John "Klondyke" Raaff

Klondyke Raaff
Full names: John William Edmund
Date of birth: 10 Mar 1879
Place of birth: Robben Island
School: Kimberley Boys' High
Springbok no: 71
Debut test province: Griqualand West
Physical: 1.9m, 86.2kg
Date of death: 13 Jul 1949 (Age 70)

Test summary: Tests: 6 Tries: 1
First Test: 29 Aug 1903 Age:24 Forward against Britain at Wanderers (Old Wanderers), Johannesburg
Last Test: 6 Aug 1910 Age:31 Forward against Britain at Wanderers (Old Wanderers), Johannesburg

Test history:
Date Age Position Opponent Result Score Venue Prov
29 Aug 1903 24 Forward Britain Draw: 10-10 Wanderers (Old Wanderers), Johannesburg Griquas
05 Sep 1903 24 Forward Britain Draw: 0-0 Kimberley Athletic Club Ground, Kimberley Griquas
17 Nov 1906 27 Forward Scotland Lose: 0-6 Hampden Park, Glasgow Griquas
01 Dec 1906 27 Forward Wales Win: 11-0 1 try St. Helens, Swansea Griquas
08 Dec 1906 27 Forward England Draw: 3-3 Crystal Palace, London Griquas
06 Aug 1910 31 Forward Britain Win: 14-10 Wanderers (Old Wanderers), Johannesburg Griquas

Klondyke Raaff : Doc Craven
Klondyke Raaff : Doc Craven
Again I am obliged to quote from Billy Millar's writings on the test against Wales on the 1906/7 tour to the United Kingdom:

"Besides Marsberg there was another man on the field that day who became a legend overnight. That man was Klondyke Raaff who came along in a manner which beggars description."

It did not matter much to Raaff what he had to do - he did it like a champion. When he tackled the Welsh he put his whole powers into the job, and none who felt the grip of his powerful arms on that historic field will soon forget the sensation.

He sent them headlong to grass; he spun them round like so many teetotums. He caught them in their stride and helped them onward a yard or two, until they thought they were flying machines, whizzing round on the whiskers of the world.

Once, if half a ton of slate fell upon a Welshman in a quarry, they used to say the man was "slumped to death". Now they say "Oh, poor devil, he's shaken to pieces; he's Raaffed...." The men of Wales did not let him have a run once. They went at him gallantly enough time and again, but he was in a mood which makes men invincible.

When they charged him he filled his lungs with air and met the rush, and they bounced from the shock, as a he-goat bounces when he butts at a kopje. They brought him to earth now and again, but when this happened he was always up and off in a moment, whilst the men who tackled him limped as if they had been stopping trains."

Thus Billy Millar, on the way Klondyke Raaff tormented the Welshmen that day!

J W E RAAFF - 1906 SPRINGBOKS : EJL Plateneur
JOHN W. E. RAAFF (De Beers, Griqualand West and South Africa) was born at Cape Town in 1879, and is one of the tallest men in the team, standing 6 feet 3 inches in height and weighing 13 stone 8 pounds. He is a very powerful forward, very good in the loose, for he dribbles well, follows up fast, and tackles very brilliantly; at the line out he is one of the best men in the team, making full use of his great reach; he takes the ball well, and passes with judgment. In loose rushes he is exceptionally good, and if he gets the ball anywhere near the line he is an almost certain scorer. In the present tour he has done remarkably well, his line-out play, having been brilliant, whilst in the open he has had few superiors. Although born in Cape Town, all that he knows about the game has been learned in Kimberley. He started playing in De Beers in 1895, and gradually worked his way into the first team in 1899. He was then a tall thin lad, giving promise of filling out, and was not considered strong enough for representative honours. In 1903 he gained his first real representative honours, playing twice for Griqualand West against the English team, and twice for South Africa, at Johannesburg and Kimberley. When he played here, although giving a hard, keen exposition, he was rather raw in the finer points of the game, and did not seem to know how to bestow his huge bulk in the scrum to the best advantage for himself and the team he was playing for. When he played at East London in 1904 for Griqualand West he showed great improvement, and her during the last tournament he proved himself a finished player, and either in the open or in the scrums he proved himself one of the best forwards in the tournament.
J W E RAAFF ("Klondyke"): 1906 tour sketch
His age is twenty-seven, height 6ft 3ins, and weight 13st 8lbs. The tallest man in the team, and one of the hardest working, fastest, and cleverest forwards South Africa possesses. Assists De Beers, Griqualand West. He also turned out four times against the Britishers, twice in test fixtures. Naturally at the line-out he is in his element, while he is also a fine dribbler. He served throughout the war, and can play cricket as well.

Raaff street : G.J. van Eck.
RAAFF, J. W. E. ("Klondyke") is in 1879 in Kaapstad gebore.

Hy het skoolopleiding ontvang aan die Kimberley High School en was later eienaar van die Royal Oak Hotel, Kimberley. Daarna het hy na Natal versit waar hy ook hoteleienaar was.

Gedurende sy rugbydae het hy gespeel vir De Beers en Griekwaland-Wes en vir Suid-Afrika in 1903, teen die Britse Toerspan hier te lande, in 1906/07 teen die Britte oorsee, en weer in 1910 toe die Britte ons nogmaals hier kom besoek het.

BRONNE:
(1) Briewe ged. 25/7 en 7/8/67 van die Kimberleyse Publisiteitsbestuurder.
(2) CRAVEN, D. H.: Springbok-annale (Rugby) 1889-1964.

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