A spontaneous friendly match on Die Braak in Stellenbosch 150 years ago was celebrated this past Thursday on national Heritage Day with a friendly match between children of Zonnebloem and Paul Roos Gymnasium.
Dr Francois Cleophas of the Department of Sport Science at Stellenbosch University organised the match under the auspices of the e'Bosch programme to commemorate the 150 year-celebration of the game. In 1865 the Zonnebloem school boys travelled by train to Stellenbosch. The boys saw a group of children playing a cricket match on Die Braak and asked if they could join in. The boys from Zonnebloem were all sons of Xhosa chiefs who were banished to Robben Island, said Cleophas.
Walter Monde and Nathaniel Cohon were the two boys from Zonnebloem who kept a diary of they day, Cleophas added. "There is no record of what the result was though."
Thursday Dr Janet Hodgson, who did the original research on the game, told the boys who participated in the contest more about the history of which they are now part.
According Cleophas the game on Die Braak was a huge success. "The game was played in a spirit of friendship and camaraderie. Paul Roos won the game, but the atmosphere was a true reflection of the game played in 1865 ... we believe. It was an effort to use sport history to connect the present with the past. We hope it was just a beginning and that we can expand it further next year."
