Douglas Francis "Dougie" Morkel

Douglas 'Dougie' Morkal was a South African international rugby union player. He was one of Paul Roos 1906 touring Springboks.

As a place and drop kicker of sheer length and accuracy, Douglas Morkel has probably never been equalled in the history of the game. In 1910 he inspired a member of Dr Smythe’s team to write: “Douglas Morkel had our hearts in our mouths in any match he played against us; for he wore red stockings, and a penalty might produce the uncanny spectacle of Douglas sniping at our posts from his own twenty-five yard line”. Douglas Morkel is listed in the Guinness Book of Records with the longest kick in rugby.

DOUGLAS F.T. MORKEL (C.S.A.R., Johannesburg and Transvaal) was born in 1886 at Kimberley, but came to Johannesburg with his parents when he was only a few years of age. He stands 6 feet in height, and weighs in condition 14 stone 7 pounds, and is the ideal size for a forward. He is strong and powerful, clever with his feet in the open, very fast, passes smartly, tackles splendidly, and is a magnificent drop or place kick. Although so powerful; he lacks experience, and does not know how to make full use of his weight in the pack. When he learns that he will be a second HS Vassall. He has learned all his football here, and as a lad of twelve played in the Pirates fourth string in competitions for boys under sixteen years. Before he was sixteen years of age he was playing in the Star first team, and from 1901 to 1904 he was a prominent member of the Villagers team. In 1903 he played for Johannesburg against the English team, when he was only seventeen years of age, and was mentioned as one of the most promising forwards in that team. In 1904 he failed to gain his cap for the Transvaal , and in 1905 he joined the C.S.A.R., where, in a good pack, he gained knowledge and experience. During 1906 he played at times a very brilliant game, and in the open did invaluable service for his club, for whom his place and drop kicking was of immense service. He is one of the finest place kicks in South Africa, being able to kick a goal from beyond halfway, and he can drop even further. He gained his place in the Transvaal team during the last Currie Cup Tournament, and played so well that he was selected for highest honours in South Africa. He is, besides being a good footballer, a useful cricketer, and played for the C.S.A.R. in Senior Cup Cricket. As a boy, he was a splendid sprinter, and the pace he shows on the football field is derived from his early track work. He is very useful, as he can play a very fair three-quarter game, being able to take his passes well, whilst he smothers his opponents when he tackles them. In the present tour he has played capital game, being ever prominent in footwork in the open. As he is quite young yet, he should improve a great deal, and in a few years if he does not put on too much weight, he should be one of the best forwards in South Africa.

(Text from "The Springbokken Tour in Great Britain" by EJL Plateneur, published 1907)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dougie_Morkel