Popeye Strydom
Encyclopedia
Coenraad Frederik "Popeye" Strydom (25 January 1932 – 31 March 2001) was a South Africa national rugby union team
player. In all, Strydom made six appearances for the Springboks between 1955 and 1958.
His rugby nickname
, Popeye
, was often cited together with other colourful nicknames such as those of Piston Van Wyk, Klippies Kritzinger, and Hempies Du Toit.
, South Africa
and educated at Grey College
.
in 1952, and would later play for Eastern Province
. Strydom also played baseball
for these provinces.
Strydom made his international debut as a scrum-half for the Springboks against the British and Irish Lions
in their 1955 tour
. Strydom's sole appearance in the four-match series came in the third test match in Pretoria
— a match that South Africa lost 9–6. His next appearance for the Springboks came on the 1956 tour of Australia and New Zealand
. Strydom took part in the first two Tests of the tour, a pair of victories over Australia
in Sydney
and Brisbane
.
After winning the two test series against Australia, the Springboks travelled to New Zealand to compete in four tests. Strydom was selected to play in the first test, which was won by the All Blacks at Carisbrook
, Dunedin
. He was not selected again until the fourth test in Auckland
, at which point the All Blacks held a 2–1 series lead. New Zealand, in front of 61,240 at Eden Park
, won the game 11–5 to take the series.
Strydom played his final match for South Africa in the first test of France
's 1958 tour
at Newlands Stadium
, Cape Town
. The game ended in a 3–3 draw.
Strydom had a stroke in March 2001, after which he slipped into a coma. A few days later he died, at the age of 69, in Randburg. He was survived by his wife, June, and son, Anton.
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
player. In all, Strydom made six appearances for the Springboks between 1955 and 1958.
His rugby nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
, Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
, was often cited together with other colourful nicknames such as those of Piston Van Wyk, Klippies Kritzinger, and Hempies Du Toit.
Early life
Strydom was born in KareedouwKareedouw
Kareedouw is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the administrative centre for the Kou-Kamma Municipality in the Cacadu District of the Eastern Cape.The town's name derives from the Khoe phrase meaning "path by the karee trees"...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and educated at Grey College
Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa, one of the 23 elite, historically significant and prestigious Milner Schools...
.
Career
He started playing provincial rugby with Orange Free StateFree State Cheetahs
The Free State Cheetahs , currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 37,076-capacity Vodacom Park in...
in 1952, and would later play for Eastern Province
Eastern Province Kings
The Eastern Province Kings are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments and are governed by the Eastern Province Rugby Union...
. Strydom also played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for these provinces.
Strydom made his international debut as a scrum-half for the Springboks against the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
in their 1955 tour
1955 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1955 the British Lions rugby union team toured Southern and Eastern Africa. The Lions drew the test series against , each team winning two of the four matches. They won the first test by a single point and the third by three points and lost the second and fourth matches by wider margins...
. Strydom's sole appearance in the four-match series came in the third test match in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
— a match that South Africa lost 9–6. His next appearance for the Springboks came on the 1956 tour of Australia and New Zealand
1956 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1956 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand-Tour itinerary:-Australia First Test:-Australia Second Test:-New Zealand First Test:-New Zealand Second Test:-New Zealand Third Test:-New Zealand Fourth Test:...
. Strydom took part in the first two Tests of the tour, a pair of victories over Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
After winning the two test series against Australia, the Springboks travelled to New Zealand to compete in four tests. Strydom was selected to play in the first test, which was won by the All Blacks at Carisbrook
Carisbrook
Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket, football, rugby league and motocross. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker concert and frequently hosted pre-game...
, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. He was not selected again until the fourth test in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, at which point the All Blacks held a 2–1 series lead. New Zealand, in front of 61,240 at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, won the game 11–5 to take the series.
Strydom played his final match for South Africa in the first test of France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
's 1958 tour
1958 France rugby union tour of South Africa
-Results:-First Test:-----Second Test:-Forwards:Raoul BarrièreJean BartheRobert BaulonJean CarrèreLouis CasauxMichel CelayaPierre DanosJean DupuyLouis EchavePierre FremauxJean de GrogorioAndré HagetPierre LacazePierre Lacroix...
at Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium, currently referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all seater venue....
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. The game ended in a 3–3 draw.
Personal
Outside of rugby, Strydom worked as a building society clerk.Strydom had a stroke in March 2001, after which he slipped into a coma. A few days later he died, at the age of 69, in Randburg. He was survived by his wife, June, and son, Anton.