The Blue Bulls Rugby Union and Blue Bulls Company are saddened by the news that Professor Fritz Eloff passed away on Thursday, September 5th, 2013. The BBRU and BBC extend condolences to his family and wish them strength during this difficult time.
He leaves behind two daughters and two grandchildren.
93 Year old Prof. Eloff served as the President of the Northern Transvaal Rugby Union for 26 years.
He was also a member of SA Rugby’s executive committee for 30 years and he served as the acting president in 1993 after the passing of Dr. Danie Craven.
He was Chairman of the International Rugby Board from 1989 to 1990. He was a lifelong honorary member of the Blue Bulls as well as SA Rugby, where he served a term of co-deputy president after unification in 1992.
He was elected president of the Northern Transvaal Rugby Union in 1965 and in 1968 managed the Springbok team touring France.
As a player, Prof. Eloff played lock, prop and loose forward for the Blue Bulls during the years 1944 to 1950 (8 games).
He also participated in the Springbok trials held at Loftus Versfeld in 1949. During his studies in England in 1951, he played for the London Harlequins.
He coached the first team of the University of Pretoria (Tukkies) from 1954-1957.
He was equally famous as an academic as he was as a rugby administrator.
Prof. Eloff, who was born on 18 May 1920, obtained his BSc degree at Tukkies in 1939 after matriculating at Pietersburg High School in 1936. In 1942 he received his MSc (cum laude), also at the University of Pretoria. In 1943 he was appointed lecturer in the Department of Zoology at UP and obtained his Doctorate in 1946 also cum laude. In 1954 he was promoted to Professor and Head of the Department of Zoology at Tukkies.
Prof. Eloff received numerous awards in his lifetime including the State President’s award: Order of exceptional service: Class 1 Gold (1987) and the State President Sports Merit award (1988). He was Chairman of the National Parks Board for more than 16 years.
More information on funeral arrangements will be released later.
Rus in vrede, Oom Fritz!
Respek en dankbaarheid vir ‘n groot gees in SA Rugby!
He was a man between the lions and a lion between men. That is Prof Fritz Eloff in a nutshell.
Prof Fritz, was head of the Department of Zoology at the University of Pretoria for more than 42 years and he was Chairman of the National Parks Boards for 16 years.(That is mostly the reason why he resigned out of Rugby, his love for Nature)
What are some of your career highlights?
The establishment of an Honours degree in Wildlife Management stood out. It also lead to a Master’s and a Doctorate degree. The course was made possible by a generous donation by Dr. Anton Rupert, at whose request the Chair was named the Eugene Marais Chair of Wildlife Management.
The establishment of The Mammal Research Institute in my department to promote and co-ordinate research on the mammals of South Africa was also very special to me.
The establishment of several national parks during my 16 years as Chairman of the National Parks Board and the development of our national parks system to a model of wildlife conservation.
My 27 years as Chairman of the Transvaal museum and my contribution to the development of this institution to one of the finest and most dynamic natural history museums in the world with exceptional scientists like Drs. Robert Broom, Austin Roberts, Vivian Fitzsimons, Robert Koch, Bob Brain, Waldo Meester and numerous others.
Tell us about your work on the Kalahari lion
My 40 years of research on the Kalahari Lion culminated in the publication of Hunters of the Dunes – the story of the Kalahari lion.
I loved the lions and drove thousands of miles to tract them down. They are the most beautiful animals and doing research on them was a massive privilege.
I was never scared to work among the lions because I knew how to handle them. You can talk to a lion, but there is no way that you can talk to an elephant, buffalo or hippo.
The most important thing to remember when you unexpectedly meet a lion is to look him straight in the eye. You must also never turn your back on a lion – if you do that you are dead. Just look him in the eye and talk to him.
How do you manage to stand out in every single area of life?
I think one must be 100 percent committed to what you do. That was always my motto and that is also what I expected from the rugby players. Be 100 committed and give yourself fully to the task at hand.
You were involved with rugby for more that five decades. Who were the best of the best?
Three players stand out for me: Naas Botha, Hansie Brewis and Frik du Preez.
Do you still follow the Blue Bulls?
Yes. I do not want to get involved because I had my time, but it is very good to see that the team is performing so well I wish them all the best!
RIV Oom Fritz, jy was vir my n held, in jou era was dit die heel beste tyd in Blou Bul rugby. Jy het my n stoere Bul gemaak, met al jou waardes wat jy ingebring het.
Nou is daar iets wat ons nuwe span kan doen, doen dit vir Oom Fritz.
Hier is nog eerbewyse
Willy 5 September 2013 om 16:08
Mooi loop leeu man van die Kalahari.
Dankie vir die ryk nalatenskap.
Sterkte aan die familie.
Jasper 5 September 2013 om 16:20
My hoed is af. Sy soort word nie meer gemaak nie
@ superBul:
Saluut!
Die Grootspoor van die Kalahari se vriend loop verby…..
hartseer as die grootgeeste gaan ek dink hy is in die selfde klas as dok danie.hulle tipe kan nooit vervang wird nie RIP
@ smallies:
Ek onthou die eerste intervarsity tussen Tuks en Maties op Coetzenburg, hoe Dok Danie en prof Eloff mekaar geterg het voor die pawiljoen, elkeen met n glas sjampanje in die een hand en n mikrofoon in die ander,onder andere oor die verskil tussen die ‘grootste’ universiteit en die ‘beste universiteit.
Maties het 9-3 gewen daai dag.
It saddens on so to see TRUE Rugby men leaving us like this.
I always get the feeling that with the onset of professionalism in Rugby, the quality and dedication of those running the sport has deteriated exponentially to the point where decisions made are not always in the best interests of the sport, but rather in the best interests of the bussiness.
Oom Fritz, I truly hope that you are at peace and that when you sit with the other Rugby greats that have gone before you, that you are not overly critical of those of us that try to fill the MASSIVE Rugby shoes that you have left behind.
We will never be good enough to do so with either you dedication, zest, or professionalism.
RIP Prof.
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