UK Sports Commentators [2] Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cricket

Henry Blofeld is the personification of the likable, upper class, cricket loving English schoolboy who has never really grown up. The former Eton educated Blowers, as he is known to all, has entertained the radio listening public around the world for many years.

His humour coupled with his unique descriptions, not only of the cricket, but also events surrounding the game such as pigeon's antics, red buses passing by and helicopters in the distance have become his trademark. Ian Fleming, who was a good friend of Henry's, named James Bond's arch rival the sinister Blofeld after the genial cricketing commentator.

Answer: Rugby Union

Over the years, Nigel Starmer-Smith has commentated on Rugby Union for both the BBC and ITV. Capped seven times for England as a scrum-half, Nigel's early commentating career was somewhat overshadowed by the late great Bill McLaren. In addition to his work on Rugby, Nigel has also commentated on Olympic hockey, the version played on grass not ice.

Answer: Horse Racing

A household name in his beloved Ireland, Michael O'Hehir was also greatly admired throughout the rest of the British Isles. For almost half a century, O'Hehir covered Gaelic football, hurling as well as horse racing. In the United Kingdom, he became an integral component as part of the commentary team covering the Grand National. Michael O'Hehir did not restrict his talents to sport, in 1963 he covered the historic visit of President Kennedy to Ireland.

A short time later that year, sadly he reported on the funeral of JFK, an event that he described as the most demanding commentary of his career.

Answer: Ice Hockey & Swimming

In a media career that spanned over 45 years, Alan Weeks covered over 30 different types of sports for the BBC. His first and abiding love was ice hockey, however his knowledge of swimming and many other Olympic events was astonishing. nicknamed The Gold Medal Commentator, as he always seemed to be covering the iconic performances that captured the nation's imagination during the Olympics.

He commentated when Duncan Goodhew and David Wilkie won swimming gold medals and when skaters Robin Cousins, John Curry, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean emulated their aquatic contemporaries.

Answer: Soccer

Archie MacPherson began his media career back in 1969 with BBC Scotland. The one time headmaster of a primary school, rapidly became a household name throughout Scotland and later the whole of the UK. Indeed MacPherson has not always been tethered to his native countries football fortunes, he has presented sports shows from London and latterly in his career worked for Eurosport.

Answer: Soccer

A commentating legend North of the Border, Arthur Montford reported on Scottish football on television for over 30 years. It is hard to determine if Arthur is better remembered for his garish checked sports jackets, or his array of vivid memorable expressions. He was often heard to exclaim such graphic uttering's as; 'Disaster for Scotland', 'up go the heads' and his piece de resistance 'what a stramash'.

Answer: Boxing

Reg Gutteridge was to ITV as Harry Carpenter was to BBC, simply their voice of boxing. Reg came from a London family steeped in the traditions of the noble art. As a result of having a leg amputated during the D-Day landings of 1944, Reg was unable to continue his fledgling boxing career.

He turned to writing about the sport in the London Evening News, then in 1962 he embarked on a 30 years commentating association with ITV. Although boxing was his abiding passion, he was versatile enough to commentate on events as diverse as greyhound racing and tug o' war.

Answer: Soccer

Although it is the television commentary that is best remembered when England won the World Cup in 1966, millions of football fans around the World, would have been tuned into Brian Moore's BBC radio commentary. Moore who was a director of his home town club Gillingham FC, where he has a stand named after him, worked both for the BBC and ITV. Maybe fittingly, the man who had commentated on England's greatest ever football moment in 1966, died in 2001, on the same day that England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich.

Answer: Show Jumping

Dorian Williams introduced the drama of show jumping to a mass television audience in the 1960s. Along with fellow commentator Raymond Brooks-Ward, they successfully managed to promote the perceived elitist event to the general television viewing public. As well as his television work, Williams was a successful author, writing for both children and adults. The Wendy series of books was for the younger reader, whilst publications such as Pancho and Kingdom for a Horse were targeted at a more mature market.

Answer: Golf

Not the stereotypical sports commentator, Henry Longhurst was briefly elected Conservative Member of Parliament, representing Acton in West London from 1943 until 1945. A journalist with the Sunday Times for over 30 years, Longhurst became a household name in Britain whilst commentating for the BBC from the late 1950s until his death in 1978.

A keen televised football supporter, Henry did not appear to appreciate the verbal endeavors of his commentating contemparies. Indeed, he was on record as stating, that he would watch the games with the sound turned down.