Jim’s Kalamazoo Appreciation Uploaded

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'Kala' & Manager George Raynor 1956

‘Kala’ with CCFC in 1956

An extensive appreciation of the late Steve ‘Kalamazoo’ Mokone, written by CCFPA chairman and CCFC official club historian Jim Brown can now be found on this site.  ‘Kala’ the first Black African to play professional football in Europe was brought to the UK from his apartheid wracked home of South Africa by the legendary Charlie Buchan in the mid ninteen fifites. He made his debut in English football with CCFC in October 1956 but after only a handful of first team games left the Bantams at the end of the season, subsequently building an illustrious first career with several crack on the continent in Holland, Italy, France and Spain (and earning fame as ‘the Black Meteor’).  He built a second successful professional academic career in the USA where he eventually settled and post the Nelson Mandela led liberation became a national hero and international ambassador for his native country.

Kal wearing his CCFPA tie in 2011

‘Kala’ wearing his CCFPA tie in 2011

‘Kala’ joined the Association in 2011 and had been in infrequent but lively email correspondence with CCFPA’s Mike Young ever since. He passed away in Washington just shy of his 83rd birthday, ironically just before his first professional club celebrated its Legends Day 2015. The length of Jim’s appreciation (which can be found by clicking the ‘Players’ Tab above then selecting the ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ option) reflects the significance of this remarkable man for football worldwide (having several books written about him, his life marked by a film, and a road in the Netherlands and a football stand in Almelo named after him).

 

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