Syd was married to Jennifer Roberts whom he met on the train going to school. Jen was at Girls High. She stayed in Devenish Street and was close to a station just down from where she stayed. It was easier to go by train than a couple of busses.
I was very keen on Jen but Syd was the leader. During the Polio Epidemic in 1948 the three of us played golf together on open fields at Affies and on the playing fields of the school during the break we had from school because of the Polio.
Syd played his first round of golf on the Military Golf Course. Sadly my move to Johannesburg broke our close friendship.
Herewith a list of his sporting achievements taken from various Pretorians while at Pretoria Boys High School and after he left school:
Admission No 6760 15-01-1946
Birth Date 13-03-1934
Home Address – Erf 526, Pretoria Gardens, Hercules
1947 – Burke U14A Cricket Team
1948 – Rugby Third Team Colours
1949 – Third Team Cricket Colours, Second Team Rugby Colours
1950 – Second Team Cricket Colours
1951 – First Team Cricket Colours, Second Team Rugby Colours, Captain Town House Senior Cricket Team that won the Inter-House Cricket League, Matric University Pass
1954 – Selection for NE Transvaal Cricket Currie Cup
1957 – Old Boys Hockey lost the services of Syd Burke
1961 – Congratulations are also extended to Syd Burke and Eddie Barlow on being selected to represent South Africa. (Old Boys Cricket Section)
1962 – Hockey – Transvaal Team Inter Provincial Tournament: P Duke, S Burke, A Hofman, N Leathern, P Corbett, J Corbett.
Inter-Town Games – Pretoria “A”: P Duke, S Burke, A Hofman, N Leathern, P Corbett, J Corbett.
1963 – Hockey – Inter-Town Seniors “A” Syd Burke, Nigel Leathern, Keith Verdoom, John and Peter Corbett
1964 – Hockey – Inter-Town Seniors “A” Peter Duke, Syd Burke, Peter Corbett, John Corbett, Frikkie Oosthuizen.
1979 – Old Boys Golf Day – Senior Champion – Syd Burke
1980 – Old Boys Golf Day – Senior Champion – Syd Burke
– Keith Gibbs