One of the sons of Homevale, Derek “Goerie” Gordon – born on 14 January 1950 – was called to his heavenly home on 2 June.
When I heard of the passing of Derek “Goerie” Gordon, I was reminded that our forgotten heroes of the South African Council of Sport (Sacos) era can and never will be given the honour they derserve.
There is no documentation of how many games of cricket and rugby Goerie has played or what his highest score was, which is very sad indeed.
Goerie grew up at a time that he, like many other sportmen and women, had to play their sport on gravel and sand.
He played in a generation of great cricketers who played all their cricket on the mine dumps of the Eddie Williams Oval.
Poor facilities yes, but the quality of cricket was of the highest order.
Goerie was a lower order batsman and wicket keeper, and as a cricketer played with great cricket heroes, like Tommy Gertze, Kenny Gordon, Gordon Spadonie, Mike Francis, Bernie Bennett, Peter Salo and many others.
He played for Beaconsfield Wanderers Cricket Club for many, many years.
Goerie also played rugby for the Thistle Rugby Football Club. Both the Beaconsfield Wanderers and the Thistle club was community and family-based. This is why these clubs thrived in the 70’s and the 80’s.
Even though times were tough, no-good facilities and players were offered so much more to play with the white community during the apartheid years, but to Goerie and his peers this was never an option.
Goerie’s rugby life spanned over two or three generations, he played with and against the best rugby players in the non-racial fraternity. I am thinking of the Jumpies, Christians and Barnes brothers, Jim and Des Summers, Aubrey Everson, Chris Ludick, Kenny Gordon, Eddie Geduld, the great Piet van Wyk, Frik van Rooyen, Bernie Bennett and many others.
As a youngster, going to watch these greats playing the game at the Union Grounds (now the AR Abass Stadium) was very special. Later I was privileged to play against some of these legends, including Goerie.
Both in his playing days and years after he was fondly remembered by the cry, “Voete, manne, Voete”.
If my memory is correct, he also played soccer and was involved because of the community.
There are important lessons to be learnt in life and times of Goerie. Under the Group Acts (1950) the cities and towns of South Africa were divided into segregated residential and business areas.
The Gordon Family and many other families were forced out of Beaconsfield and relocated to Colville, Floors and Homevale. Goerie and his family had to settle in Homevale (Tips).
Goerie come from a family that had a very rich sporting history, so it was not by chance that he played rugby and cricket for such a long time. He was one of the many top sportsmen and women from rugby, soccer, hockey, cricket and athletics who came from this disadvantaged community of Tips, as it is fondly known. Goerie was a fiece competitor on the field and a gentle giant off it.
Goerie, you ran the race, good and faithful servant. We raise our caps to a life of a sportsman, a life well-lived and we pray that your soul may rest in peace and rise in glory.
– Eugene Jacobs, fellow sportsman (Article shortened – Ed.)
