The Wanderers Club

The Flame

Author: Mr. George Cohen (95 years old), Wanderers Club Member since January 1928.

Written in 2010.

Introduction to "The Flame"

My parents were both Members of the old Wanderers Club adjacent to Park Station, and they played tennis there regularly on Sunday afternoons in the 1920's with fellow Wanderers Members. They would take me to watch them play, and when I discovered that baseball was being played in the corner of the famous "A" ground, I spent many intriguing hours watching and listening to the witty repartee of Berty Price, well known not only through baseball but also the owner of "The Doll's House" off Louis Botha Avenue.

My father thoughtfully made me a junior Member of the Club at the age of 14 on January 23, 1928, and I remember my excitement when I was presented with my magnificent Member’s badge now a Member of one of the most famous Clubs in the world at the tender age of 14. How my friends envied me, as I now had free access to a most incredible variety of sports and entertainment that would serve me in the years to come. My father somehow managed to find the 10 shillings entry fee and the 10 shillings a year subscription.

I was of course still at school and started playing social tennis at the Club when the captain of the 6th side, Mr Auret, invited me to play league tennis. What an honour for me, representing this great old Club! After leaving school at the age of 17, I so wished to continue playing football, and I was accepted by the coach to play for their under 18 side. I continued to play by moving to the under 20's but I also realised that the over-20-year olds had outstripped me by miles, both in size and temperament. My soccer days were over, but I was able to watch from the grand stand, the Saturday afternoon league games with all the famous teams competing 'Rangers', 'Marist Brothers', 'Germiston Callies', 'J.S.A.R', 'P.S.A.R', etc. Then came the international sides such as Aberdeen, Newcastle etc.

During the ensuing years I experienced watching test match cricket from the grand stand, and in December 1935 watched Nourse score a double century against mighty Australia. What a thrill it was for me when the MCC came to play South Africa and I obtained signatures of world famous cricketers, such as the great Wally Hammond, Trevor Goddard, ebullient wicket keeper George Duckworth, Maurice Tate, Bill Voce and Percy Chapman, the first batman's ever to play a late cut over the long "A" ground boundary almost up to the tennis courts, I still have their signatures.
Friday nights were something to look forward to during the week. My brother-in-law introduced me to greyhound racing at the Club while I was in my twenties when I had to budget very carefully in order to spend 10 shillings on the tote, which was conveniently and temptingly situated in the grand stand. The minimum bet was two and sixpence and I was sweating more than the dogs as the money ran out. My favourite greyhound was "white fang" who just could not imagine how much I needed him to win.

Coming back from the war in Egypt we were informed of the train from Durban that we would be demobbed at the main ground of The Wanderers, and so it came about on January 13th 1943. I walked through the tunnel that had been constructed several years back, linking the south end of Rissik Street to Wolmaran's Street, took the familiar train to Yeoville and was given a rapturous welcome by the family.
Shortly after my return, the Johannesburg Municipality advised The Wanderers that they would have to annexe a huge slice of their ground adjacent to the station because the station had to be enlarged. The news was imparted to the Members and came as a huge shock to most of us who worked mainly within walking distance of enjoying the Club's facilities. We were then advised by Victor Kent that his committee had anticipated this proclamation by the council and had obtained rights to purchase ground in Illovo- such amazing foresight! It soon became apparent that the Club would have to be relocated from the busy confines of "The Golden City" to the relatively unknown precincts of Illovo, and there was turmoil among the Members. There was no option however, and the big move took place during the years 1946 and 1948. The new clubhouse and grounds were magnificent. The area was named Kent Park, but the history of the old Club founded in 1888, like that of the city itself founded in 1886, will never be forgotten.

The magnificent new tennis courts soon became a favourite venue for me, but after I hurt my back reaching for a low shot I realised it was time to turn to bowls. I was introduced to this most social of all games in 1960, then aged 46, a youngster in the bowling fraternity, and somehow managed to be chosen for the first side which contained such superlative players as Fergie Lawson (became Springbok), his brother Archie, Hugh Lobban, Bob Coats, Roley van Oorot, Dereck Ralphs. How lucky I was to play in such company. In 1970 I became a coach and started the Saturday morning clinic which often contained as many as 23 enthusiastic new bowlers both men and women. The clinic prospered. In order to encourage younger players to the game I instituted the intersectional competition on May day each year and called it "May day, May day" with so many sections and without T.V and gymnasiums all the Greens were packed solid, strung seven, and several sections fielded reserves who played intermittently "May day, May day" proved a huge success on the green, on the banks, in the pub, at tea time and lunch time, but Alas! No recruits. Women's hockey and baseball were great supporters with baseball arriving at 8am, play starting at 09h30. Baseball started their day with a braai outside the Bowler’s Lounge, early morning beers and envy from the other sections.

Somewhere in the sixties I attended a snooker inter section evening in the beautifully appointed new snooker room and the snooker bug bit me. I bought a second hand cue at a snooker room auction, with cover for £5 and virtually, the game was on. After a few years I offered to write the snooker notes under the pseudonym of "In Off". The snooker committee subscribed to a snooker magazine called "Snooker World" from the U.K, and I was able to provide the readers with a comprehensive article about local and overseas activities. I was later chosen to play for the third side in the league possibly because I wrote the notes, but not for ability. This became the fourth Wanderers section I had represented, two in the old and two in the new environment.



In early August 2008 I received a call from Colin Reed, Member liaison man and organiser of Wanderers activities. He came straight to the point and asked me whether I would light the eternal flame. I thought he was joking and asked what the eternal flame was. He told me it was a flame to celebrate the wonderful 120 years of the Wanderers existence. I was stunned and just managed to ask what the lighting would entail. Apparently the Athletics section had decided to celebrate the 120 years by running from the old Wanderers adjacent to the Park Station to their new home in Kent Park. There would be approximately seventy runners and when they reached the entrance to the Club I would have a torch in my hand which would be lit, and I would lead the pack down the driveway and light a lantern which would become the eternal flame. I reminded Colin that I was having a problem with my feet and would be devastated if I accepted this honour and failed to walk the short distance from the entrance to the lighting of the flame. Just imagine in front of seventy athletes who had just run all the way from the station. Colin said not to worry as I could be helped if there was a problem. I thanked Colin for this once in a lifetime offer, and asked him to hold the offer open until I came back to him. How could I perform without disgracing myself?

I had formed a plan almost before I put the phone down. That same day I visited my medical adviser, explained the position, and without a moment's hesitation she asked "what time do you have to be at the Club?". I told Vanessa 10 o'clock. 'No problem", said Vanessa, "come to me at 8am, I will give you an injection which may even enable you to join the athletics section!" I couldn’t wait to tell Colin the news, and he said he knew I would find a way for me to enjoy the occasion to the full. I then asked Colin, "Why me?" and he replied, because there was no-one else more qualified and there was just no discussion once I had been nominated. My qualification was that on the 23 January 2008 I had been a Member of The Wanderers for 80 years and at a fair age of 94 was the oldest active Member of the Club. Advanced age obviously does have its advantages.

August 23rd 2008 dawned bright and clear, and at 8am Vanessa performed the magic that was to enable me to enjoy the superb honour bestowed upon me by my Club, without any negative thoughts whatsoever. The runners arrived right on time, a big shout "Hello George" from seventy throats, the torch was lit, and I led this fine body of young men and women down the drive with the torch held high, lit the eternal flame, while emotions welled up in me encouraged by thoughts of how honoured I had been to be chosen to perform a once in a lifetime this act of remembrance. Never again would the grand old Wanderers Club celebrate 120 years of history so closely linked to the history of Johannesburg itself, founded in 1886.