Great radio commentators

[McAlmanac]

The Dick Jones thread threw up the question of who some of his radio commentary colleagues of the day were. Who have been your radio commentary favourites down the years?

Jim Deane was good - dodgy enunciation but somehow good to listen to and a good judge. Mick Clingly, Jim Slaven and David Christie were also good round-the-grounders for the ABC.
Also on the ABC, Malcolm McDonald had a smooth style.
Rod McLeod and Brian Lees was a classic combination in the late 70's halcyon of 5AD.

In the real old days, I believe Blair Schwartz was highly rated.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yes, Rod McLeod was very good, he had a great voice for commentary, very clear and concise. I remember Horrie Nelson as well. I didn't realise until years later that Horrie was a sobriquet, and he was in fact John Nelson who played for Norwood in the 50s and 60s.

[smithy]

I remember Horrie Nelson as well. I didn't realise until years later that Horrie was a sobriquet, and he was in fact John Nelson who played for Norwood in the 50s and 60s.

Do you mean like Jack Reveer in the late 80's on ABCTV ?
It wasn;t until late into the 2nd season IIRC that they realised it was actually Peter Endersbee.

[redandblack]

Not sure that Blair Schwartz was highly rated.

Going way back, Tom Warhurst (Snr) and Max Hall were among the best.. That was when all 4 games were covered on the main AM stations.

[CK]

The Dick Jones thread threw up the question of who some of his radio commentary colleagues of the day were. Who have been your radio commentary favourites down the years?

Jim Deane was good - dodgy enunciation but somehow good to listen to and a good judge. Mick Clingly, Jim Slaven and David Christie were also good round-the-grounders for the ABC.
Also on the ABC, Malcolm McDonald had a smooth style.
Rod McLeod and Brian Lees was a classic combination in the late 70's halcyon of 5AD.
In the real old days, I believe Blair Schwartz was highly rated.

The two men I started listening to at a very young age with football. My earliest footy memories, sitting home cross-legged on the floor, listening to Norwood play West Torrens at Thebarton were called by these men. Really captured the excitement beautifully and made me feel I was there - and made it easier to recreate the best moments in the match that night, kicking the footy around the back yard and reliving the commentary

[GWW]

Also on the ABC, Malcolm McDonald had a smooth style.

I wasn't a huge fan of Malcolm McDonald. He would continuously say "its a goal" and it was a point, or vice versa. I preferred Roger Wills.

[Adelaide Hawk]

The good radio commentators understand they are the listener's eyes and paint a picture by accurately describing what is happening. This means not trying to be clever by predicting what they think MAY happen. Rex Hunt is a shocker at this.

Too many times you hear commentators say something happened, only to have them retract it a few seconds later. There is nothing more annoying than when you've been told your team has just kicked a vital goal, only to find out it was only a behind, That sort of crap is okay for television because I can see what happened and don't need them to tell me.

So my advice to radio commentators, wait for the goal umpire to signal a goal before announcing the result, it would be far more helpful. Also, in general field play you hear "Archard passes off to Allan ... no, he doesn't, he goes back to Younie instead". Don't tell us he passed the ball to Allan unless he has actually done it. Once again, don't anticipate, just wait for something to happen, and describe it to the listeners. Nobody is impressed by your ability to guess what's going to happen.

[nickname]

I can remember Blair Schwartz playing piano in one of those candy-stripe jazz bands at The Pizza Hut. What a sought-after gig that must have been.

[stampy]

i reckon DB does a pretty good job

[FattyLumpkin]

Was Blair related to Gordon Schwartz, and is Gordon still alive?

[Harry the Horse]

Have always thought Rod McLeod and Brian Lees were the best. I was only young but it was like the game was in your living room.

[nickname]

Was Blair related to Gordon Schwartz, and is Gordon still alive?

Yep, brothers, and I believe Gordon is still alive.

[McAlmanac]

Was Blair related to Gordon Schwartz, and is Gordon still alive?

Yep, brothers, and I believe Gordon is still alive.

Didn't know they were brothers.

Gordon Schwartz is one of the greatest sporting journalists SA has ever had.

[GWW]

Cousin of ex Davis Cup player Len Schwartz too i think.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Was Blair related to Gordon Schwartz, and is Gordon still alive?

Yep, brothers, and I believe Gordon is still alive.

Didn't know they were brothers.

Gordon Schwartz is one of the greatest sporting journalists SA has ever had.

