Dar Institute
Not just Wine, Women and Song
(I have no idea the occasion of
the following speech, suffice to say it would have been a long time ago. Regardless,
it remains a valuable and nostalgic document which provides insights into the
sports men and sports women of the Dar es Salaam Institute. I hope you enjoy
and share it. Perhaps it was 1969 or 1970.)
I am indebted to Angelo D’Souza
for providing me with the material. I am saddend that I was not able find
photos of some of the folks mentioned. Perhaps, some kind person will send them
to me.
By Francis Menezes,
MANY PEOPLE (me included) tend to
equate the Dar Institute with “Wine, Women and Song.” This is all very well, up
to a point, but on closer scrutiny, one notices an important factor missing
from the equation. That factor is sport.
Look at it how you will, for
sheer all-round good calibre performances in sport, year in and year out, the D
I could very well be envy of every other club in Tanzania. Take their much-maligned
cricket team first. In the Dar es Salaam Cricket League last year, the D I were
(as usual, some unkind critic might say) contending for the dubious honour of
earning the wooden spoon.
However, in the last match they
suddenly reached the zenith of accomplishment and scored 285-6 declared against
Mabati XI. This was DI”s highest total ever and highest in the league by any
other side in 1969. Openers Alex D’Costa and skipper Angelo D’Souza put on 169
runs for the third wicket and broke the existing record for that wicket. In a
valiant attempt to describe the feat to others, an observer struggled with
stock adjectives, but “sensible” was not good enough for Angelo’s 138 (which,
as it happened, was the highest individual score in the league last year) and “responsible”
did scant justice to Alex’s 75.
Last season, the DI’s hockey
players brought back nostalgic memories of a glorious past. They began by losing
to Bantu Sports Club in their very first match in the Kasam Cup League but,
carrying on regardless, won the remaining fixtures, including the one against a
young, enthusiastic and much fancied Young Rovers side by 3-1.
The unexpected victory of a
depleted University College side over Bantu meant that I I finished on level
terms with Bantus in the final averages – and had to play off against them.
An early goal by left-winger
Kenneth Nazareth – against the run of play – decided the issue, for later, the
rock-like defence of Denzil Nazareth, Chic Saldanha and goalkeeper Tony Gomes
proved impregnable.
In the Ismailia Cup knock-out tournament,
the D I beat, among others, Kinondoni Sports Club (the holders) after a
marathon struggle lasting 280 minutes and met University College (the previous
year’s winners) in the final. A goal by centre-forward Lenny Fonseca, some
sterling defence, and the D I had achieved the grand double for the season.
The team was well led by
left-back Angelo Martin with not a little discreet guidance and encouragement afforded by Chic Saldanha and Mathew Andrade
( who was the only D I “left-over” of the victorious 1953 M.R. De Souza Gold
Cup squad (I did not watch that great achievement personally, but I heard a lot
of about it, more disbelief than anything else).
Not to be outdone by the male
counterparts, the D I women won the A.P>C> Lobo Cup last year, beating a
team drawn from the rest of Dar es Salaam. This year they prevailed over Gymkhana
in the Saba Saba Festival Cup which was offered for competition for the first
time. Right-winger Zita D’Mello led the team on both occasions “con brio”.
The Dar es Salaam Women’s Hockey Association
last year chose Elsa Nazareth as the outstanding player but one in Dar es
Salaam.
At darts, the D I captained by
Tony Fernandes, whose example was on a par with his precept won the “Sunday News”
League in 1968 and again last year.
Victor Tellis and Chic Saldanha
lifted the Benbros Cup last year in an open duplicate bridge tournament. Their
partnership was a fusion of entirely antithetical playing styles and personalities.
Two months ago, in an
elimination contest held to select the
team to represent Dar es Salaam in the East African inter-city Bridge Tournament,
Jocelyn Viegas and Jaffer Ibrahim scored a fantastic 70,19% which could hardly have
failed to establish some sort of a local record in duplicate bridge.
So, there you have , then – a chronicle
of some of the major sports achievements of the D I in the recent past and
purposeful contrast to the gay (happy) spirit provided by “Wine, Women and Song”
in this social club.
I hope to bring more sporting
featuring the Goans and others of Dar es Salaam.
Comments