Eric Andrews Sports in 1973

A tribute to Eric Andrews 1921–2008

 

Eric Andrews at the recent contract kit launch

 

Eric Andrews

A well known figure in the history of the South African sports industry, Eric Andrews, passed away earlier this year. It is fitting to pay tribute to a man that was not only involved in sport and development, but contributed to the shaping of the South African sports industry.

In his youth Eric played football for the Stella Football Club in Durban and charmed the ladies as a life saver. He went on to box for the Natal Boxing Association and represented South Africa at the Commonwealth Games. Basil Jury and one of the greatest South African boxers of all time, Laurie Stevens, were among his contenders in the ring.

Eric embarked on a career with Transvaal Rubber Company (TRC) a company which distributed raincoats throughout Africa and supplied the mining industry with manufactured rubber products. TRC was headed by Roy Anderson and Eric became the Managing Director of the Sports Division.

Eric was a member of SASTAF which represented the sports retailer association’s interests. He later became chairman of this organization. After 25 years with TRC, Eric opened his own retail sports business “Eric Andrews Sports” in 1973 which was located in the Johannesburg CBD on the corner of Wanderers and Plein street. EAS was run in conjunction with L F Palmer, with legends Johnny Waite and Sid O’Linn. Desai Kika joined Eric in business and 15 years later, Eric’s son John left an Executive position at Dions in Florida to join Eric Andrews Sports as a partner. Eric motivated and brought about the importation of new sports products into South Africa such as Asics Tiger footwear – known for their thin soles at the time.

It was rather difficult to source baseball, softball, and ice hockey products in South Africa, and as a result “Flame Marketing” was established as a subsidiary of Eric Andrews Sports to source these specialized sports products to cater for this market.

Among the brands distributed by Flame Marketing were Easton, Louisville Slugger and Cooper. The “Flame” brand was launched as an in-house softball and baseball brand and remains a leading brand in Southern Africa to this day. A manufacturing facility for Flame sports clothing was built in Rustenburg, further establishing the now well known registered trade mark.

The success of Eric Andrews Sports was increased with the inclusion of Dennis Van Olst as a partner. The strength of EAS was marked by the establishment of 50 retail sports stores on major mines in South Africa. Eric retired in 1990 and relocated with his wife, Elaine, to Seven Fountains (in the Albany area) and in 1994 they moved to Grahamstown.

His sons, John and Christian Andrews, continued the family tradition when Eric Andrews Sports joined forces with Select Sports for a listing on the JSE as part of the Mathomo Group. John served as the Managing Director and Christian as the Manager of Flame Marketing. In 1999, Christian left the Mathomo Group and started “Sportsmode” continuing the Flame tradition of the importation of specialized sports brands.

John joined another son of Eric’s, Noel Andrews, as the Financial Director of Contract Kitting (a supplier to the telecommunications networks in South Africa).

Over more than 50 years of service to the sports trade, Eric developed long term relationships with Tony O’ Hagan, Morne Du Plessis, Rusty and John Pledger, Dennis Potgieter, Meier Alperstein, Stan Dugmore, Mike Bell, Herbie Prout and Campbell McClellan, among many others.

As an avid golfer, Eric played league golf at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club and at Modderfontein Golf Club and achieved a hole-in-one at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club. Other highlights of his golf days were to play with the likes of Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Dr Piet Koornhof (former MP and SA Ambassador). For his efforts, he was awarded a life honorary membership of Royal Johannesburg Golf Club.

Eric was a man that will be remembered for his generosity in helping the small sporting codes through helping individuals as well as sponsoring well known sports personalities such as Marks Maponyane, Jomo Sono and Allan Verwey. He also helped tirelessly on the PTA board of Sacred Heart College where his sons attended school.

We will remember Eric fondly for his charismatic personality and dapper dress code.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine (to whom he was married for 46 years) and his children and grandchildren.