- Raymond Glendenning
Raymond Glendenning (
September 25 ,1907 -February 23 ,1974 ) was aBBC radio sportscommentator .Early years
He was educated at Newport High School,
Newport ,Monmouthshire , and theUniversity of London . He worked briefly as achartered accountant before joining theBBC as an organiser onChildren's Hour inCardiff in 1932.Pre-war and wartime career
In 1935 he moved to
Belfast as anoutside broadcast s assistant, and began commentating on local sporting events on the BBC'sNorthern Ireland service. In 1939 he moved toLondon and joined the national outside broadcasts staff, becoming assistant director in 1942. By this time he was commentating on many major sporting events, and by the end of theSecond World War was the BBC's leading sports commentator.Post-war career
He covered the
FA Cup Final every year from 1946 to 1963. He also commentated on the 1962 World Cup and regularly on domestic and international football matches. Glendenning also commentated regularly onboxing , onhorse racing (until the end of 1960) and Wimbledontennis , as well as coveringgreyhound racing , andshow jumping in the 1948 London Olympics.Manner & appearance
He was noted for his horn-rimmed glasses, his
handlebar moustache and for his fast-paced, excitable, somewhat plummy broadcasting style, which now sounds dated but is evocative of the time. He was a popular public figure, lending his name to a number of sports books, mostly aimed atboys .Broadcasting retirement
He gave up sports commentary in the early months of 1964, and spent the rest of his working life with
Elga Products Limited .
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.