The BBC attracts a fair amount of criticism these days with accusations that standards aren't what they once were with the likes of Jonathan Ross, Jeremy Clarkson and Graeme Norton paid huge sums for 'entertaining' the masses - while irritating those of us who hark back to the days when there were some top notch broadcasters at the Corporation. Sadly, some of the best of those broadcasting icons are no longer with us having passed away in recent years. I felt deeply saddened when I heard about the death of Radio One's John Peel in 2004; similarly in 2008 when the legendary Humphrey Lyttlelton left us to entertain those who would truly feel in heaven with the great man's presence. Today, we learnt of the passing of another broadcasting icon - Bill McLaren, rugby union commentator supreme.
I have never been a huge fan of rugby union but when Bill was commentating with such splendour for the BBC, I watched the game and listened to his commentary. To say Bill knew his stuff is like saying the New Zealand All Blacks are a half decent side. Bill was the authority on the sport. His commentaries were always full of passion, yet he was never biased to his native Scotland - he treated every game and every team with the same respect. Some of his descriptions were just pure genius and even if you didn't care much for the sport you listened to Bill's every word.
Bill was 86 and had been ill for some time - but his passing is no easier to take. He was the master, the top man, someone who commanded respect even though he felt he was just a humble PE teacher from Hawick in the Scottish borders. He was, of course, much more than that - a dedicated family man who suffered personal loss when his daughter died from cancer at a tragically young age.
Among the many tributes paid to Bill it's been said he was The Voice of Rugby. To me and I suspect many other Scots he was the voice of compassion, decency, respect - traits that are sadly fast disappearing these days.
Quite simply, it's an end of an era. There will never be another Bill McLaren
2 comments:
So true. I identified him with Rugby Union, Eddie Waring with Rugby League, John Arlott with cricket and Archie McPherson (for his sins) with fitba.
I have a pleasing mental picture of Messrs Peel,Lyttleton and McLaren having a blether while enjoying a few pints together in the St Peter's Arms....
(music tonight 'through the hoose in the Almighty Lounge' by the jamming band of Moon, Gallagher, Entwistle and Dury)
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