Legends of The Lone Star: A Brief History

By Charles “Coo-Coo” Wordsworth

Part I

 
 From Left to right: Tarpeh Roberts (Barrolle), Charles Woelfel (Barrolle), Sam Burnette (IE), Wanibo Toe (Barrolle), and Sam Massaquoi (IE).
 

Soccer in Liberia has had and continues to have a profound effect on the unity and cohesion of its citizens.  There are many individuals and groups that have made substantial contributions to the development of soccer in Liberia; yet they have been deprived of the recognition and respect they justly deserve.  Lord McCaulay tells us that “a people which take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.”  It is with such appreciation for their gallant efforts and contributions to soccer in Liberia that we want to recognize and pay homage to Legends of the Lone Star Soccer Team. 

Organized soccer has been played in Liberia for our seventy-six years.  In August of 1927, it was reported that a Liberian team, the “Young Lions,” defeated a European team to the consternation of the Liberian public.  There was much public enthusiasm and jubilation after the game.

The national soccer team of Liberia was first constituted in 1954.  The newly constituted national soccer team was called the “Probables”. It was organized just in time to participate in a scheduled Abidjan International football competition.  The “Probables” were actually the trailblazers of what we know today as the Lone Star. Their first trial match was played on March 6, 1954, against a locally constituted team.  The “Probables” won by a score of two goals to zero. Samuel Hodge scored both goals. The following made up the membership of this pioneering team: Philip Robinson, Albert Johnson, Francis Jarbe Lawson, Anthony “Black Jack” Dixon, Aloysius Itoka, Bruce Smith, Edward Johnson, MacDonald Acolaste (Captain), Gideon Gadegbeku, David Wolo, Peter Doe-Williams, Henry Varfley, Sam Elliott, Samuel Hodge, Reubel Brewer, and Leonard Deshield.  The team was coached by Frank O. Roberts.

The members of the original national team have made even more valuable contributions to Liberia and the international community after their playing careers.  To name a few; Philip Robinson, who was also captain of the National Team in 1957, was the recipient of President William U.S. Tubman Gold Trophy for soccer as the most outstanding player in the National Sports Meet.  He served as the national soccer coach for many years in the 1960’s after formal training as a coach in West Germany.  He also coached a United States college soccer team.  He was a world class Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) referee; a highlight of his refereeing career occurred when he officiated the final game at one of the African Cup of Nations Championships.  Before his retirement, he served with distinction as the Deputy Minister of Sports in the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Other players of the “Probables” such as Aloysius Itoka served in the foreign service as First Secretary at the Liberian Embassy in West Germany; MacDonald Acolaste, captain and goal merchant, became a prominent lawyer of the Supreme Court of Liberia Bar. While Leonard Deshield, one time assistant coach of the Lone Star, served as President of the Liberia Football Association for many years; Chief of Protocol of Liberia, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Gideon Gadegbeku was also an official of the Liberian Football Association for many years and also served in the capacity as Assistant Minister for Statistics in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs. To enumerate the contributions made by all of the members of the “Probables” to society will require a separate forum.

One may wonder how did our national soccer team derive the name the “Lone Star”.  The name the Lone Star emanates from the single star in Liberia’s flag.  The lone star in Liberia’s flag signifies the first and at the time the only Negro republic on the African continent.

On February 15, 1964, the Liberian Football Association (LFA) at an emergency meeting officially designated the national football team of Liberia as “Lone Star”.  Support for the name gained favor when Liberian and Ghanaian newspapers began to use it in their headlines and news stories during the Olympic elimination series.

Approximately ten years after the formation of Liberia’s first national football team, “the Probables”, soccer in Liberia made substantial progress.  The Lone Star competed respectably with the likes of Africa’s Champion, Ghana Black Star, and the Green Eagles of Nigeria.  Through trials and tribulations our national team persevered with the help of players, government officials, businesses, and the citizenry. Despite meager resources for football development, Liberia was blessed with a cadre of talented and patriotic players, dedicated officials and an enthusiastic and supportive public.  The year 1964 was a very crucial yet exciting time for our national football team, the Lone Star.  Three memorable matches were played against formidable opponents.  On January 18,1964, in a match billed “Game of the Century”, a match that was one of the most thrilling and fascinating international matches ever played in Liberia; The Black Star of Ghana, Africa’s perennial football champions defeated Liberia by 5 goals to 4 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia. This landmark game was a turning point in the development of soccer in Liberia; it was then that the Lone Star gained international recognition as a force to reckon with.

The Lone Star led the Ghana Black Star, Africa’s soccer champion by three goals to one at half time.  This was an unsurpassed feat in the annals of African football history.  The second leg was played on February  2, 1964, in Accra, Ghana as part of the Olympic elimination series.  It was estimated that over fifteen thousand spectators, including government dignitaries, at the Accra Stadium gave the Lone Star of Liberia a standing ovation upon entering the stadium.  The game was very exciting and competitive; the first half ended in a goaless draw.  Ghana scored the lone winning goal in the second half.  The most outstanding Liberian players of the match were goalkeeper, David Momo and defender, Jadeh Williams, Phillip Robinson (Player/Coach), Marr Sarr, Sam Massaquoi, Wanibo Toe, Charles Woeful, John “Monkey” Brown, George Sacko, Charles Bismark, Jackson Weah, Jasper Wreh Domino, Sam Williams, Teah Wilson, Borbor Gaye, Garrison Sacko (Bulldozer).

About the author:

Charles Wordsworth, a graduate of Ricks Institute, played basketball, soccer and volleyball in high school. He also played on the Cuttington University College Basketball Team in the dual capacity of player and coach.  He played for the Invincible Eleven Basketball Team for many years and they won several national championships. He also played eight years on the Liberian National Basketball Team.  After his playing career, he served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Liberian Basketball Federation and also as Chairman of the LBF Technical Committee.

Mr. Wordsworth has a B.S. degree in Secondary Education from Cuttington University College. He also attended the Louis Arthur Grimes School o Law, University in Liberia. He received an M.A. degree from George Washington University in 1985.

Mr. Wordsworth was Captain of the Bong County Championship basketball Team in the National Sports Meet of Liberia in 1979, during which he also received the Most Valuable Player award.  He is currently writing a book on the history of sports in Liberia.  He has extensive coaching experience both in Liberia and the United States.  He has taught middle and high school in Washington, DC., Brooklyn, New York and Greensboro, North Carolina.  He is currently a schoolteacher.