He came, saw, conquered, and romanticised the beautiful game of football with elegance. Tellingly, the history of domestic football will be half-baked if the name of Jack Brown does not appear in the narrative.
A proud product of the revered unofficial ‘School of Excellence’ (football wise), St Joseph’s Secondary School (Dobra) located north-east of Namibia’s commercial hub Windhoek, Jack Brown was a fantastic baller who plied his trade with Kuisebmund outfit Eleven Arrows and Katutura giants Black Africa respectively, at different intervals.
The well-built attacker was a founding member of Eleven Arrows, alongside other superstars who hurriedly vacated the Namib Woestyn and Blue Waters ships to form Eleven Arrows in 1961.
Truth be told, any decent footballer who at some stage of their playing careers shared the dressing room with football greats like Times Mwetuyela, Heinrich Horongo Haufiku, Ben Tembo, Tommy Uushona, Amos ‘Nangi Watch’ Nickel, Spook Lameck, and Gabes Mupupa, must be taken seriously.
James Brown, a young Jack was always destined for greatness from the day he started chasing an inflated piece of leather in the windy and dusty streets of Kuisebmund. Even though the athletically built forward started playing competitive football at an early age in his native town Walvis Bay, it was indeed during his lodging days at the revered St Joseph’s Secondary School (Dobra) that Jack rose to prominence.
During school holidays, Jack would occasionally turn out for both Kuisebmund outfits Blue Waters and Namib Woestyn, obviously on a first come first serve basis.
The speedy forward was one of the most outstanding stars for the school’s star-studded senior football team. Well, it came as no surprise when newly formed Katutura giants Black Africa FC came knocking on the door for his precious signature, dangling an irresistible juicy carrot in his baby face.
The well-spoken wide awake streetwise ‘Baainaar’ needed no second invitation as he gladly joined forces with the exciting Gemengde outfit, playing alongside fellow Dobra recruits. Back in his native town, Jack formed a devastating combination in Arrows’ firing line alongside the equally dangerous quintet of Times Mwetuyela, Gabes Mupupa, Nangi Nickel, Horongo Haufiku, and the fast as lightning winger Tommy Uushona.
Without a shadow of doubt, Arrows were one of the most exciting teams to watch during the hotly contested knockout cup tournaments staged across the country. The gold and maroon stripe outfit played attractive football and was always a marvel to watch with Jack pulling the strings in the firing line.
A highly gifted competitive skillful attacking midfielder blessed with a brilliant first touch, great close ball control, amazing dribbling skills, packed dynamite in his tiny feet, Jack was a spotlessly complete combo containing all the required ingredients of a finished product. Interestingly, Arrows came into existence after a two-legged exhibition match between the strong Western and Central Invitational Elevens, staged in Walvis Bay and Windhoek. Majority of the squad members in the coastal side were from Blue Waters and Namib Woestyn.
Subsequently, some of the finest talent resolved to break ranks and form their own team which led to the unavoidable birth of Eleven Arrows. Their Central counterparts followed suit and established Eleven Explorer, made up of the finest talent from Katutura and Khomasdal, under the stewardship of hot shot striker Theodore Wherrick Ou //Hurob Zimmer-Goreseb.
While Explorer dominated football in the vastly populated Central region, Arrows brought an end to the dominance of both weakened Blue Waters and Namib Woestyn. The new kid on the block played attractive football and did very well in the popular knockout cup competitions. A Jack of all trades, off the football pitch, Jack Brown was an uncompromising community and political activist who constantly challenged the apartheid system with all might.
A strong believer in equal rights for all citizens, Jack unapologetically advocated for the unconditional liberation of marginalised communities. A stance that sporadically disrupted the mood of minority whites often landing him in hot water with the trigger-happy local law authorities.
He was the first democratically elected Mayor of Walvis bay, following recommendation by the late no nonsense fearless political giant Nathaniel Maxulili. He also served on the Walvis Bay Town Council. Jack Brown will go down in history as one of the most gifted ‘footies’ to have ever emerged from down sea level.