A tribute to Jack Simonian, one of Kenya’s
best all round Sportsman in the sixties
by Dil Bahra
28 November 2019
by Dil Bahra
28 November 2019
Jack Simonian in 1970
Sorry unable to access the photos
John Levon
(Jack) Simonian who was the East African motor cycling, motor rally and track Champion
and who represented Kenya at hockey at three Olympic Games passed away in Sydney,
Australia on Monday 23 December 2019. He was aged 84.
Jack, who resided in the UK since 1978,
had gone to Sydney, Australia earlier this month and celebrated his 84th
Birthday only last week. Replying to his friend, George Brink’s greetings of
Happy Birthday, Jack wrote “Yes, thoroughly
spoilt by Family and Friends from all over. California, Canada, Kenya, England,
Australia, New Zealand, Sardinia and last but not least South Africa!! Great
day and taken out to dinner this evening!! Life is Always Great!! However WE
are all leaves on a tree, some fall off and others stay on for a while!! Wish
All of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new year with all Blessings, Health,
Happiness and Prosperity. I do miss all your company, but memories will have to
suffice. Such is The Precious Life that we are gifted!! Anyway, enough of all
that!! Totsiens for now”
Jack was born on 15
December 1935 in Wad Madani, Sudan. His parents had emigrated from Armenia to
Egypt and then to Sudan and in 1948 the family moved to and settled in Kenya.
After his
primary school education in Sudan, he studied at St Mary’s School in Nairobi,
Kenya. He was a very good tennis player at St Mary’s and played hockey and
tennis for his school team.
After schooling,
he joined East African Airways as an apprentice Aircraft Engineer.
Jack enlisted in
the Kenya Regiment on 30 September 1955 (National Service) and he then
underwent basic training at the Kenya Regiment Training Centre at Lanet near
Nakuru from 3 October to 10 December 1955. He was awarded the Africa General
Service Medal in 1956. He played hockey for the Regiment.
After completing
his two year’s National Service, he re-joined East African Airways and qualified
as an Aeronautic Engineer. He took up motor cycling racing, grass track motor
cycle races being his first love. He played hockey for East African Airways hockey
team.
He joined
Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi and played hockey in the Kenya European Sports
Hockey Association League. He was a member of Parklands Sports Club that won
the Craig Cup in 1960 against Nakuru Athletic Club. He represented Parklands at
hockey, tennis and snooker.
He fondly recalled that one Saturday
afternoon in 1959, the Chairman of his Club, Ron Cooper, who was vice President
of Nairobi Hockey Association at the time, asked him what he was doing that
afternoon. He invited him to play in goal for Nairobi X1 in a match that
afternoon in a couple of hours’ time. That day was 1 August 1959 and the match
was against the visiting Indian Hockey Team. The Nairobi X1, which was captained by Chris
Wevill of Impala Sports Club, included Kirpal Singh Bhardwaj, Krishan Aggarwal,
Silu Fernandes, Edgar Fernandes, Surjeet Singh Panesar (Jr), and Egbert
Fernandes who all went on to represent Kenya at Rome 1960 Olympic Games. The
Indian team in that match also included seven players who went on to represent
India at Rome Olympics.
Nairobi X1
that played India at City Park Stadium, Nairobi on 1st August 1959
It was hockey’s good fortune that Jack did
not have a motor cycle racing event that afternoon. That match started his
international exposure in hockey and he never looked back. But he kept his
motorsport going on at the same time which is a remarkable feat. He progressed
to Motor Rallying and track racing which ran side by side with his hockey
feats.
Nairobi X1 and Indian team players after the match on
1 August 1959. Jack Simonian is 3rd from left on the ground.
He made his
international debut in hockey against Italy on 1 September 1960 in Rome, a
match which Kenya won 7 – 0. From that moment he became a regular member of
Kenya squad.
He toured
Rhodesia with the Kenya team in August 1961 and played against South Africa and
Rhodesia at the international Hockey Festival in Bulawayo.
In 1962, he
joined Sikh Union Nairobi, a Club with a rich history of hockey. He told me,
during one of our many chats over the years, that Tari (Avtar Singh Sohal) and Sindh (Surjeet Singh Panesar (Jr)) were a
big influence on him joining Sikh Union. He added “We have a lot in common. My
best friends are Sikhs”.
