Death of rugby man Bev Braans
FORMER freelance sports reporter and rugby administrator Bev Braans died in Grahamstown at the weekend, aged 84.
Braans covered both rugby and cricket for the Herald, Evening Post and Weekend Post for more than 40 years and became a well-known and loved figure in these circles.
In 1948, he joined the Olympic Rugby Football Club (Blues) and held every admin position until he was president from 1983 to 1987, later becoming a life member of the club.
He served on the EPRFU as a delegate and committee member for about 25 years.
In the middle of that period, between 1976 and 1978 he managed Johannesburg’s Wanderers RFC. He was also president of the Old Grey Union’s Johannesburg branch during that time.
Back in Port Elizabeth, he was also liaison officer for the Springboks and All Blacks at various times.
During his later years, he served as media liaison manager for both EP Rugby and EP Cricket.
Educated at Grey High, Braans worked for the Port Elizabeth Municipality, G W Jones Woolbuyers, and Volkswagen.
In 1972, he moved to Algoa Toyota and rejoined them after that short spell in Johannesburg.
He was a leading sales representative at Algoa Toyota until he retired in 1995.
Former Herald sports editor Stan Terblanche had fond memories of Braans.
“He was one of the hardestworking and most loyal members Olympics could ever think of having,” he said. “He would do anything to help and was a rock in his time as an official.
“He always had the club at heart, and of course, he served our papers well as a freelancer for many decades.”
Braans spent the past six years in Grahamstown, where his son, Derek, and his family reside.
He is survived by his two sons, Derek and Brendon, and five grandsons. The memorial service will be held at the Commemoration Methodist Church in High Street, Grahamstown, on Friday, at 10am.