The Official Tribute Thread

[Ray Finkle]

Desperately sad news about Murray Walker, his passion for F1 was infectious and something that will probably never be replicated.

Rest in Peace Sir

Yes, dead or retired. Remind me if you can the respected voices of Soccer, Cricket, Golf, Boxing, Athletics, Tiddlywinks ?

For Football, it certainly has to be John 'Motty' Motson. And for Cricket, we have Henry 'Blowers' Blofeld, Jonathon Agnew, Brian 'Johnners' Johnston and Geoffrey Boycott. For Boxing, I can only recall Harry Carpenter but that's probably due to Frank Bruno ('Oh, you're not 'Arry, I wish 'Arry was 'ere!'). I don't follow boxing and have trouble with considering it a sport. How can a 'sport' have the aim of knocking someone out?

Kevin

Only a personal opinion but for Cricket I'd possibly add Richie Benaud to Kevin's already great list. There's a short but great clip on Youtube of Qantas pilots and Brisbane ATC paying a small tribute.

Golf isn't really my sport but Peter Alliss springs to mind, "One of the good thing about rain in Scotland is that most of it ends up at Scotch".

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Only a personal opinion but for Cricket I'd possibly add Richie Benaud to Kevin's already great list. There's a short but great clip on Youtube of Qantas pilots and Brisbane ATC paying a small tribute.

I'm more than happy to have Richie Benaud's name added to the small list that I supplied. For some reason, Cricket seems to turn out a high number of highly respected commentators. Perhaps it's that test matches can go on for up to five days and thus more commentators are required.

Kevin

 

[HPsauce]

Not a huge fan of Formula 1, but Murray Walker certainly made it more exciting with his enthusiastic delivery and occasional gaffes. A famous Brummie. RIP Murray

 

[superking]

Another great commentator gone.A great man and his style of commentating brought a lot of excitement to the public who were watching the race,his style will not be seen again. RIP Murray

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm not a huge motor racing fan but I agree with others about Murray Walker's infectious enthusiasm for his job. His well-known gaffes added to his great attraction. When I was growing up in the 1950s I remember his father Graham Walker, a former professional racing motorcyclist, commentating on that sport on radio, particularly the Isle of Man TT Races. There is no doubt that Murray brought great pleasure to so many people with his knowledge of motor sport and the supremely entertaining way in which he carried out his work. RIP.

As to JENNY's point about respected voices in other sports, several have already been mentioned who would be on my list.

Football: For all its great popularity football seems to produce competent technicians rather than great commentators and writers, particularly with tv and radio. Older people will remember Kenneth Wolstenholme ('They think it's all over......it is, now!') who was BBC Television's voice of football through most of the 50s, 60s and early 70s. I think the current bunch of football commentators are a pretty bland lot. If I had to pick one to represent the spoken and visual football media in my lifetime it would be Brian Moore (not rugby's Brian Moore) originally on BBC Radio but ITV's main football commentator and presenter from the late 60s until the mid 80s. He was hugely respected within the game.

Cricket: Richie Benaud by some way for me. As astute a captain as ever donned the Australian baggy cap, he missed nothing when commentating in later years and had such a simple but complete way of explaining even the most complex cricketing conundrums. John Arlott was cricket to many around the cricketing world from the late 1940s until 1980. He had a wonderful gift of description and that Hampshire burr was somehow so apposite, redolent of watching cricket on a village green on a warm summer afternoon. Probably not many know he had been a policeman for ten years, then a BBC radio poetry producer before becoming radio's undoubted cricketing king, later to branch out into television especially BBC 2's Sunday afternoon 40-over per side matches, but radio was his true metier. He was also a wine connoisseur - in his later years possibly a little too fond of the grape - and a marvellous writer on cricket, wine and other subjects. He was at the microphone when the first streaker appeared at Lords. He described him as a 'freaker'. That commentary can still be heard on YouTube. Then there was Brian Johnson ('Johnners') - very knowledgeable about the game and he punctuated his commentaries with almost schoolboy humour with 'jolly japes' making frequent appearances. He was involved in the 'leg over' incident with Johnathan Agnew when both dissolved into uncontrollable hysterics live on air that caused motorists to pull over to the kerb because they were themselves laughing too much to be able continue driving safely. In his early days of commentary 'Auntie' BBC was still very straight-laced but Johnners got away with this one in the 1960s: New Zealand had a bowler called Bob Cunis of whom Johnners said, "Funny sort of name, neither one thing nor the other'. He also asked Rachael Hayhoe Flint (later Baroness Hayhoe Flint) former captain of the England Women's team if lady cricketers wore boxes when batting. 'Oh yes' she replied, 'but we call them manhole covers'. Rachael had a wicked sense of humour and I think the two of them set that one up beforehand.

Rugby Union: Surely there can be no other contender when Bill McLaren's name is mentioned. He was the voice of tv rugby union for much of the second half of the 20th Century. His Scottish Borders accent was such an easy listen and his one-liners were legion: 'He’s like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe'.

Rugby League: Bill's contemporary in the 13 a-side code was Eddie Waring whose name was indelibly associated with the game for 20 years from the early 1960s. As far as many people who didn't follow the game closely were concerned, especially in the south of England, he was rugby league, through his commentaries on club matches shown live on the BBC. His eccentric style made him a great favourite of tv and radio impersonators. For someone so closely identified with rugby league, Eddie Waring's game was actually association football as a young man and he had trials with a couple of Football League clubs.

