Sport In South Africa
South Africa, Newlands · 1983-07-20
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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front
This cover is postmarked on 20 July 1983 in Nuweland. Nuweland is better known by its English name, Newlands, the Cape Town suburb that gave its name to South Africa's most famous rugby and cricket grounds. The four stamps on the cover cover rugby, soccer, yachting and horse-racing, each showing the sport in a distinct colour palette. Horse-racing has the longest pedigree of the four here. Racing at the Cape began under the Turf Club in 1797, nearly two centuries before this cover was cancelled, and the sport only came under a single governing body with the founding of the Jockey Club of South Africa in Port Elizabeth in 1882.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is headed "Sport in South Africa" in English and Afrikaans and pulls together three action scenes rather than one. A hang glider pilot banks low across the left side of the cover with a red and blue striped wing. Just behind him a motorcycle racer leans into a corner, the number 8 painted on his fairing. Both scenes sit against a rolling ocean wave, and a surfer drops down its face on the right, board angled hard against the water. The four stamps sit in the top right corner in a block, each showing a different sport. A pictorial postmark cancels the stamps with a trophy design in the centre, the same "Sport in South Africa" wording curving around it.
Information Card
SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 10c stamp — Rugby Rugby was introduced into South Africa by British sailors and soldiers. The first rugby match was played on the Green Point Common in Cape Town on 23 August 1862. As the game spread, rugby unions were formed: Western Province in 1883, Griqualand West 1886, Eastern Province 1888, and Transvaal in 1889. The South African Rugby Board was constituted in 1889 and today 23 unions are affiliated to the Board. The Currie Cup is the premier interprovincial award. In all countries where rugby is played, South Africa's contribution to the game is acknowledged. The stamp depicts rugby players in the colours of Western Province and Northern Transvaal. 20c stamp — Soccer Soccer was brought to South Africa by British garrisons. In 1882 the first Football Association was founded in Natal, comprising five clubs. Thereafter soccer associations were established in the Transvaal (1889), Western Province (1890), and Griqualand West (1890). In 1891 the South African Soccer Association was formed. The first Currie Cup competition was held in 1892 and this cup is still the most sought-after trophy in amateur soccer. With the establishment of the National Football League in 1960, soccer became professional. The Castle Cup is the premier trophy, but the competitions for the Mainstay Cup, the Datsun Shield, the FLA Cup and the Champion of Champions Cup are also important annual events. The Football Council of South Africa was established in 1976 as a federal controlling body for football in South Africa, both amateur and professional. 25c stamp — Yachting There are 85 yacht-clubs in South Africa, involving some 30 000 people in all facets of sailing. Most of these clubs have their sailing waters on the many artificial lakes created to provide drinking water. The yacht depicted on this stamp is a large ocean cruiser. Yachting includes many different kinds of sailing craft, from the tiny Optimist for children to maxi ocean racers over 20 metres in length. The sailboard is an exciting modern development in this sport. South Africa is a well-known name in international yachting and Cape Town is the starting point for one of the longest yacht races in the world, the South Atlantic race to Uruguay. 40c stamp — Horse-racing Horse-racing was introduced into the Cape Colony during the first British occupation. The first race-meeting of the Turf Club was held on 27 September 1797. From 1797 to 1882 more than a hundred racing clubs were established throughout Southern Africa, all racing under their own rules. The sport became official with the establishment of the Jockey Club of South Africa in Port Elizabeth in 1882. Since the formation of the Jockey Club, racing has been steadily improving in all its facets and there has been a remarkable upsurge in public interest. Today the breeding and racing of thoroughbred horses is a multimillion-rand industry, the third-largest enterprise in the RSA. SPORT IN SUID-AFRIKA 10c-seël — Rugby Rugby is deur Britse matrose en soldate na Suid-Afrika gebring. Die eerste rugbywedstryd is op 23 Augustus 1862 op die Groenpuntterrein in Kaapstad gespeel. Namate die spel versprei het, is rugby-unies gestig: Westelike Provinsie in 1883, Griekwaland-Wes 1886, Oostelike Provinsie 1888 en Transvaal in 1889. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Rugbyraad het in 1889 tot stand gekom en tans is 23 unies by die Raad geaffilieer. Die Curriebeker is die hoogste toekenning vir interprovinsiale rugby. Suid-Afrika se bydrae tot die spel word erken in al die lande waar rugby gespeel word. Die seël toon rugbyspelers in die truie van Westelike Provinsie en Noord-Transvaal. 20c-seël — Sokker Sokker is deur Britse besettingstroepe na Suid-Afrika gebring. Die eerste Football Association, wat uit vyf klubs bestaan het, is in 1882 in Natal gestig. Later is sokkerverenigings in Transvaal (1889), Westelike Provinsie (1890) en Griekwaland-Wes (1890) gestig. In 1891 het die Suid-Afrikaanse Sokkervereniging tot stand gekom. Die eerste Curriebeker-kompetisie is in 1892 gehou en dié beker is steeds die mees gesogte trofee in amateursokker. Met die stigting van die Nasionale Sokkervereniging in 1960 het sokker professioneel geword. Die Castle-beker is die belangrikste trofee, maar die kompetisies om die Mainstay-beker, die Datsunskild, die FLA-beker en die Kampioene-van-Kampioene-beker is ook belangrike jaarlikse geburtenisse. Die Sokkerraad van Suid-Afrika is in 1976 gestig as die federale beheerliggaam vir sokker in Suid-Afrika, amateur sowel as professioneel. 25c-seël — Seilsport Daar is 85 seilsportklubs in Suid-Afrika, waardeur ongeveer 30 000 mense by alle fasette van seilsport betrek word. Die meeste van die klubs gebruik die talle mensgemaakte mere, wat geskep is om drinkwater te verskaf, as hul vaarwater. Die seiljag wat op hierdie seël uitgebeeld word, is 'n groot diepseekruiser. Die seilsport sluit 'n wye verskeidenheid vaartuie in, van die klein Optimist vir kinders tot die maksi-diepseewedvaartuie van meer as 20 meter lank. Die seilplank is 'n opwindende nuwe ontwikkeling in hierdie sport. Suid-Afrika is welbekend in die internasionale seilsport en Kaapstad is die wegspringpunt van een van die langste seiljagwedvaarte ter wêreld, die Suid-Atlantiese wedvaart na Uruguay. 40c-seël — Perdewedrenne Perdewedrenne het tydens die eerste Britse besetting in die Kaapkolonie in swang gekom. Die eerste wedrenbyeenkoms van die Turf Club is op 27 September 1797 gehou. Van 1797 tot 1882 is meer as 'n honderd wedrenklubs gestig, wat elkeen sy eie wedrenreëls gevolg het. Die sport is op 'n amptelike grondslag georganiseer toe die Wedrenklub van Suid-Afrika in 1882 in Port Elizabeth gestig is. Die stigting van die Wedrenklub het verbetering in alle fasette van perdewedrenne aangebring en die openbare belangstelling het merkwaardig toegeneem. Die teling van volbloeddiere en hul deelname aan wedrenne is tans 'n multimiljoenrand-bedryf, die derdegrootste onderneming in die RSA.
Theme: Transport
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.95 (ZAR)
SG reference: 545-548
SAPO serial number: 4.5
Estimated value: ~US$0.06
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 209 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