He played for
Sikh Union Nairobi for over a decade, helping the Club win the M R D’Souza Gold
Cup; Laton Brothers Cup; Asian Sports Association Cup; Golden Jubilee Kenya
Cup; Desmesh Cup; Ujjager Singh Cup; Kishen Singh Cup; Joseph and Sons Shield;
Karam Singh/Hira Singh Cup and Nairobi League Championship. During this golden period, Sikh Union Nairobi
won nearly all the competitions.
Sikh Union Nairobi Team 1969. Jack Simonian is 1st left on
ground.
He was a member
of the Club’s team that won the M R D’Souza Gold Cup seven times. The Gold Cup
was the Blue Riband of East African Hockey and played in Nairobi during the
Easter weekend. With winning the Gold
Cup went the title of unofficial East African Champions. At the same time
during Easter, another sporting event – The East African Safari Rally used to
take place and Jack had to juggle the two sports. There are many stories of
Jack managing to play in both these sports during the Easter weekend.
He was a member of the Kenya tour of Pakistan
in 1962 and tour of India in 1964. Last month (17 November 2019) at a gathering
of Kenyan Olympians in London to celebrate the life of his late Olympic
colleague Surjeet Singh Panesar (Jr), Jack recalled the match in Jabalpur,
India when Kenya defeated India 0 – 3 in
their backyard and the conversation he had with the umpire in the clubhouse
about disallowing two of Kenya’s goals. Needless to say the conversation was
very interesting. Six months later, India won the Gold in Tokyo.
Kenya Team – Tour of Pakistan 1962. Jack Simonian is 2nd
left front row.
Jack went on to
play his second Olympic Games in Tokyo with Kenya finishing sixth, her best
position at Olympic Games.
Jack was a
member of Kenya team that toured Europe in 1966 and played in the 12 Nations
Hamburg Tournament. Three months later Kenya had a tour of Zambia and Jack was
unable to go due to work commitments. His employers were rightly concerned about
the time being taken off, having recently returned from a six week tour. It so
happened that Kenya’s selected goalkeeper, Ahmed Hassan Sharman, got injured in
the first test match and Jack was flown to Zambia in a private plane to play in
the 2nd and 3rd test matches.
Jack went on
Kenya’s tour of Pakistan for the Pre-Olympic Tournament in Lahore in January
1968 and following a successful East African Championship in Kampala in August
1968 and India’s tour of Kenya, Jack was selected for his third Olympic Games
- Mexico 1968.
At Mexico
Olympic Games, despite losing their captain and full back Avtar Singh Sohal
through injury after only two matches, Kenya needed only to draw in their last
pool match against Pakistan to proceed to the semi-finals. They lost 1 – 2 and
had to play Australia in a pool playoff match which they lost 2 – 3. Kenya
finished 8th. Jack was awarded the best goalkeeper at Mexico Olympic
Games.
Following a
lengthy break from international hockey, during which he set up his own
business, a Caltex petrol station, participated in the RAC Rally in the UK and
the East African Safari Rallies, Jack was recalled for the match against West
Germany in Nairobi on 18 March 1972. The Kenyan Management wanted a commitment
for a three weeks training at the BAT high altitude Athletics Training Camp in
Kijanjo along with other fitness camps prior to selection for the Munich
Olympic Games. Jack was not prepared to take so much time away from business and
thus ended Jack’s international hockey playing career.
There are many others,
who I am sure will chart the motorsport career of this accomplished motor
cyclist, rally and track driver which ran side by side with hockey.
Jack emigrated
to the UK in 1978.
I had the
pleasure of having many interactions with Jack for over three decades that I
have known him personally and have chatted over many hockey stories. He would
always attend a hockey function anywhere and only last month he attended the “Celebrating
Life of Sindh” function in London, driving his car down from Rugby. He was our
main speaker. And he was the last one to leave the function room with Surjit
Rihal and me. The three of us walked down the stairs at Indian Gymkhana Sports
Club in Osterley, and had a long chat by his car before he got into his car and
drove off – happy memories!
Jack Simonian with fellow Olympians at Spencer Hockey Club on 20 July
2018
TRIBUTES
Avtar Singh Sohal (Tari), Kenya’s captain from 1962 - 1972 said “We were both
very close friends and played
together for many years for Sikh Union Club and for Kenya. It was time when competition
was too tight to get selected for Kenya team. Jack use to rush to my
house near Sikh Union Club on his bike with pads on and carrying a
bag full of balls for me to take hits to get him good practice. Sessions were
one hour to two hours Individual training. We worked many hours together which
helped both us. After training it was China's restaurant spring rolls to galore
and of course chilled beers. We were allowed entry to the Chinese with sweat all
over the place. Those were unforgettable days. Full of memories.