Briefly, some more:

Golf: Peter Alliss

Tennis: Dan Maskell

Boxing: Harry Carpenter

Athletics: David Coleman, although he was also used widely as a football commentator at major matches, and was well-known as the presenter of BBC Tv's live Saturday afternoon sports programme Grandstand.

Many thanks JENNY for giving what passes as my rusty old brain the opportunity to oil the nostalgia cogs.

 

[rollo]

Mention of Brian Johnson and his schoolboys humour reminds me of his deadpan comment when England's Peter Willey was facing the bowling of West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding as said bowler runs in Jhonners remarks "the bowlers Holding the batsmens Willey".

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Mention of Brian Johnson and his schoolboys humour reminds me of his deadpan comment when England's Peter Willey was facing the bowling of West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding as said bowler runs in Jhonners remarks "the bowlers Holding the batsmens Willey".

I had been thinking about that one, and wondering if it was true. Sadly, it appears not.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

TLY, Like many of our generation, our minds need exercise and nostalgia trips are not lockdown restricted.

 

[rollo]

I had been thinking about that one, and wondering if it was true. Sadly, it appears not.

Kevin

Such a shame if it's not true but still funny, well appeals to my sense of humour anyway. I like the ending of the clip you posted Kevin about the letter putting the matter correct apparently signed by a "miss testickle "

 

[JENNYJET]

Some things become ear worms and when Johners fell to pieces always gets me where it hurts, pure gold!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I had been thinking about that one, and wondering if it was true. Sadly, it appears not.

Kevin

Indeed. I once heard Brian Johnson's son discussing the matter on the radio and he confirmed that his father had never made the remark in commentary.

It seems from the Blowers/Bartex* video clip that the origin is owed to a mysterious letter sent to the BBC commentary team by a Miss Tess Tickle urging the commentators to be careful about what they said on air. So it's likely that Johnners was the author of this saucy remark, albeit not on air directly but via a letter sent by a nom de plume that was subsequently read out

*All cricket followers of a certain generation and probably many younger enthusiasts too will know that in the best lower fourth tradition Johnners bestowed nicknames on everyone in and around the commentary team. Peter Baxter was the BBC's cricket producer and occasional commentator and on one tour of India was in a hotel lounge with others when a waiter paraded around the room carrying a notice board, 'Mr Bartex please contact reception' (before the days of mobile phones). It took a while for the party to realise the person being sought was Peter Baxter who thereafter became 'Bartex' to all at Test Match Special.

What Johnners did say whilst commentating on a 1969 test match between England and New Zealand after the Kiwi batsman Glen Turner had been struck in the 'lower abdomen' as commentators were apt to say in those more discreet days, 'Turner has now got up off the ground, although looking pale and shaken. He is obviously going to resume batting; a very brave effort. One ball left'.

Sorry to have wandered a bit off course in this thread but it's all part of tributes to those who have added so much colour to the tapestry of the life of the country and who are no longer with us.

 

[superking]

Its nice to read about what the commentators said or didnt. It cheers people up in these hard times. Too make people laugh and bring back memories is not a crime,and it brings other subjects into play. It always make good reading.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Sabine Schmitz

Sad to read that former racing driver and Top Gear presenter has died at the young age of 51. Sabine is the only woman to have won the Nurburgring 24 hour race.

Former racing driver and Top Gear presenter Schmitz dies aged 51

Former racing driver and Top Gear presenter Sabine Schmitz has died from cancer aged 51.

www.bbc.co.uk

R.I.P. Sabine and thanks for all the entertainment.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

Indeed, the only Woman to silence Clarkson. Her attempts to drive a Transit van to a record attempt was television treasure. I shall miss her!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Indeed, the only Woman to silence Clarkson. Her attempts to drive a Transit van to a record attempt was television treasure. I shall miss her!

Brilliant episode.

 

[HPsauce]

Former Leeds United and Scotland footballer Peter Lorimer has died, 74. Although not a Leeds fan, he will be remembered for his powerful shot, often from outside the box. Part of the Don Revie top side of the 1970's. RIP.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Former Leeds United and Scotland footballer Peter Lorimer has died, 74. Although not a Leeds fan, he will be remembered for his powerful shot, often from outside the box. Part of the Don Revie top side of the 1970's. RIP.

Peter Lorimer and his blistering long-distance shots were a major part of the club's success in those days. Although not the wall-to-wall tv football coverage we see nowadays, there were still a number of highlights programmes such as MOTD and the various ITV regional productions when followers of the game could watch the exploits of teams from other parts of the country. We didn't have much top-flight football in the West Country, although we did have a four-year period in the second half of then 1970s with a team in the old First Division when we could enjoy watching the great teams 'in the flesh'. Even managed to get the marvellous Norman Hunter to play for us for a few years when he was coming to the end of his playing career.

Condolences to Peter Lorimer's loved ones. RIP.

Trevor Cherry and Norman Hunter of that Leeds United era also died within the last 12 months.

 

[Seasider]

All players that I enjoyed watching.

 

[JENNYJET]

Not a good year for Leeds United former players with more to come. I hear that Gordon McQueen is unwell and Sir Bobby Charlton likewise. I am 61 years and already reconciled with my condition and prognosis but as these players of my youth fall away, I get a bit nervous!

 

[HPsauce]

Frank Worthington has died, 72. A famously flamboyant character but a great footballer too!. Among many clubs he had spells at Birmingham and Leicester. Who cannot remember those huge sideburns and flowing locks!. RIP.