Born in the Gold Coast, Wharton attended Cleveland College in Darlington c 1884-88. He ran the AAA hundred yards in 10 seconds, thus setting the first world record in 1886. Later he became the first African footballer to play in Divison One of the Football League - indeed the first black professional sportsman in the world. His clubs included Darlington and Rotherham. He also played for North East representative sides. He displayed the madness of goalkeepers; once, when playing for Rotherham, he leaped up to grasp the crossbar, used his legs to save, and saw the Sheffield Wednesday forwards rush past and into the net.
His private life was equally unusual, and his wife wouldn't put a headstone on his grave. Recently Sheffield United supporters have found the site and are giving Wharton the publicity he deserves.