Long before Maradona’s “Hand of God” at the 1986 Mexico FIFA World Cup there was ‘El Divino Manco.’ Which roughly translated means ‘the one-handed god.’
This was the nickname given to Uruguay’s Hector Castro. Castro wrote his name into the history books at the very first World Cup in 1930, hosted by Uruguay in Montevideo. In the final the hosts had been trailing 1-2 against arch rivals from across the River Plate, Argentina, but were 3-2 up in the final minutes. They were defending furiously, while outside the stadium troops were gathering in anticipation of ugly scenes when the final whistle sounded. In the dying minutes Hector Castro rifled the ball into the roof of the net to seal a famous 4-2 victory for Uruguay.
What made his goal more memorable to fans across the world was the fact that he only had one arm!
When he was 13 years old he had an accident with a saw which resulted in him losing his right forearm. On the football pitch he was loved by Nacional fans, but hated by arch rivals Penarol, whose fans even booed him during that World Cup Final, until his famous goal. He was by all accounts a fierce competitor, and was not averse to smacking opposition players with what remained of his right arm. He played 25 times for Uruguay and scored 18 goals, including the first ever goal at the Estadio Centenario, against Peru. Frenchman Lucien Laurent scored the first ever World Cup goal playing for France against Mexico, that game however being played Pocitos, Penarol’s home ground.
However our focus is on another footballer who also played with one arm.
Irishman Jimmy Hasty was born in Sailortown, a suburb of Belfast in Northern Ireland in 1936. At the age of 14 and on his first day at work he lost his left arm in a milling machine accident. If his work prospects had been bleak before that day, they looked even bleaker after it.
There was however no reason why he could not continue playing football. He played amateur football for Islandmagee and then Newry Town before being signed to play for Dundalk in the League of Ireland.
In October 1960 Jim Malone, who was the chairman of Dundalk football club at the time, told the board he had discovered an exciting goal-scoring striker. One board member was aware of Hasty and the fact that he only had one arm. A decision was made not to sign him the reason given was that the club was not in the habit of signing freaks. That was when Malone revealed that it was too late. The deal had been done, and he had paid Newry Town himself with a personal cheque.
Hasty would make his debut on 20 November 1960 in a home match at Oriel Park against Cork Celtic. News of the one-armed striker making his debut is said to have swelled the crowd. If the board were worried as to whether the player would live up to expectations, they need not have. He was the star of the show, with official records claiming, “He scored once and brought gasps of astonishment at his football skills.”
John Murphy who captained the team in the early 60s told the Guardian earlier this year “He could lean on you with that stump so you couldn’t get off the ground, and the ref could be looking and see only a sleeve dangling.” The 6ft 1in striker was renowned for his prowess in the air, and maybe this was why. Incredibly he was by all accounts extremely well balanced with the ball at his feet as well. It was said that Nottingham Forest were looking to take him across to England, but the deal fell through over an insurance issue.
In the same article Paddy Malone, the son of the former visionary Chairman revealed that as children they would pull their arm inside their sweater and play with their sleeves flapping to emulate Hasty. They did not see a disability, just a footballer to admire, one they idolised and wanted to play like.
Hasty spent six seasons at the club and scored 103 goals. In 1962/63 he was part of the Dundalk side that won the club its first League title in 30 years. This victory saw the side qualify to play in the European Cup (Now the Champions League) for the first time. In the home leg they lost 3-0 to FC Zurich, but in the away leg Dundalk and Hasty made history. They may have lost the tie but they became the first Irish side to win an away leg of a European tie, beating FC Zurich 2–1. Hasty set up the opening goal for Dermot Cross, and then scored the second himself. He almost managed a personal second and a third for the team when he rattled the crossbar.
In the 1963/64 season Hasty was the League of Ireland’s joint top scorer with 18 goals. He was Dundalk’s leading scorer in three of his six seasons at the club.
Hasty stayed at Oriel Park for six years from 1960 to 1966. He then joined Drogheda briefly, before moving back to Belfast to work. He started a family having married Margaret, who was his childhood sweetheart and had two sons, Paul and Martin. He had a job in a bookmakers.
Sadly this is not a tale with a happy ending.
On October 11th 1974, aged 38 he was walking down Brougham Street in Belfast on his way to work. It was just after 8am. A car pulled up and a man climbed out and shot Hasty three times in the back. He climbed back into the car and drive off.
George Larmour, was driving to work at the Belfast Telegraph when he heard the shots. He told his wife to get out of the car and then drove to Brougham Street where he found Hasty lying on the pavement still alive. He covered him with coats and tried to reassure him he would be OK.
The moment has been used to sum up the crazy times of that period in Ireland.
No one has ever been charged for Hasty’s murder. Yet everyone knew that this was a sectarian murder, and one attributed to the Protestant Action Group; which was another name for the Ulster Volunteer Force. In his dying moments here was Hasty a Catholic, being comforted by a Protestant, a man from the same religion as those that had shot him.
Lost Lives, is a catalogue of people killed in what was know at the time as “The Troubles,.” Hasty is listed as victim number 1,205.
Larmour did not know who the victim was until reports came out on the news. Fans of Dundalk were in shock. Many felt that this was simply unacceptable. A testimonial match was held in his honour and fans flocked to the game to raise funds for the family, many paying far more than the entry fee. It was the least they could do for a man they loved. A man they felt had already had to overcome so much.
HIs killing was aimed to send a message to the Catholic community that no one was safe. It may have served its purpose at the time, but what it has done is ensure that the memory of Jimmy Hasty, the one-armed footballer, who according to those who saw him play, always had so much time on the ball, will never die. He will live on forever in Dundalk and also in Sailortown where today in The American Bar his picture hangs alongside other famous sporting sons of Belfast.
Jimmy Hasty was a man who did not let his misfortune hold him back. He was according to those who knew him a kind and generous man, who would always give up his time for others. He was also an outstanding footballer. He could so easily have gone on to a bigger club in England, but in those times his lack of an arm saw him labelled as “severely handicapped” which put many clubs off. Their loss was Dundalk’s gain where today he is still remembered fondly.
If ever find yourself in Belfast be sure to pop in to The American and stand in front of his picture and raise a glass to his memory. .
