Steve Mokone

Infobox Football biography
playername = Steve Mokone


fullname = Stephen Madi Mokone
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1932|3|23
cityofbirth = Johannesburg
countryofbirth = South Africa
height =
nickname = The Black Meteor
Kalamazoo
position = Striker
currentclub =
clubnumber =
years = 1955-1958
1958-1959
1959-1960
1959-1960
1960-
clubs = Coventry
Heracles
FC Barcelona
Marseille "(loan)"
Torino
caps(goals) =? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = South Africa
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Steve 'Kalamazoo' Mokone OIG, nicknamed "The Black Meteor" (born 23 March 1932 in Johannesburg [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007] ) is a former South African football player who was the first black player to play in a professional European league. [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007]

Biography

Mokone was born in Doornfontein, a suburb of Johannesburg, but his family moved to Sophiatown before settling in Kilnerton in Pretoria. [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007]

Career

Mokone attracted much attention in his native South Africa, representing his country at the age of just 16. [knet.co.za, " [http://www.knet.co.za/orlandostadium/kalamazoo.htm Steve "Kalamazoo" Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007] He was close to signing for Newcastle United F.C. but for the intervention of his father, who wished him to continue his studies.

Mokone began his career proper in 1955 with Coventry City, before signing for Heracles Almelo in 1958. A year later he was signed by FC Barcelona, but because they had filled their quota of foreign players, he was loaned to Marseille. He later played for Torino, before finishing his career in Australia and Canada.

After football

In 1964 he enrolled at Rutgers University. [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007] In 1977 Mokone was arrested and beaten up by police. [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007] In 1996 he founded the Kalamazoo South African Foundation. [SouthAfrica.info, " [http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/sports/kalamazoo.htm Sporting Greats:Steve Mokone] ", retrieved 18th March 2007] In 2000, a movie was produced based on the life of Mokone, entitled "The Black Meteor." [NordiskFilm.com, " [http://www.sales.nordiskfilm.com/movie.aspx?id=509 The Black Meteor] ", retrieved 28th April 2007]

References