JOHN NORONHA: The Ugandan Stars Next Door

I am deeply indebted to John Noronha who I have not met personally but only on line. However the support, help and writing that he has done for Stars Next Door is second to none.

I was reluctant to ask him to do any more since he had already done a brilliant essay on Goans in Uganda cricket. However, I thought the least I could do was blog this piece and share it with any journalists who might be interested. I hope those that are able will share their stories on Facebook or online:

Uganda’s Stars Next Door

Compiled by John Noronha

Uganda Goan International or national level sportsman and women

Cricket

Michael Texeira

John Sequeira           ----    also captained national team (1960)

Edwin Fernandes

Charlie DeSouza       ---    also captained national team   (1970)

Carlitho Mascarenhas

Aloysius Mathias

Celly Dias

Peter De Souza        ---     Also Captained national team (1962 - 65)

Felix De Mello jnr

Lawrence Fernandes

Edwin Fonseca

Lawrence Dias

Men's Hockey

Cosma De Souza

Michael Texeira*

Ambrose Da silva

Aloysius Mathias *

Polly Pereira **

Felix Britto*

Victor Pereira*

Roland Collaco **

Joe Lobo **

Chris Pereira*

Rennie Rodrigues

Roger Gomes**

Jose Pereira*

Wilfred Rodrigues

Carlitho Mascarenhas

Willie Lobo**

Charlie De Souza

Remy Collaco

Franklyn Pereira

Llewelyn Da Costa

Zenon De Souza

Francis Da Silva

Joe Da Silva

Donald Fernandes

Osbert Remedios

George Moraes*

Donat De Souza

Note  ----  * denotes tenured    ** denotes very long tenured

Ladies Hockey

Zulema De Souza

Delphine Francis (nee De Souza )

Ella Gomes

        Clara De Mello (nee Mathias)

        Thelma Collaco

        Flora Gomes (nee De Mello)

        Muriel Alvares (nee Mascarenhas)

        Esme De Souza

        Hyacinth De Mello (nee Desouza)

        Eurema Collaco (nee George)

        Elizabeth Pereira

        At least 7 or 8 other Goan ladies made the Uganda B team

        Tennis

Mr  SP Dias won the Uganda singles crown in 1934 and 1936

Celly Dias ( his son ) won the singles crown in 1953 and also won numerous doubles and mixed doubles crowns. Was also part of the Kampala Goan Inst team that dominated the national Club league for many years on the 50s and 60s

Aloysius Mathias won a number of national doubles and mixed doubles titles and would have been among the top 5 rated players in the country for at least a decade 

Denis Pereira also won a number of doubles national titles ( with Mathias ) and and was among the top 3 singles players in the country at the end of the 60s

In National Club team play, the KGI team of Denis Pereira, Aloysius Mathias, Celly Dias, Canute Mathias, Jose Pereira and Hildebrand Dias won the first division title for 7 years in a row in the 1960's. ( the GI B team also won the 4 th division)

Badminton 

The top Goan players over the years were

Hildebrand Dias.  --  won the national single title and was a perennial finalist. Represented Uganda for many years, captained the team and also played against the Malaysian and Indian national teams

Rena Dias.  ----  won the ladies singles and doubles a number of times. Also represented the national team

Mary Borges. ---  was the most dominant female player in the country in the 1950s winning numerous titles.

Flora Menezes  ( nee Carneiro). Played for the national team in the early 1960s

Victor Albuquerque 

Norma De Souza

Table Tennis

Hyacinth De Mello represented Uganda at the Commonwealth Games
Anthony Mathias  ----  was Uganda singles champion for 7 years and also won the East African title. Also won numerous doubles and mixed double national crowns. Had the distinction of playing against the world famous Victor Barna and took a set from him.

Dolly Pereira            ---      dominated the ladies scene winning the Uganda triple crown a number of times. Also won the East African triple crown

Canute Mathias       ---      With brother Anthony won a number of national doubles titles

Connie De Souza ( Mrs )  -- won numerous titles before migrating to kenya at the end of the 1950's 

Motor Sports

The 4 Dias brothers ---     Roque, Joaquim, Joseph and Anthony all represented Uganda in the annual grass track motorbike racing against Kenya

Connie De souza      --    Also represented Uganda in grass track

Eddie Rodrigues       --   took part in numerous car rallies

Football

Murien De Souza      --   achieved national colours for Uganda and also played regularly for first division Express FC

Austin Pereira            --   selected to play for Buganda province in the Inter provincial ASPRO Cup. Played for Makerere University team and also for Coffee marketing Board club team. ( Currently lives in Norway and his son Thomas pereira played 15 years for Viking FC and also played for Norway

Joseph Mendonca    --   played for Buganda province in the late 1940s

Ferdinand Rodrigues -- Uganda National Team, Football, Goalkeeper

Track and field

Austin Pereira          --  Long Jump   -- achieved a record 23ft 6 inch in the Inter school sports in 1966

Roger Gomes          -- ran the 400 and 800 meters at the club level while also representing uganda in field hockey

Lee Lobo                 -- sprinter in the late 1940s

Snooker and Billiards

Both Eddie Rodrigues and Connie De Souza were Uganda champs at some stage