Which sports commentator(s) do you miss most?

Neill

HerrMetal said:

John Arlott 

Definitely - I always remember his comment on the Pakistani fast bowler Asif Masood's run up -  "Like Groucho Marx stalking a pretty waitress".

ICBM

Peter Alliss

I'm not even a huge golf fan, but as it was with Murray Walker and Richie Benaud in their sports, I can't watch someone hitting a golf shot without hearing Alliss describing it in my head.

boogieman

Kent Walton, for me the sound of the golden era of British wrestling in the 60s... Billy Two Rivers, Jackie Pallo, Mick McManus etc. 

And like @ICBM Peter Alliss. Not much of a golf fan either but he made it interesting. 

guitars4you

As an overview my favorite commentators are in cricket - be it radio or tv - I enjoy the continual stories from yesteryear, old foes meeting up again and trading stories, theories on ball movement, spin etc etc - Maybe the big 'gap' within the action allows it to be this way - I can listen to a match with no play and still enjoy it 

Dopesick

Richie ‘Lovely Stroke’ Benaud
Tony Greig
Brian Moore
John Motson

Danny1969

Motty, he was just the soundtrack to football for the best part of my life. I loved his excitement but also the irrelevant facts like "here comes Watson, the 67th Tamworth player  to wear the no 7 shirt and one of only 4 to have had an avocado breakfast on  a Tuesday morning" 

Wispering Ted Lowe too .... glory days of snooker "for those of you watching in black & white, the pink is next to the green"  

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

ICBM said:

Peter Alliss

I'm not even a huge golf fan, but as it was with Murray Walker and Richie Benaud in their sports, I can't watch someone hitting a golf shot without hearing Alliss describing it in my head.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

I don't know a lot about golf, but having Alliss talk me through a hazy summer Sunday afternoon slumped on the couch watching The Open was relaxation distilled.

Philly_Q

Neill said:

fob said:

'Whispering' Ted Lowe and another less well known snooker commentator Jack Karnehm. Both had insight into the sport, a wonderful feel of when to speak (not just every second a player isn't actually taking a shot which seems to be the memo that went out a few years ago), and they both had a perfect timbre to their voice that seemed to reflect the game itself.

Ah yes, who could forget Cliff Thorburn's 147 - the first ever on TV, and Jack Karnehm's "Good luck mate.." as the Canadian lined up for the final black.

I love that moment.  I never particularly warmed to Ted Lowe as a personality, but Jack Karnehm seemed like a real old gent. 

nocasternoproblem

Don't disagree with the names above, but no Eddie Waring?  Knew Rugby League inside out and always took the opportunity for a humorous aside.   
Seeing a player take a blow to the knackers - "don't rub 'em, son - just count them"! 

Rocker

Peter Alliss. He made golf understandable to non golfers and what a marvellous voice he had. RIP 

pigface

Of those already mentioned, Alliss, Benaud, Johnston and McLaren. He won't be well-known on here but another great favourite was Charles Fortune, the South  African cricket commentator. His radio commentaries were part of the soundtrack to my youth.

Neill

nocasternoproblem said:

Don't disagree with the names above, but no Eddie Waring?  Knew Rugby League inside out and always took the opportunity for a humorous aside.   
Seeing a player take a blow to the knackers - "don't rub 'em, son - just count them"! 

It's that famous Don Fox missed conversion that is seared into my memory.  My dad was a Wakefield Trinity supporter so ours was not a happy home that day and Eddie's "He's a poor lad", delivered with such feeling, makes it even harder to forget.

rogd

Eamonn Andrews was a  great radio boxing commentator.

crunchman

Most of the great ones have been mentioned already.  Benaud has to be top of the list.  Also Johnners, Bill McClaren, Peter Alliss, Ted Lowe.

Of the ones who haven't been mentioned, I used to like Jim Laker on the cricket.  Another one like Benaud who didn't have verbal diaorrhea.

Nobody seems to have mentioned Dan Maskell on the tennis.  I despise modern tennis, but he was the voice of tennis before it all became about whacking it at 200mph from the baseline.

Neill

crunchman said:

Most of the great ones have been mentioned already.  Benaud has to be top of the list.  Also Johnners, Bill McClaren, Peter Alliss, Ted Lowe.

Of the ones who haven't been mentioned, I used to like Jim Laker on the cricket.  Another one like Benaud who didn't have verbal diaorrhea.

Nobody seems to have mentioned Dan Maskell on the tennis.  I despise modern tennis, but he was the voice of tennis before it all became about whacking it at 200mph from the baseline.

Have to admit I found Dan Maskell rather irritating and much preferred John Barrett.

But I agree about modern tennis.  They used to say the women's game was boring because of the interminable baseline rallies - until men started doing it too.  And, the elite has become devoid of personalities, though tennis isn't alone in that respect.

Bellycaster

"Whispering" Ted Lowe.

exocet

Nigel Starmer Smith - he always covered the 5N matches in France or the games that Bill McClaren wasn't covering. Completely different tone to Bill but looking back, I miss the contrast.

rze99

Maskell made a Wimbledon, certainly. 

artiebear

Another one for Bill McClaren here. For me he was the voice of rugby, plus the rugby was good back then.

skullfunkerry

F1 is the only sport I watch. Murray was a tough act to follow. I hated Jonathan Legard's commentary, and James Allen could get annoying...

To actually answer the OP's question, I miss Martin Brundle & David Coulthard together. They were absolutely excellent, but they only did it for a year before Martin went to Sky.