Arthur Wharton, (October 28, 1865 – December 13, 1930) was the first black professional association football player in the world. (Leading amateur and Scotland international, Andrew Watson predates him by eleven years.) Wharton was born in Jamestown, Gold Coast (now Accra, Ghana), his father was half-Grenadian and half-Scottish, and his mother was a half-Scottish member of the Ghanaian royalty. He moved to England in 1882, to train as a Methodist missionary, but soon abandoned this in favour of becoming a full-time athlete. October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... A Kenyan man This article is about the different definitions of the term black people. For other terms related to black people, see Black people (terminology). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Scotland 11 - 0 Ireland (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 February 1901) Biggest defeat Uruguay 7 - 0 Scotland (Basel, Switzerland; 19 June 1954) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1954) Best result Round 1, all European Championship Appearances 2 (First... Andrew Watson (born May 1857, Demerara, British Guiana; died in Sydney, Australia, date unknown) was the worlds first black international football player, capped three times for Scotland between 1881 and 1882 and considered as one of the top ten most important players of the 19th century. ... Jamestown (or James Town) is a district in the city of Accra, Ghana. ... Flag of Gold Coast Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa. ... Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the capital of Ghana. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots 2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ...

Wharton started as an amateur playing as a goalkeeper for Darlington, and then Preston North End (with whom he reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1887). He became the first black professional footballer when he joined Rotherham Town in 1889 playing as a goalkeeper. He would later play one league game for Sheffield United, though he was overshadowed (perhaps in more than one way) by William "Fatty" Foulke. As well as playing in goal, he would also occasionally feature outfield as a winger. A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, or goalie in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Darlington F.C. are an English football team based in the English town of Darlington, currently playing in Football League Two. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Note: for the full results of all FA Cup finals, see FA Cup Final The FA Cup - this is the fourth trophy, in use since 1992, and identical in design to the third trophy introduced in 1911. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Rotherham Town F.C. were an English football club from Rotherham, South Yorkshire. ... 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, or goalie in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Sheffield United Football Club are a professional English football club based in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. ... William fatty Foulke, seen here as part of the Sheffield United FA Cup final team of 1901. ...

Wharton was an all-round sportsman - in 1886, he set a world record of 10 seconds for a 100 yard sprint in the AAA championship. He was also a keen cyclist and cricketer, playing for local teams in Yorkshire and Lancashire. After retiring from sport, he descended into destitution and alcoholism, spending the last 15 years of his life working at as a labourer in a Yorkshire colliery. He died penniless in 1930 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Edlington, South Yorkshire; his grave was given a headstone in 1997 after a campaign by anti-racism campaigners "Football Unites - Racism Divides" for recognition of Wharton's achievements. 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... The Amateur Athletic Association of England (formerly simply the Amateur Athletic Association) or AAA (pronounced three As) is the oldest athletics organization in the UK, having been established in 1880. ... This road bicycle is built using lightweight, shaped aluminium tubing and carbon fiber stays and forks. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lancashire is a county in North West England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... Wyoming coal mine Coal mining is the mining of coal. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Edlington is a town lying to the South West of Doncaster, England. ... South Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office Region of England, in the United Kingdom. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Wharton never won a major medal (having moved from Preston before they completed their League and FA Cup "double" of 1889), nor an international cap. 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

In 2003 Wharton was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his undoubted talents and the impact he made on the game. The Hall of Fame is housed at The National Football Museum in Preston, England. ...

Club career

• Darlington (1885 - 1886) (Semi-professional)
• Preston North End (1886 - 1888) (Semi-professional)
• Rotherham Town (1889 - 1894)
• Sheffield United (1894 - 1895)
• Stalybridge Celtic (1895 - 1897)
• Ashton North End (1897 - 1899)
• Stalybridge Celtic (1899 - 1901)
• Stockport County (1901 - 1902)

Darlington F.C. are an English football team based in the English town of Darlington, currently playing in Football League Two. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Rotherham Town F.C. were an English football club from Rotherham, South Yorkshire. ... Sheffield United Football Club are a professional English football club based in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. ... Stalybridge Celtic are an English semi-professional football club from the North western town of Stalybridge in Greater Manchester. ... Stockport County Football Club are an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, currently playing in League Two, after dramatically avoiding relegation to the Conference in the 2005-06 season. ...

Further reading

• Phil Vasili, The First Black Footballer, Arthur Wharton, 1865-1930: an absence of memory (ISBN 0-7146-4903-1)
• Phil Vasili Colouring Over the White Line. The History of Black Footballers in Britain (ISBN 1-84018-296-2)

External links

• Football Unites, Racism Divides
• BBC h2g2 entry
• English Football Hall of Fame Profile