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#1 Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:38 pm
by PeterCrespin
“Oh dear oh dear. That’s a black flag for Walker, who was going so well until that incident. And look at that! - He’s smiling as he enters pit lane for the very last time after what has been, by any measure, an absolutely stellar career in motorsport on two wheels and four. Look at the crowd waving him on! Remarkable, really quite remarkable!”

RIP Murray Walker

o

#2 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:46 pm
by politeperson
97 years old.

And they say Motorsport is dangerous.

RIP MW.

#3 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:15 pm
by Fuel.inj
R.I.P Murray. A legend of motorsport broadcasting.

#4 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:29 pm
by rswaffie
Very sad. Such a nice man - bumped into him in the paddock one year at the Revival, he was so enthusiastic about the cars and racing. Signed my programme as well. Also got Jackie Stewart & Derek Bell to sign the same copy.

#5 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:44 pm
by Gfhug
He always had such enthusiasm for the sport he loved. I’m looking forward to an extra special programme or two to remember him by. RIP Murray Walker.

Geoff

#6 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 9:15 pm
by Nick V12 e type
My first Good Revival was 2008, a fabulous weekend with friends. I stayed at The Goodwood Hotel. One of the highlights was Murray Walker and Stirling Moss chatting while having breakfast together at the table next to mine. It felt surreal. They were then two elderly gentleman, obviously old pals, enjoying time together.

RIP Murray Walker

#7 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:02 pm
by SEJohnson95
I was just a little too young to properly remember his commentary unfortunately. After watching a few races when I was tiny, I distinctly remember following the 2003 F1 season, but that was 2 years after he retired.

Certainly remember his voice from every historic race, and all the charms and turns of phrase that came with him!

Incredible to think he saw Nuvolari and the pre-war Auto Unions at Donington, Fangio, Clark, Senna, Schumacher and EVERYTHING and everyone since. The first British Grand Prix, the lot. What a career, life and experience. Met a few drivers/commentators in my various Grand Prix weekends, but would love to have met him.

Formula One won't feel quite the same knowing that Murray isn't around and watching :sad:

#8 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:37 pm
by christopher storey
RIP Murray Walker . It brings to an end his family connection with motor sport from almost its earliest days, because his father, Graham Walker, was for decades the editor of ( I think ) Motorcycling News, and during the Second World War went to enormous lengths to keep prisoners of war in touch with the world of motorcycling

#9 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 1:01 am
by PeterCrespin
Almost, Christopher. Motor Cycle and then Motorcycle News were the two postwar weekly newspapers that I started reading in 1969. Pre-war it was The Motor Cycle and Motorcycling. I can never remember which was which, or which one Graham Walker (an ex TT racer) edited but they were known by the colour of their mastheads as "The Blue 'un" and "The Green'un"

Murray did a lot of commentating on bikes in the weekend BBC Grandstand Trophy scrambles races, with the likes of Jeff Smith, Dave Bickers, Vic Eastwood etc. Yes, really, the BBC sponsored noisy smelly motorcycles driven by working class heroes in weekend prime time! Swoon! Then it was the various World Championship bike classes including Barry Sheene in the blue Ribband 500 class. One year (76 or 77?) when Hunt The Shunt won, we even had British world champions in F1 and 500cc Gran Prix racing. Cor Blimey!

He was actually quite high up in McCann Eriksson or Ogilvy&Mather - one of the big ad agencies anyway.

#10 Re: Black flag, or half mast?

Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 9:40 am
by malcolm
Great guy, not another like him today in his field.