SAFA join millions in mourning Steve Mokone

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has joined millions around the globe in paying tribute to Steve “Kalamazoo” Mokone, who passed away on Friday morning (20 March 2015).

Mokone (82) was based in the United States at the time of his death and has been battling poor health of late. He passed away four days shy of his 83rd birthday.

“We have lost a true legend here, a man who will always be remembered for putting South Africa on the world map with his football skills. During the dark days of apartheid in this country, Kalamazoo gave us hope. He went overseas and became the first black player from this country to play in the professional ranks when he joined Coventry City,” said SAFA President Danny Jordaan in mourning the man he said was a global, continental and South African legend through and through.

“Today we and most players enjoy the fruits of his toil, because had he failed there he would have perhaps denied current South African footballers a chance to be recognised overseas. He was a great South African Ambassador on the football front and we would like to thank him for his contribution in shaping the game in our country.

“On behalf of SAFA and the football-loving people of our country, I would like to convery our deepest condolences to the Mokone family, friends and relatives, that may they find strength in prayer during these difficult times.”

Mokone was born in Doornfontein, Johannesburg, but his family ended up settling in Pretoria.

He was on the books of the now-defunct Durban Bush Bucks.

In 2003 the then State President, Thabo Mbeki conferred him with the newly-conceived Order of Ikamanga - South Africa's highest honour for achievement in the creative and performing arts and sport.

Having joined Coventry in England back in 1955, he moved to Dutch side Heracle and then Torino in Italy.

Bebbe Branco, an Italian football writer, described him at the time as one of a kind.

"If Pele of Brazil is the Rolls-Royce of soccer players, Stanley Matthews of England the Mercedes Benz and Alfredo di Stefano of Argentina the Cadillac of soccer players, then Kala of South Africa, lithe and lean, is surely the Maserati," said Branco.

Kalamazoo was once on the books of Barcelona but went on loan to French side Marseilles as Spanish giants had their quota of foreign players. While playing for Torino, South Africa football journalist Horatio Motjuwadi once wrote glowingly about him.

"Like everywhere Mokone played, the people of this northern Italian city swore by his soccer boots. That was where, in 1961, he was dubbed the Maserati of soccer players. He made another spell-binding first appearance for Torino, scoring all five goals in a 5-2 victory against Verona. Months later, on tour in Russia, he became the first foreigner to score a hat-trick in a game against the biggest team in the land, Kiev."

Mokone rounded off his career with a stint in Australia and Canada in 1964.

He enrolled at Rutgers University in the USA, emerging seven years later with a doctorate in psychology.

Mokone's life, and especially his time in Holland, led to an Amsterdam street being named after him - the first black professional in Holland that has a street named after him in that country. He followed that up with and provided the inspiration for the book and subsequent film De Zwarte Meteoor (The Black Meteor).

Kalamazoo Mokone fact file:

Full Name: Stephen Madi Mokone
DOB: 23 March 1932 (age 82)
Place of birth: Doornfontein, RSA
Position: Striker

Career:

Pretoria Home Stars
1955 – 58 Coventry City
1958 – 59 Hercales Almelo
1959 – Cardiff City
1959 – 60 FC Barcelona (never played)
1960 – Marseille (loan)
1960 – 61 Torino
1961 – 62 Valencia FC
1964 – Sunshine George
1948 – 64 SA National Team (SA Black XI)