Image found at:https://abrempongradiogh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sport-4.bmp, accessed 7.10.2021.
I was inspired by the story of Arthur Wharton, the world's first black professional footballer and thought I would share the story for Black History Month.
Arthur 'Kwame' Wharton was born in Jamestown, Ghana in 1865, in 1883 he moved to Darlington to train as a Missionary at Cleveland College. He became a professional footballer at the town's football club, playing mostly in goal but also played on the wing. Arthur became known as a goalkeeper with the 'prodigious punch'.He moved onto other clubs in his career including Preston North End, Rotherham & Newcastle & District which later became Newcastle United. In a match between Rotherham & Sheffield Wednesday, he was in goal, and to save a shot, he jumped to the crossbar catching the ball between his legs, causing the three opposition players to collide in a heap in the net.
Not only was Arthur adept on a football pitch, he was a professional athlete, cyclist, cricketer & rugby player. He was the first Official Fastest Man, running 100 yards in 10 seconds straight on 3rd July 1886 at Stamford Bridge, London. ...'He was called “invincible” by one 19th-century newspaper, and a man who, even in the ideological context of Victorian Britain, refused to accept racism lying down. While waiting for an athletics race in his early 20s, he overheard two other competitors calling him the n-word'. “Allow me to give you to understand,” he later recalled telling the pair, “I not only run but do a little boxing when required.” They piped down. He won the race. (Sourced from The Independent Online, found at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/arthur-wharton-darlington-first-black-professional-footballer-b1286187.html accessed 8.10.2021).
After his sporting career he moved to Edlington, Doncaster in 1915 & worked as a haulage hand at Yorkshire Main Colliery. Arthur Wharton joined the Home Guard in The Great War |(date unknown). Sadly Arthur died penniless in 1930 in the Springwell Sanitarium, Balby and was buried in an unmarked grave at Edlington Cemetery. In May 1997, Arthur’s grave was given a headstone after a campaign by anti-racism organisation Football Unites Racism Divides for recognition of his achievements.
This may be considered a very short sporting career by today's standards, but there was no Sky TV, Premiership league or a million pound salary in those days. Football was in it's infancy and hard times were common, particularly in the economic climate of the late 20's and early 30's. Although Arthur Wharton died penniless, his story of overcoming racial barriers in sport have given us a an inspirational legacy that is everlasting, inspiring the likes of Marcus Rashford & Usain Bolt. Statues of Wharton are all over the world, from his native Ghana to the F.A Offices of London. My favourite Memorial to Arthur Wharton is in Darlington on the side of a house - a two story mural.
Sources
There are loads of websites with information on Arthur Wharton including these:
Arthur Wharton: The First Black Footballer, found at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/roots/2003/10/arthur_wharton.shtml
Arthur Wharton Foundation:, found at: https://arthurwhartonfoundation.org/
Great Lives, A Talk Featuring Viv Anderson talking about Arthur Wharton, you can listen here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sg13b
