Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Des' Story
11:23 AM |
There is also an article courtesy of Jill Sinclair on Springbok rugby player Des Sinclair.
Desmond John Sinclair was born on 14 July 1927. In 1944 he matriculated at Jeppe Boys High, where he was an outstanding sportsman and achieved colours for athletics, rugby, diving and swimming. He represented Transvaal in diving and later became one of the Zoolake Fairies together with Denis Hellman. The Zoolake Fairies were a bunch of dare devil divers who performed stunts at big galas.
As a youngster he was part of a band and played the drums. He was a jazz fanatic all his life and played good jazz on the Hammond Organ. In his matric year he obtained his pilot’s licence and he played golf off a 2 handicap whilst at school.
After leaving school Des played rugby for Wits University and then went on to play for the Wanderers. During his rugby career at the Wanderers he played with the likes of ‘Chick’ Henderson, Mickey Gerber, Joe Kaminer, Ronnie Howell and Jackie Rahn. In 1950 he was selected to play for Transvaal and in 1951 achieved Springbok colours. In addition he played premier league hockey for Jeppe Quondom with the Rowan brothers amongst others.
In 1951/52 Des toured the United Kingdom and France in the Springbok side led by Basil Kenyon. In all he played 17 matches in a Springbok jersey including 4 tests against the 1955 British Lions. Had he not gone to America to study, he probably would have played in more test matches. After returning from America he played rugby again until the mid 60’s.
Des was a very successful chiropractor and treated many of South Africa’s top sportsmen. After he had retired from playing rugby he became very involved in training and coaching rugby players from the Wanderers as well as provincial players. For many years he travelled with the Transvaal team as their in-house chiropractor, a role he also performed for the Barbarians.
In 1989 Danie Craven had a book published on who he thought were “The Legends of Springbok Rugby 1889 – 1989”. Des was included in Danie’s line-up together with Syd Nomis and Ray Mordt and I am sure many more Wanderers Springbok’s.
Des was a fun loving personality and a devoted father who got up to all sorts of pranks, he was a great entertainer at a party. In his early years he slid down the banisters of the Wanderers club stark naked. He was highly intelligent, had a quick wit and a sharp sense of humour. He enjoyed dressing up and during the 1951/52 tour he and Dennis Fry dressed up as a bull and a bull-fighter when the Springboks were invited to a New Year’s Eve party with all the lords and ladies in attendance. How the people enjoyed their floor show says Danie Craven. In Danie’s book he writes “On the field of play, too, Des was adventurous and full of life. During the 1955 Lions tour we should have lost the series, but thanks to good tactics and players like Des Sinclair, we managed to share the series 2-2”.
He also became a rugby commentator with ‘Chick’ Henderson and Hugh Bladen for many years.
Des became the Chairman of the prestigious Johannesburg Sportsman’s Club making it into the hugely successful club that it is today and they continue having all their luncheons at The Wanderers Club.
In 1969 Des married Jill Abraham who through his hard training helped her become a Springbok hockey player. They had 2 children, a son Jaye who is now 40, Jaye became the MD a company owning 20 restaurants. He sold this company 3 years ago to a Dubai company and today remains the MD of the Dubai owned company, their daughter Jo-Dee 38 has both a B PhysEd and a B ScPhysiotherapy degree from Wits. Jo-Dee has her own very successful Physio practice. Both Jaye and Jo-Dee are married and Jo-Dee has 2 little boys aged 6 and 4. Jill remains a special member of The Wanderers Club and plays bowls at Bryanston Sports. Unfortunately Des did not witness his children’s success, he died in 1996, he would have been so proud of them - but he did, with great pride, witness the greatest World Cup ever in 1995.
Desmond John Sinclair was born on 14 July 1927. In 1944 he matriculated at Jeppe Boys High, where he was an outstanding sportsman and achieved colours for athletics, rugby, diving and swimming. He represented Transvaal in diving and later became one of the Zoolake Fairies together with Denis Hellman. The Zoolake Fairies were a bunch of dare devil divers who performed stunts at big galas.
As a youngster he was part of a band and played the drums. He was a jazz fanatic all his life and played good jazz on the Hammond Organ. In his matric year he obtained his pilot’s licence and he played golf off a 2 handicap whilst at school.
After leaving school Des played rugby for Wits University and then went on to play for the Wanderers. During his rugby career at the Wanderers he played with the likes of ‘Chick’ Henderson, Mickey Gerber, Joe Kaminer, Ronnie Howell and Jackie Rahn. In 1950 he was selected to play for Transvaal and in 1951 achieved Springbok colours. In addition he played premier league hockey for Jeppe Quondom with the Rowan brothers amongst others.
In 1951/52 Des toured the United Kingdom and France in the Springbok side led by Basil Kenyon. In all he played 17 matches in a Springbok jersey including 4 tests against the 1955 British Lions. Had he not gone to America to study, he probably would have played in more test matches. After returning from America he played rugby again until the mid 60’s.
Des was a very successful chiropractor and treated many of South Africa’s top sportsmen. After he had retired from playing rugby he became very involved in training and coaching rugby players from the Wanderers as well as provincial players. For many years he travelled with the Transvaal team as their in-house chiropractor, a role he also performed for the Barbarians.
In 1989 Danie Craven had a book published on who he thought were “The Legends of Springbok Rugby 1889 – 1989”. Des was included in Danie’s line-up together with Syd Nomis and Ray Mordt and I am sure many more Wanderers Springbok’s.
Des was a fun loving personality and a devoted father who got up to all sorts of pranks, he was a great entertainer at a party. In his early years he slid down the banisters of the Wanderers club stark naked. He was highly intelligent, had a quick wit and a sharp sense of humour. He enjoyed dressing up and during the 1951/52 tour he and Dennis Fry dressed up as a bull and a bull-fighter when the Springboks were invited to a New Year’s Eve party with all the lords and ladies in attendance. How the people enjoyed their floor show says Danie Craven. In Danie’s book he writes “On the field of play, too, Des was adventurous and full of life. During the 1955 Lions tour we should have lost the series, but thanks to good tactics and players like Des Sinclair, we managed to share the series 2-2”.
He also became a rugby commentator with ‘Chick’ Henderson and Hugh Bladen for many years.
Des became the Chairman of the prestigious Johannesburg Sportsman’s Club making it into the hugely successful club that it is today and they continue having all their luncheons at The Wanderers Club.
In 1969 Des married Jill Abraham who through his hard training helped her become a Springbok hockey player. They had 2 children, a son Jaye who is now 40, Jaye became the MD a company owning 20 restaurants. He sold this company 3 years ago to a Dubai company and today remains the MD of the Dubai owned company, their daughter Jo-Dee 38 has both a B PhysEd and a B ScPhysiotherapy degree from Wits. Jo-Dee has her own very successful Physio practice. Both Jaye and Jo-Dee are married and Jo-Dee has 2 little boys aged 6 and 4. Jill remains a special member of The Wanderers Club and plays bowls at Bryanston Sports. Unfortunately Des did not witness his children’s success, he died in 1996, he would have been so proud of them - but he did, with great pride, witness the greatest World Cup ever in 1995.
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2 comments:
Amazing how when you real about your family members
What a great pleasure reading this. As a young child my sister Bridget and I lived across the road on Fort Street and played with the kids. It is funny thinking back. I couldn't have been older than 8 or 9 and had a secret vrush on Jill. At 62 it is easier to admit. Thanksfor the great memories.
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