Martiens Bekker
| Full name | Marthinus Johannes Bekker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 May 1930 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dordrecht, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 10 November 1971 (aged 41) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Ermelo, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Marthinus Johannes Bekker (3 May 1930 – 10 November 1971) was a South African international rugby union player.
Bekker hailed from the town of Dordrecht and was the youngest of three brothers to be capped for the Springboks. The brothers, Dolf and Jaap, both preceded him in the Springboks side, gaining their caps in the 1950s. He also had a younger brother, Daniel, who was a two–time Olympic medalist as a heavyweight boxer.[1]
A Northern Transvaal representative, Bekker obtained his sole Springboks cap as a tight–head prop against Scotland at Boet Erasmus Stadium in 1960.[2] He was one of 10 new Springboks caps.[3]
Bekker died of a heart attack in 1971, aged 41.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Venter, Joe (12 November 1971). "Laaste Bekker-Springbok eerste dood". Die Transvaler. p. 7.
- ^ "Martiens Bekker". bokhist.com.
- ^ "Warm welcome for Scots rugby tourists". The Scotsman. 25 April 1960.