This probably won't mean much to most here, but to generations of British, Australian & other audiences 'whispering' Ted Lowe was the voice of snooker. He was an integral part of 'Pot Black' a TV show that took snooker from relative obscurity to ratings smash & made household names of people like Eddie Charlton (whose haircut was stuck in 1955), young redheaded Steve Davis & Dennis Taylor, with those unforgettable glasses made especially for snooker. I recall as a kid watching 'Pot Black' with my dad & grandad. From the moment you heard Scott Joplin's 'the entertainer' come on (theme music) a hush descended over the room.
Ted Lowe was the professional's professional. Too many modern day commentators seem to think that the broadcast is about them. 'Whispering Ted' knew that it was the sport that mattered. Indeed, his nickname derived from the need to keep noise to a minimum during a snooker game. Despite this, he managed to inject excitement into a sport that some would say is not inherently exciting. Even more remarkable, 'Pot Black' topped the ratings at a time when perhaps the majority of the audience had black & white TVs. It is a lasting tribute to the skil of the man that he could make a sport so reliant on colour come alive on a monochromatic medium.
Along with Cricket's John Arlott he was one of the masters of sports commentary & quintessentially English. We will not see their like again.
You don't need to watch all of this clip, but just a bit will convey the skill of the man.
Ted Lowe was the professional's professional. Too many modern day commentators seem to think that the broadcast is about them. 'Whispering Ted' knew that it was the sport that mattered. Indeed, his nickname derived from the need to keep noise to a minimum during a snooker game. Despite this, he managed to inject excitement into a sport that some would say is not inherently exciting. Even more remarkable, 'Pot Black' topped the ratings at a time when perhaps the majority of the audience had black & white TVs. It is a lasting tribute to the skil of the man that he could make a sport so reliant on colour come alive on a monochromatic medium.
Along with Cricket's John Arlott he was one of the masters of sports commentary & quintessentially English. We will not see their like again.
You don't need to watch all of this clip, but just a bit will convey the skill of the man.
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