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Clive Everton for the snooker although there was also whispering Ted Lowe. Stuart Hall's (I know, I know) football reports were legendary in that he painted a poetic scene which rarely had anything to do with the game eventually getting around to the score in his last sentence.
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 22:00 - Jun 30 with 2209 views
Agree with Johnners, Benaud, Waddell and Ted Lowe.
Agree with several on here with admiration of Barry Davies and the commentary after the greatest goal, "You have to say that was magnificent". He was right.
Old Muddy Talker with smooth, suave and dodgy James Hunt was a brilliant combination.
I dont watch Tennis today but Dan Maskell was a classic commentator of old and no horse racing commentators listed as yet but Peter O'Sullivan, who ramped up the pace, as the races reached the closing stages, alnost like he was in saddle himself.
Also used to enjoy Ron Pickering on the athletics.
I did like Bill Mclaren and also Nigel Starmer Smith.
But one of the best was Agnew with Brian Johnston, which we could just call the leg over tape.
I immediately thought of Barry Davies and his commentary on the final of the men’s hockey at the Souel Olympics. When GB scored their third goal he said “where are the Germans and frankly who cares!’ Brilliant.
Always loved the commentaries on TMS and even my partner when in the car with me will turn the volume up to listen. Brian Johnson was unbeatable. Jonathan Agnew has been excellent over the years and remains great to listen to, and his wind up of Boycott over his 100th 100 being struck off due to a previous 100 in and England v Rest of the World test in 1970 no longer being counted as a first class century is pure brilliance.
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 16:52 - Jun 30 by kernowhoop
I agree with Numpty about John Arlott. When I was in my 20s, I had to call on him at his house in Alresford. It was lunchtime and I was invited to share some cheese and claret - not only a deeply knowledgeable and quietly passionate commentator, but a real gent, too.
Here is another suggestion, from an entirely different field - Keith Huewen and Julian Ryder, when they covered MotoGP. They were knowledgeable, entertaining and a real team.
Interesting post, Kernow, but one that immediately raises more questions than answers. You casually tell us that you ‘had to’ call on John Arlott at his home and then tease us with tales of cheese and wine?
By Gad, Sir, you can’t just leave it at that. I, for one, want to know more.
Why did you ‘have to’ call on the great man and what did you talk about? How pissed did you get?
But the biggest question, which I’m confident the whole LFW community want answering, is this: what was John Arlott’s favourite cheese?
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 16:05 - Jul 1 with 1829 views
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 15:19 - Jul 1 by TwoHalves
Interesting post, Kernow, but one that immediately raises more questions than answers. You casually tell us that you ‘had to’ call on John Arlott at his home and then tease us with tales of cheese and wine?
By Gad, Sir, you can’t just leave it at that. I, for one, want to know more.
Why did you ‘have to’ call on the great man and what did you talk about? How pissed did you get?
But the biggest question, which I’m confident the whole LFW community want answering, is this: what was John Arlott’s favourite cheese?
Indeed, (New) Alresford is a town which lends itself to being a west country sounding word or being pissed. Famous for watercress and its railway line hence the Watercress Line. All in all, it seems a most apt home for Mr Arlotr.
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 15:19 - Jul 1 by TwoHalves
Interesting post, Kernow, but one that immediately raises more questions than answers. You casually tell us that you ‘had to’ call on John Arlott at his home and then tease us with tales of cheese and wine?
By Gad, Sir, you can’t just leave it at that. I, for one, want to know more.
Why did you ‘have to’ call on the great man and what did you talk about? How pissed did you get?
But the biggest question, which I’m confident the whole LFW community want answering, is this: what was John Arlott’s favourite cheese?
Why calling at 'The Old Sun'? Boss sent me, to provide the great man with an early copy of a strategic plannibg document - in which JA had been taking an interest. His cheese? Didn't ask him, but I am pretty sure I opted for cheddar 😉 I was not pissed. There - more answers than you would get from a politician 😀
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 19:13 - Jul 1 with 1742 views
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 18:07 - Jul 1 by kernowhoop
Why calling at 'The Old Sun'? Boss sent me, to provide the great man with an early copy of a strategic plannibg document - in which JA had been taking an interest. His cheese? Didn't ask him, but I am pretty sure I opted for cheddar 😉 I was not pissed. There - more answers than you would get from a politician 😀
‘Strategic planning document’? Curiouser and curiouser …
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 19:26 - Jul 1 with 1725 views
That Jonners moment. I was sitting in the pav at the Oval and everyone around me with earpiece radios started wetting themselves. I heard it back afterwards. Just brilliant.
