As Thar will most definitely Never be another Murray…
Although I know it means absolutely Nothing, as
where did I read about making too much
out of CoInky-desnses? But I found it pretty amusing how thoust Seas ‘O Synchronicity
Splashed over Mwah late Saturday evening, as I’d just finished a most amazing
book titled Spearhead: An American Tank gunner, The Enemy and A Collision of
Lives in World War II by Adam Makos before Settlin’ Down to do my nightly News
Trawl and as ‘Ol Kenny Sargent of Speed freaks would say, BAM!
As I’d either forgotten or didn’t know that Murray Walker was a Tank
Commander during World War II and involved in the Battle of The Bulge, a
lifetime before he became the BBC’s F1 Anchor at the age of 54.
And thinking of Murray, who I never got to hear
call an entire Formula 1 race to the best of my recollection, although may be
there was the Odd one or two thrown in somewhere along the way, thinking how a
few BBC F1 Broadcasts got Piped onto U.S. Airwaves Since I believe this will be
my 36th season of Formula 1, but I digress…
Murray made me think of our past F1 Announcers
Stateside, which for Mwah, Bob Varsha will always be my Numero Uno Announcer,
with Leigh Diffey during a admiral job of filling such large Sneakers! Having
now pivoted to Kroftie’, aka David Kroft and his “Sidekick” Martin Billybob’
Brundle.
Versus the lack of stability, or IndyCar’s never
ending cast of revolving characters Stateside for Indy Cars, which Varsha once
again get’s my nod for P1, even if I grew up listening to Paul Page “Uncle Bobby”
(Unser) and Sam Posey.
Whilst another of my favourites was Bob
Jenkins, who I first heard calling NASCAR races. As I know we All hope for Bob
to pull thru his current bout with Brain Cancer!
With other less memorable Announcers running
the Gambit from Mike Yippee Kai A! King, Todd Harris, Eddie The Mouth! Cheever,
Scott Somonex’ Goodyear and Marty Reid.
As I absolutely Cracked Up listening to some of Walkers Murrayisms’,
like there’s a glowing fire behind the Ferrari to which Walker’s Wingman, 1976
F1 World Champion James Hunt said dryly, No Murray, that’s the Ferrari’s rear
warning light!
Or Murray noting a relatively young Ralf
Schumacher getting passed by the youthful teenager Jenson Button who’s 20! With
other gems like There’s seven Monaco Grand Prix winners on the Grid and four of
them are Michael Schumacher.
As I never minded Marty Reid, and it just
seemed like a really bad excuse when ABC Canned Him over his calling and
IndyCar winner one lap too early, since I cannot even remember who replaced
him? And it always seemed like the Network was simply trying to cut Costs.
Since Leigh Diffey’s done the exact same thing
during an IMSA Sports Car race, since I recall Booth Mate Calvin Fish teasing
him about that during a different race, which means it just depends upon the
Announcers Overall personality and how much the Audience likes them. Since part
of Murray’s indelible Charm was his Witticisms, along with cheerfully Overlooking
his many mistakes because he was so passionate about the sport of Formula 1…
And Murray’s passing just seems like one more Hammerblow regarding the state of today’s television coverage ofOpen Wheel Racing’s Demise and how Any Tom, Dick or Harry can do a Gory Live Streaming Infomercial these Days. As will anybody care about Motorsports on TV in the future?
