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ONE of the nouns that I have found to be abused in Zimbabwean sport is the word legend.
It has been abused to such an extent that anyone who played something, anywhere qualifies to be christened one. Yet the true meaning of that is different.
Growing up in an environment where English was spoken as a second language, it meant something near mythical. Yet today there are not so many myths associated with sport or sportspersons.
In one big mining town I spent five years in there was a legendary bus driver who would leave his bus in motion and take a seat with the passengers and chat for kilometres.
I heard of a football striker whose shooting prowess was legendary and he could dribble from one goal line to the other. There were also big handed “monsters” in between the goalposts like John Walker who would stop spot kicks with relative ease.
Another explanation is that legend means a traditional story that cannot be authenticated, something like a myth but there are some where some form of witness has been borne.
An example could be the story of the life of a Saint, none of us were there when they performed acts that are part of our every day religious folklore.
Another meaning of the word is that of someone who is particularly famous or popular in a certain field like Oliver Mtukudzi, Soul Brothers, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Lovemore Majaivana qualify for legendary status.
Celebrity, star, superstar, genius, phenomenon, luminary and big name personalities qualify to be called legends.
But still that remains subjective as another individual might disqualify one’s opinion.
George Shaya is regarded as the best Zimbabwean soccer player to emerge from Zimbabwe winning the Soccer Star of the Year award five times, despite that he could not make it at Moroka Swallows, Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates, the most popular destinations for players of his era.
Others who barely made it among the top 11 are revered in the neighbouring country but most Zimbabweans agree that the Mastermind’s genius was second to none.
That a boy from Makokoba, barely 18, could impress Coventry City and be compared to George Best and stay on in England for up to 14 years, that a guy from a mining background in Mashonaland West could run a sub 10 seconds 100m in 1969 and have a Chamber of Mines 200m record set in 1977 still sticking out is a big achievement that keeps Artwell Mandaza’s name in athletics’ folklore.
At times legends are within our midst but we never take stock.
Standing at barely 1.62m Gabriel Chikomo holds records in the 100m, 4x100m and 4x400m relays of the Chamber of Mines that are over 15 years old. Yet in the streets of Hwange he passes for a simpleton, it’s only those who appreciate standards who salute him as a hero.
Many of us have been left asking when a player who was at the heart of Hwange’s relegation thrice is a celebrated legend. We ask questions when we read of legends we are still searching whether the day they were fielded in a football field they were meant to run for their clubs or to grapple like in rugby.
For Zimbabwean soccer it’s been a sore two years in which true legends of the game Majuta Mpofu, Tymon Mabaleka and Max Tshuma have passed on at a time when as a country we have not really bothered to honour and celebrate the lives of our living and outstanding stars.
If well catalogued some of these stars could be used on behavioural change programmes for the youths. They can be an inspiration to the generations of kids to come when they discover that Makokoba as ill-spoken of by many was home to Zimbabwe internationals like Gift Lunga (Snr), Madinda Ndlovu, Noel Kaseke and Peter Ndlovu all of whom had colourful careers in Europe and are legends in their own right.
In life nothing is impossible and no matter what setting one is from, the key remains the limit.
In 2013, my friends at Zifa had come up with a brilliant idea to identify about 50 people who have been outstanding since the advent of association football in the country in 1963. These would have been administrators, referees and players and even sponsors would have deserved their minute of recognition for being the backbone of the sport in the country.
The novel idea suffered a still birth and up to now nothing has been heard of the Lovemore Banda, Albert Nyathi and Miriam Sibanda committee which was tasked with spearheading that.
I have heard an intimate relationship with the game of football from childhood. Having watched generations of players from the class of Shaya, Gibson Homela, Tymon Mabaleka, Amos Rendo, Bruce Grobbelaar, Madinda Ndlovu, Stanley Ndunduma, Joel Shambo, Tutani Moyo, Clayton Munemo, Abel Muteji, Ian Gorowa, Ian Matondo, Nelson Bandura, Ronald Sibanda, Zenzo Moyo, Thabani Masawi, Thulani Ncube, Dazzy Kapenya, Musareka Jenitala, Honour Gombami, Francis Chandida, Stephen Alimenda, Cuthbert Malajila, Denver Mukamba, Partson Jaure to Godfrey Makaruse who made his debut for Highlanders last Sunday, they all have one thing in common — that they are footballers.
They cannot all be lumped together as legends because they kicked some ball some day. There are legends and former footballers. Both have their dues of varying intensities from society.
It is abusing the community to hear of a meeting involving legends and when one gets there he finds even those who laboured in the Highlanders reserves there or those who played by default.
No one would question Madinda, Peter, Grobbelaar, Douglas Mloyi or Lawrence Phiri’s stature at Highlanders.
There would be no questions of Homela, Ebson Muguyo, Max Tshuma and William Sibanda’s position at Zimbabwe Saints.
In all honesty it is not proper for anyone to select Aubrey Sauramba and Nkosana Gumbo for a Zimbabwe Legends to take on South African Legends.
There are also localised legends too.
To many in Zvishavane, Isaac Malunga is regarded as the best goalkeeper ever, while Lucky Mwanza of Rufaro Rovers in Hwange was spoken of at the same level as Barton Mwalukuka and Skeva Phiri because of his goalscoring exploits. Get to Plumtree Grey Mkandawire Ncube is still spoken highly of as is Nkululeko Kruza Ndlovu at Inyathi.
As communities we can stand up to salute our own people without invoking national association machinery. Our sporting heroes deserve to have their praises sung while they still live.
Zimbabwe sport at all levels must rise and honour its people at levels, it always sounds absurd to hear people praise a departed former star yet when they lived they were forgotten heroes.
Online Reporter