Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer, died on this day. Born in Ghana in 1865, his wealthy parents sent him to a nonconformist boarding school in Milbank Road, Darlington, when he was 19. In May 1885, he appeared at a Feethams sports day, and won the 100 yards despite ducking beneath the finishing tape.
He joined Darlington FC and ‘earned fame as a brilliant goalkeeper’. The Echo noted: ‘He could fist a ball almost as far as a man could kick it.’ He could also swing from the crossbar and catch the ball between his legs. In July 1886, Wharton astounded the 2,000-strong crowd at the Amateur Athletics Association championships at Stamford Bridge by winning the 100 yards in ten seconds exactly – the first time in the world this had been reliably recorded.
Now big box office, he made guest appearances for many athletics and football clubs, including the Quakers, and reached the FA Cup semi-final with Preston North End. In 1889, he turned professional with Rotherham Town, the home of his wife, Emma, although he had at least one child with her sister, Martha.
He played his final professional match for Stockport County in 1902, and sunk into sadness. Detached from his wife and daughter, unable to return to Africa, and troubled by ill health including alcoholism, he died in penury in Rotherham.
On 16 October 2014, a 16ft bronze statue of Arthur was unveiled at St George’s Park, the training headquarters of the England football team, after a long campaign to gain him recognition led by Darlington businessman Shaun Campbell.
(‘Memories’, The Northern Echo, 2007 and 2014)