Bernard Hartze

Bernard “Dancing Shoes” Hartze (born 5 March 1950) is a South African retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played in several leagues in South Africa and the United States. Early on, Hartze was given the nickname “Dancing Shoes” because of his deft dribbling skills and footwork.

Bernard Hartze
Personal information
Date of birth (1950-03-05) 5 March 1950
Place of birth Pretoria, South Africa
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1964–1965 Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Barea F.C.
1967–1970 Orlando Pirates
1970–1972 Cape Town Spurs
1973 Cape Town United
1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) 3 (4)
1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6 (1)
1976 Tacoma Tides
1976 Sacramento Spirits
1977– Hellenic F.C.
Teams managed
1976 Sacramento Spirits
1999 Mother City F.C.
2010 WP United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Youth

Hartze was born in Marabastad section of Pretoria, South Africa in 1950 to a Dutch father and a South African mother.[1][2] This ethnic diversity would designate him as coloured[3] by the South African government. At age 14 he was amongst a group of schoolboys who in the early 1960s formed the Mamelodi Sundowns,[4] and he signed his first professional contract at age 15.[2]

Career

Because of his multiracial ethnicity and the government’s apartheid policies, Hartze’s playing options were limited. The National Football League was white-only. Officials in Durban once tried to change his registry designation to white so that he could play in the NFL but were unsuccessful.[1] His spirited play earned him a trial with Leeds United F.C. in 1967 but the complex FA rules for signing internationals at the time, as well as the homesickness any 17-year-old boy in a foreign country might experience conspired against him and after two months he returned to South Africa.[5][6][7]

After a time at Barea F.C., he then joined Orlando Pirates in late 1967[1] and enjoyed great success on the non-racial club, however the National Professional Soccer League was set up as a league for Bantus only. When government officials cracked down on this rule, Hartze and three teammates were forced to leave the club in 1970.[8][9][10]

This left the Federation Professional League, a league comprising coloureds and Indian South Africans, as his only professional option. In 1970, he served as a player-coach for Cape Town Spurs F.C.[11] and depending on which source material is referenced, Hartze won scoring titles while at Spurs in 1970, 1971 and possibly 1972. It is reported that in 1970 he scored 54 goals in 30 games and earned South Africa’s Sportsman of the Year award.[12] Another source has him scoring at an even more torrid pace in 1972: 35 goals in 16 matches.[13] There is also a report of him scoring both goals in a cup final for Cape Town United as they overcame his former club Spurs, 2–0.[14]

In December 1974 he was the third player to sign with the newly-formed Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League,[12] tallying 4 goals with 3 assists in helping the Rowdies to a runner-up finish in the 1975 indoor tournament. He was injured in the second game of the 1975 outdoor season and struggled to regain his fitness, making only four more appearances for the rest of the season. As the Rowdies marched to victory in Soccer Bowl '75, Hartze was on the injured list and did not dress for the final.[15]

He played on loan for Cape Town in 1975-76 during the NASL’s off-season before returning to the U.S. in 1976.[16] That spring Hartze joined the Tacoma Tides of the American Soccer League on loan from the Rowdies.[17] He was then traded to the Sacramento Spirits in June 1976.[18] In late July after the firing of head coach Dick Ott, he was named player-coach with eight games remaining in the season, guiding the Spirits to a 3–1–4 record.[19] As South African teams began integrating, he returned home in 1977 and signed with NPSL side Hellenic F.C.[20][21] The following year the NPSL was reorganized to officially become non-racial.

Coaching

In addition to his stint in charge of Sacramento, he briefly managed Mother City F.C. of the Premier Soccer League, in 1999 before getting sacked.[22] In 2010 he agreed to coach WP United of the Vodacom League.[23]

Later recognition

In 2006 the Government of the Western Cape’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport named Hartze a 2006 Sports Legend[24]

In October 2007, Bernard was amongst a group of 50 past and present players coaches and official honored by the Confederation of African Football on the occasion of the CAF’s 50th Anniversary.[25]

In August 2016 Cape Town City FC gave lifetime season tickets to 30 local footballing legends, including Hartze.[26]

In February 2017 the Joburg Post ranked him second on their list of the Greatest Orlando Pirate players ever, behind only Percy “Chippa” Moloi.[1]

References
  1. Kekana, David (17 February 2017). "50 Greatest Orlando Pirates players ever". Joburg Post. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. McEwen, Tom (18 December 1974). "Rowdy Goal: Someone For Everyone". The Tampa Tribune. p. 1–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  3. Mseleku, S’Busiso (4 August 2015). "SA home to some terrific talent". Sport24.co.za. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. Chadwick, Simon; Hamil, Sean (15 July 2010). Managing Football. ISBN 9781136437632.
  5. Martz, Ron (19 December 1974). "SHOES …Rowdie Hartze performs feats with his feet". St. Petersburg Times. p. 4–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  6. "Bernard Hartze". naslsoccer.blogspot.com. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  7. Alegi, Peter; Bolsmann, Chris (18 October 2013). South Africa and the Global Game: Football, Apartheid and Beyond. ISBN 9781317968184.
  8. "Football in South Africa Timeline 1862-2012". sahistory.org.za. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  9. "Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on the passing of Rashid Khan". polity.org.za. 1 June 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  10. Khumalo, Themba (29 August 2013). "South African Legends". diskioff.blogspot.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  11. "John Esau Went From Club To Club But Home Was Always Magnolias". playsport4life.org. 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  12. Martz, Ron (18 December 1974). "Striking addition for the Rowdies". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  13. "Football in South Africa Timeline 1862-2012". sahistory.org.za. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  14. Blankenship, Ken (13 February 1975). "A very worldly entourage". St. Petersburg Times. p. 4–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  15. Blankenship, Ken (24 August 1975). "Super soccer matchups". St. Petersburg Times. p. 7–C. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  16. Henderson, Jim (26 September 1975). "Seven Agree To Terms As Rowdies Plan Tour". The Tampa Tribune. p. 6–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  17. Mudry, Richard (8 April 1976). "Scullion's second great hope: to make Team America". The Tampa Times. p. 6–C. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  18. "Spirits try to regain form against visiting Americans". The Press-Tribune (Roseville, California). 10 June 1976. p. 11. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  19. Weinstein, Leo (28 July 1976). "ASL Spirits' coach fired". San Francisco Examiner. p. 51. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  20. Kleintjies, Lennie (29 March 1977). "Londt in Trouble" (PDF). Cape Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  21. "From Hellenic to Spurs" (PDF). Cape Herald. 28 June 1977. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  22. Bawa, Ridwaan (9 November 1999). "Axed City coach had 'lack of experience'". iol.co.za. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  23. "Rowdies Snap Shots - Bernard Hartze". mytampabayrowdies.blogspot.com. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  24. "2006 Sports Legends" (PDF). westerncape.gov.za. 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  25. "Amakhosi chairman receives CAF Award". kaizerchiefs.com. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  26. "Cape Town City hands tickets to 30 legends". sportsclub.co.za. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
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