1969 — In one of the most bizarre evenings in South African boxing, two fighters bite their opponents on the ear on the same card in Durban. First Mike Robertson chomped down on the ear of Spider Kelly in the main undercard bout and then Herby Clarke bit the shoulder of Arnold Taylor before moving north to the ear. Both bites caused bleeding. But Robertson was allowed to carry on fighting, getting stopped by Kelly in the eighth. Clarke, the South African lightweight champion, was disqualified. Taylor, the South African featherweight champion, relieved Clarke of the lightweight belt at the same venue a month later.
1970 — Arnold Taylor takes on Johnny Famechon, the reigning WBC featherweight champion at the Ellis Park tennis stadium in Johannesburg. Taylor loses to the Australian on points, but he wouldn’t lose again until after winning the WBA bantamweight title in 1973.
1987 — Petro Jackson, a winger for the Kylemore rugby team in the Boland, is killed after a hard tackle in a club match against Excelsior. The tackle was hard but legal, taking Jackson off the field, across a gravel path and into an asbestos barrier, breaking his neck. His name was incorporated into the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund, which has continued doing great work for rugby players suffering life-changing spinal injuries.
1992 — South Africa are bowled out for 152 to lose the second ODI against the West Indies in Port of Spain by 10 wickets. Jonty Rhodes top-scored with 45. The home side took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
1998 — Hansie Cronje takes 2/17 and scores 52 as the Proteas, needing 251, beat Pakistan by three wickets in an ODI in East London. Shaun Pollock scored 66 and Mike Rindel 64.
2000 — Hansie Cronje is sacked as Proteas cricket captain after admitting in a 3am phone call to then United Cricket Board CEO Ali Bacher that he had not been entirely honest in his denials about dealing with bookmakers. Later in the day he attended a press conference with sport minister Ngconde Balfour and Rhema church minister Ray McCauley, but he didn’t speak. In a prepared statement he admitted to having had discussions with bookmakers, but denied ever throwing a game.
2001 — Tragedy strikes South African soccer as 43 fans die in a crush to get into the Premier Soccer League match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Ellis Park.
2022 — Keshav Maharaj finishes with 7/40 as South Africa bowl out Bangladesh for 80 in the second and final Test at St George’s Park and the series 2-0.
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