Gordon was fantastic with the Grade cricket scene as well, always had a keen interest and I spoke with him on many occasions. One thing I never asked him was if he played league footy. There's a Gordon Schwartz who played for Norwood and West Torrens in the 1940s and I've often wondered if it may be him.

[robranosgod]

Was Blair related to Gordon Schwartz, and is Gordon still alive?

Yep, brothers, and I believe Gordon is still alive.

Didn't know they were brothers.

Gordon Schwartz is one of the greatest sporting journalists SA has ever had.

Gordon was fantastic with the Grade cricket scene as well, always had a keen interest and I spoke with him on many occasions. One thing I never asked him was if he played league footy. There's a Gordon Schwartz who played for Norwood and West Torrens in the 1940s and I've often wondered if it may be him.

That is the journalist Gordon Schwartz. He played 16 league games for Norwood and Torrens between 1946 and 1948. I believe that his last league game was in the 1948 Grand Final between Norwood and Torrens.

Incidentally he will be a special guest at North Adelaide Football Club's luncheon on Thursday, October 1st to commerate North's 1949 Grand Final win over Torrens. Bob Hank and other luminaries will be there as well. Should be a day that no historian should miss.

[McAlmanac]

Gordon was fantastic with the Grade cricket scene as well, always had a keen interest and I spoke with him on many occasions.

When you rang the A Grade scores through, the copy person would say to "hang on, Gordon wants a word". He'd want to know a quick run down of the day's play for the Sunday Mail and would know the players at Grade level. He even rang my home phone once chasing the day's events. He was meticulous and always courteous.

[McAlmanac]

Incidentally he will be a special guest at North Adelaide Football Club's luncheon on Thursday, October 1st to commerate North's 1949 Grand Final win over Torrens. Bob Hank and other luminaries will be there as well. Should be a day that no historian should miss.

Wow, what an event! Blokes like Gordon Schwartz and Bob Hank are, truly, from a bygone era.

[PhilH]

Agreed Adelaide Hawk, its a fair point re not getting ahead

I do have to remind myself every so often to try and call it a second or two in delay not EXACTLY when it happens. Always sounds smoother when that occurs.

The one time I do get stuck with every so often is if a player snaps from the far pockets, Given I'm using the binoculars I have to watch both him to identify him (important to get the goalscorers right) yet also follow what happens with the ball.
Doesn't always work well.

I will confess having access to TV monitors at AAMI makes a massive difference than at some grounds when we are forever doging poles (Alas Glenelg is the worst for this with poles for the commentary box and two in the grandstand to negotiate. We rarely use the TV in the general call but in some certain in tight positions its a great help, especially with replays.

Went into the fiveaa booth last week and they have the desk back from the window with slanted flat screen TV monitors facing up at a very close angle to the field.

I think waiting for the goal umpire to signal one or two fingers is a little too long.
If its a miss the goalumpre will signal that pretty quickly or not go back to between the goals. After six years have pretty much worked out the goal umpires routine so haven't called that wrong (except in the above situation) for quite some time.

[robranosgod]

Incidentally he will be a special guest at North Adelaide Football Club's luncheon on Thursday, October 1st to commerate North's 1949 Grand Final win over Torrens. Bob Hank and other luminaries will be there as well. Should be a day that no historian should miss.

Wow, what an event! Blokes like Gordon Schwartz and Bob Hank are, truly, from a bygone era.

The 60th anniversary luncheon for North's 1949 premiership was absolutely fantastic. Gordon Schwartz has to be the most intersting, articulate 87 year old in the world. If you closed your eyes you would have thought that you were listening to a man in the prime of his life. Bob Hank at 86 years of age is almost as good.

I am proud of the way that the roosters honour their past premiership teams and it was also fantastic to see Torrens so well represented. Six of the Torrens 20 were able to attend and like the whole of the North Squad were presented to the audience, which must have been 130 people or so. We must never forget our heritage.

They even showed about 10 minutes of footage of the game, enough to see Bob Hank's stab pass and Ron Phillips and Ian McKay take some high marks. Four Magarey Medallists with a total of six medals played in that game, not a bad quota of stars. I was wondering what the most medals and medallists would have been appearing in a Grand Final. 1953 had Bob Hank, Lindsay Head, Dave Boyd and Geoff Motley. 4 Medallists and 7 medals. 1971 and 72 had Barrie Robran, Russell Ebert, Peter Woite and Trevor Grimwood. 4 medallists and 9 medals. I wonder if that is the record?