On this day in 1969, Hansie Cronje was born
A few more people who have their birthdays today are: Will Smith, Christopher Reeve and Mark Hamill.
Wessel Johannes ‘Hansie’ Cronje was born on 25 September 1969 in Bloemfontein. Throughout his schooling career, Hansie was an all-round sportsman; he was the captain of his school cricket and rugby teams and represented the Free State Province in rugby and cricket while still at school.
Ewie Cronje (his father) had played cricket for Orange Free State in the 1960s, and Hansie followed in his footsteps when he made his first-class debut for the same team in 1988, at 18 years old. In 1991, at the age of 21, Hansie became captain of Orange Free State. Everything went well after that – he played for several teams from different countries throughout his career and captained South Africa’s cricket team from 1994 to 2000. Under his captaincy, South Africa won 99 ODIs, and out of his 53 test matches, he led South Africa to 27 wins.
In 2000, scandal hit when Hansie was given a life ban from cricket for match-fixing. He filed an appeal in 2001, challenging the life ban, but his application was dismissed shortly afterward. On 1 June 2002, Hansie was killed in a plane crash. The 32-year-old and the two pilots were killed instantly when their aircraft crashed into the Outeniqua Mountains, northeast of the George Airport.
In 2004, two years after his death, Cronje was voted the 11th greatest South African, despite the life ban and the controversy that surrounded him during the last couple of years of his life.
A few other people who have their birthdays today are: Will Smith, Christopher Reeve and Mark Hamill.
