barca!”
For more information on the Coventry City Former Players Association, please click on http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/