bhowells

Could forum members please tell us about their favourite sports commentators, I have never been a sports fan but growing up in the sixties and seventies I did appreciate the some of the all time greats.

Eddie Waring

Kent Walton
Peter O Sullivan
Richie Benaud

Dorian Williams

Harry Carpenter (a true legend)

billy bentley

My old man (RIP) would not watch the boxing on the tele unless Harry Carpenter's commentary was turned off - "bloody turncoat" was his description of HC.

For me the unflappable John Arlott on the radio for the cricket was the definition of English sports commmentator class.

Claire-J

His gaffes were legendary, Oh My. He was of course an athlete himself but put his foot in it wonderfully.

Steve Crook

Hence the regular column in Private Eye about gaffes and bloopers by sports commentators which the call Colemanballs.

It's like shooting fish in a barrel, sports commentators make so many of them. But Coleman was the acknowledged master

Steve

Edward G

Who else but Coleman could have immortalised runner Alberta Juantorena's burst of pace by saying "And the mighty Cuban opens up his legs and shows his class!"

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

Santonix

My list would be,

Football - Kenneth Wolstenholme
Cricket - John Arlott, Brian Johnston and Richie Benaud
Rugby - Eddie Waring and Bill Maclaren
Golf - Henry Longhurst and Peter Aliss
Athletics - David Coleman
Motor Racing - Murray Walker
Ice Skating - Alan Weeks
Wrestling - Kent Walton
Boxing - Harry Carpenter
Horse Racing - Richard O Sullivan
Show Jumping - Dorian Williams
Tennis - Dan Maskell

orpheum

i would add Hugh Johns who had a very ondividualistic style.

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Merton Park

But who could ever forget Raymond Glendenning? One of the true greats of Sports commentary.

I always liked Brian Moore, Gerald Sindstat and really got to appreciate Barry Davies after initially hating him. He should have stayed and Motson gone, years ago. JM really gets on my wick, useless, never stops yapping rubbish. Max Robertson was the man for tennis, married to the creator of The Wombles.

orpheum

JM is past it.What a mess he made of the winning goal at the Cup Final.For some reason he thought that the goal had been disallowed whilst Lawrenson had to bring him back to reality.

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wadsy

An old friend of mine used to dine out on one of Coleman's Classics, although I'm
a bit dubious to it's authenticity. It concerns the Men's 100 metres Sprint Final,
& featured Carl Lewis, Calvin Smith & the Scot Alan Wells. Over to Coleman....
... " Lewis is going well, Smith's going well & Wells is going well as well..."!

I wish it had really happened!

orpheum

Or Johnners with "the bowlers Holding the batsmans Willey"

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Rob Compton

There was no-one quite like Brian Johnston, "Johnners"

Brian Johnston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I do also like the BBC's current cricket correspondent, Jonathan Agnew

rgds
Rob

scholes

Coleman was without equal as an athletics commentator but Steve Cram is a worthy successor.
Let us not forget Ron Pickering also.

During a Track event, Coleman's commentary was akin to a man possessed. This was underlined by the inflexions in his voice as the race progressed.
It didn't stop there though. Even during the course of introductions ,by the time he got to the last couple of athletes he was simply unable to pronounce their names he was so excited.
This prompted his spitting image alter ego to pronounce......" Oh and I've gone off too fast again........."

5 Live
Prefer Mike Ingham to Alan Green although the 606 phone in is sometimes quite entertaining.

EHV_Emmetts

The best commentator was the late John Arlott. He had a wonderful voice, perfect for Cricket commentary.

bhowells

Great voice I neglected to mention him.