Also Barry Davies in the run up to the Euro96 semi final. He just shut up and let the crowd singing speak for itself. Great judgement.
Peter Alliss wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but he knew his stuff.
Sid Waddell. Only one word for that; magic darts. He also knew his stuff.
Honourable mentions; whispering Ted Lowe, John Virgo, Eddie Waring on rugby league (especially when that guy missed a conversion in front of the sticks to win the Challenge Cup final), the athletics guys, Andrew Castle and finally Andrew Cotter (so versatile but peerless rugby commentary. The itv guysxare total amateurs by comparison.
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 20:24 - Jul 1 with 1634 views
Have to give a shout-out to Christopher Martin-Jenkins on TMS.
Tony Cozier had one of those voices you could listen to all day, I was amazed when I found out that he was white!
On the subject of John Arlott and avoiding unnecessary words, there's a great story of him taking over from a colleague who had just referred to "the sun going down in the west", to which Arlott responded "Rest assured, any time the sun goes down in the east, we'll be the first to let you know."
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 09:50 - Jul 2 with 1444 views
Going to the other extreme, I am really fed up with Shearer as a summarise/second commentator. Really repetitive. Don't mind him as a pundit in the studio but not in the stadium.
[Post edited 2 Jul 9:51]
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 10:41 - Jul 2 with 1416 views
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 14:05 - Jul 1 by DWQPR
I immediately thought of Barry Davies and his commentary on the final of the men’s hockey at the Souel Olympics. When GB scored their third goal he said “where are the Germans and frankly who cares!’ Brilliant.
Always loved the commentaries on TMS and even my partner when in the car with me will turn the volume up to listen. Brian Johnson was unbeatable. Jonathan Agnew has been excellent over the years and remains great to listen to, and his wind up of Boycott over his 100th 100 being struck off due to a previous 100 in and England v Rest of the World test in 1970 no longer being counted as a first class century is pure brilliance.
This is fantastic!
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 10:55 - Jul 2 with 1398 views
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 14:05 - Jul 1 by DWQPR
I immediately thought of Barry Davies and his commentary on the final of the men’s hockey at the Souel Olympics. When GB scored their third goal he said “where are the Germans and frankly who cares!’ Brilliant.
Always loved the commentaries on TMS and even my partner when in the car with me will turn the volume up to listen. Brian Johnson was unbeatable. Jonathan Agnew has been excellent over the years and remains great to listen to, and his wind up of Boycott over his 100th 100 being struck off due to a previous 100 in and England v Rest of the World test in 1970 no longer being counted as a first class century is pure brilliance.
Just watched this.
Really superb, thank you.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 09:50 - Jul 2 by francisbowles
Going to the other extreme, I am really fed up with Shearer as a summarise/second commentator. Really repetitive. Don't mind him as a pundit in the studio but not in the stadium.
[Post edited 2 Jul 9:51]
Agree. Constantly prattling about the bleeding obvious.
Commentators Arlott for cricket Bill McLaren for Rugby ( the proper one, Clive) Motion and Davies Coleman for Athletics Virgo for Snooker Alliss for Golf
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 16:06 - Jul 3 with 1141 views
Greatest Sporting Commentators on 09:17 - Jun 30 by BrianMcCarthy
All the old football commentators now have, by law, to be called 'The Great...'.
'The Great John Motson' 'The Great David Coleman' 'The Great Brian Moore'
I thought they were all fairly humdrum at the time. They didn't know half as much as my mates, and didn't sound as if they loved the sport.
One sport where I think the commentary is truly incredible is cycling. As with their excellent cousins in cricket, they have to chat for five or six hours, and they do it with humour, a clear love of the sport, and deep, deep knowledge.
A few for the oldies on here.
Kent Walton Wrestling Saturday afternoon and Wednesday evening.
Eddie Wareing Rugby League.
Kenneth Wolstenhome Football.
And the greatest of them all. Sid Waddell Darts
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Greatest Sporting Commentators on 17:06 - Jul 3 with 1100 views
Another vote for Richie Benaud. “Don’t bother looking for that one, let alone finding it”. Also it is hard to describe how David Coleman in the 1978 World Cup could make a simple “Kempes. 1-0.” sound so majestically poetical.
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