Will miss Jack of all trades. Condolences to friends and family”
Surjit Singh Rihal, Kenya’s
captain from 1973 – 81 paid this tribute “It was an honour to have played
hockey along with Jack for Sikh Union Nairobi for a few years when l came
back from India in 1969. He was a very down to earth dedicated sportsman. He
was a very daring goalkeeper and we had a lot of confidence in him when ever
the ball reached him in the circle that he will prevent the opposition from
scoring. A few days before he left for Australia, a number of players including
Jack got together to pay tribute to Surjit Singh Panesar (Jn). This was the
last time when l met Jack who was in his usual jovial mood. May God give
eternal peace to his soul. We will always miss you Jack. RIP”
Dr Joginder Singh Dhillon, Melbourne 1956 Kenyan Olympian, paid this tribute “Jack was undoubtedly a legendary and giant of
goalkeeper. I would have loved to keep goal behind me during the 1956 Melbourne
Olympics. On the hockey field Jack was sharp as a tack and did everything he
did to keep a clean sheet. When I first met Jack on my last visit to
Kenya we had a round of golf. I found him to be a gentleman oozing with warm
friendship who will be missed by his family and friends”
Ajmal Malik, former Kenyan Olympian, now residing in
Islamabad, Pakistan said “With Jack in the goal you were always sure to have a
‘rock’ in the last line of defence! He was quick in anticipation and swift to
thwart opponent’s attack. From his vantage position as a goal keeper he was
quick to anticipate opponent’s moves and provide valuable and timely call to
his defence players. Jack’s sporting activities went beyond field hockey. He
was a successful car rally driver participating in the famous East African
Safari Rally and also in the motorcycle track racing. A humble person who was
always ready to help. Once we were in Moshi to play East African Championship;
my host was in a transport business and was having a problem with one of his
vehicle for quite some time and could ill afford to have it off the road. Knowing
Jack’s expertise with cars, during practice time I mentioned to Jack about my
hosts predicament. As soon as our practice was over he came to me and said
‘let’s go’. He spent two hours working with my host’s mechanic until the fault
was identified and rectified. There was no fuss: he simply left saying ‘see you
at the ground for the match”
Norman Da Costa, former hockey correspondent of Daily Nation (Kenya). Now
residing in Canada paid this tribute “For hockey
lovers Jack Simonian was one If not the best goalkeepers to represent Kenya.
Apart from playing several internationals around the world, Jack who passed
away whilst vacationing in Sydney, Australia, wore his country's colours
in three Olympics - 1960 in Rome, 1964 in Toyko and in Mexico City in 1968. On
the local scene Jack, who I not only played against for the Railway Goan Institute
and also wrote about for the Daily Nation , was a man who played hard and off
the field was one who loved to have fun like the rest of that great Sikh Union
club. Jack also made his mark as a top-flight Safari Rally driver and also a
first rate motorcycle rider where he was almost unbeatable on the tracks in
Nakuru, Embakasi, Sikh Union and also in Kampala. It's sad to see this great
leave the scene a month after his Sikh Union and Kenya teammate Surjeet Panesar
left us last month. A couple of weeks ago another rally driver and organizer
par excelleance Bharat Bardwaj bid us farewell. Too bad”
Edgar Fernandes, former Kenyan Olympian, now residing in Melbourne,
Australia paid this tribute “It was a pleasure to play with Jack in Rome
and Tokyo. He was an outstanding goal keeper. It was like trying to
get through a brick wall. He knew no fear, and had fantastic reflexes. As
a person he was most friendly, courteous and helpful. As a motor
cyclist he was a champion. The story goes that once Jack was riding on a
Highway and a policeman parked at a corner with his motor bike,
on seeing Jack, ran to his bike and started it, but as he looked up to see
where Jack was, he was nowhere in sight. The policeman gave up his intention of
chasing Jack. When my brother passed away he rang me to express his sympathy
and told me he had a daughter in Sydney who he visited from time to time. I
said that if he visited Melbourne I would catch up with him. Alas it never
happened .Please convey my deepest sympathy to his daughter and family”
(Published on
Saturday 28 December 2019)
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