(Photo Credit OFC Media via Phototek)
For Chris Kemp walking into Stade Fautaua in Papeete for the first time at the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Tahiti last month was an emotional moment.
It came 64 years after his father John made his debut for New Zealand against Tahiti at the same stadium.
John Kemp was a talented sportsman, playing football for New Zealand and he also played first-class cricket for Auckland.
He made his international debut in a 4-1 win over Tahiti on September 5th, 1960, the first match of two in Papeete, (2-1 to New Zealand on 12th September) and he earned four full caps between 1960 and 1962. He passed away in 1993.
(John Kemp 4th from left in New Zealand team singing national anthems before his debut against Tahiti at Stade Fautaua in Papeete September 5th, 1960)
Chris Kemp was OFC Head of Competitions for eight years between 2015 and 2023, and this year he has been contracting back to OFC at international competitions.
In memory of his late father, Chris and his siblings decided to donate the jersey John had received from a Tahitian player from that match to the Fédération Tahitienne de Football (FTF)
“When dad passed away, we kept all his memorabilia, so there’s a jersey against an England 11 and another couple we don’t know what they are. We worked out this red and white one was the Tahiti jersey he swapped after making his debut at Stade Fautaua. Having looked back at the black and white photos.” Kemp explained.
“I’ve recognised Tahiti’s always been an interesting place for me to want to visit and be involved in football, because when we grew up, Dad’s pictures were on the rumpus room wall, and there was this poster advertising this match that he’d played in Tahiti with all these signatures on it. So, there’s always been a real desire to want to do something here.” Kemp added.
It was a poignant moment handing the jersey over to FTF President Thierry Ariiotima.
“I don’t mean to understate it, but I think the more they looked at it and the more they showed other people, certainly those that have been around for a while, there was like this little bit of reverence for it, this jersey that’s 64 years old.”
(Chris Kemp working pitch side at Stade Fautaua where his dad John made his debut for New Zealand against Tahiti in September 1960)
“It’s really something which my whole family decided we wanted to do, so it wasn’t just me personally. It was my mum and brother, and sister always said, well, look, let’s give it back. We’re pretty sure it’d be something dad would have wanted.” Kemp said.