William Pollock "Bill" McLaren CBE (16 October 1923 – 19 January 2010) was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as 'the voice of rugby'.[1] Renowned throughout the sport, his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many.[2]
As a young boy, he was steeped in local rugby stories:
He served with the Royal Artillery in Italy during the Second World War,[1] including the Battle of Monte Cassino. He was used as a forward spotter, and on one occasion was confronted by a mound of 1,500 corpses in an Italian churchyard, an unpleasant experience which never left him.[4][5]
He played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap before contracting tuberculosis. The diseases nearly killed him and forced him to give up playing.[1] He spent 19 months in a sanatorium in East Fortune (East Lothian), where he was given an experimental drug, Streptomycin, which saved his life.[1] However, of the five patients given the drug, only two survived.[4] While in the hospital, he began his broadcasting career, by commenting on table tennis games on the hospital radio.[4]
McLaren's journalistic career started as a junior reporter with the Hawick Express.[1] In 1953, he made his national debut for BBC Radio, covering Scotland's 12–0 loss to Wales.[1] He switched to television commentary six years later.[1] McLaren was one of many post-war commentators who progressed from commentating on BBC Radio to BBC Television during the infancy of television broadcasting in the UK. These included Murray Walker (motor racing/Formula One), Peter O'Sullevan (horse racing), Harry Carpenter (boxing and rowing), Dan Maskell (tennis), David Coleman (athletics), Peter Alliss (golf) and John Arlott (cricket).[1]
Recognition of his services came in November 2001, when he became the first non-international to be inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. He was awarded an MBE in 1992, an OBE in 1995 and a CBE in the 2003 honours list. A Facebook group, backed by over 6,000 members, was campaigning to gain a knighthood for McLaren. [6]
McLaren also featured as a commentator on the video games Jonah Lomu Rugby and EA Rugby 2001, and also did voice work for Telewest Communications.
During his final commentary, Wales v Scotland in 2002, the crowd sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"[7] and one Welsh supporter displayed a banner claiming "Bill McLaren is Welsh".
After retirement, McLaren wrote the book Rugby's Great Heroes and Entertainers in 2003.[8]
In later life, McLaren contracted Alzheimer's, a tragedy for someone renowned for his excellent memory.[9]
Early life
McLaren was born in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, in 1923 to a knitwear salesman from Loch Lomond-side who had moved down to the area.As a young boy, he was steeped in local rugby stories:
- "I was brought up on stories of the great Scottish players of the twenties, many of whom I never saw play but knew all about... I used to go with my father to see matches at a very early age, the great Hawick heroes including Willie Welsh, Jock Beattie and Jerry Foster, so I had an all-consuming desire to wear the green jersey of Hawick."[3]
He served with the Royal Artillery in Italy during the Second World War,[1] including the Battle of Monte Cassino. He was used as a forward spotter, and on one occasion was confronted by a mound of 1,500 corpses in an Italian churchyard, an unpleasant experience which never left him.[4][5]
He played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap before contracting tuberculosis. The diseases nearly killed him and forced him to give up playing.[1] He spent 19 months in a sanatorium in East Fortune (East Lothian), where he was given an experimental drug, Streptomycin, which saved his life.[1] However, of the five patients given the drug, only two survived.[4] While in the hospital, he began his broadcasting career, by commenting on table tennis games on the hospital radio.[4]
Career
McLaren studied Physical Education in Aberdeen, and went on to teach PE in different schools throughout Scotland right through to 1987.[1] He coached several Hawick youngsters who went on to play for Scotland, including Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.[1]McLaren's journalistic career started as a junior reporter with the Hawick Express.[1] In 1953, he made his national debut for BBC Radio, covering Scotland's 12–0 loss to Wales.[1] He switched to television commentary six years later.[1] McLaren was one of many post-war commentators who progressed from commentating on BBC Radio to BBC Television during the infancy of television broadcasting in the UK. These included Murray Walker (motor racing/Formula One), Peter O'Sullevan (horse racing), Harry Carpenter (boxing and rowing), Dan Maskell (tennis), David Coleman (athletics), Peter Alliss (golf) and John Arlott (cricket).[1]
Recognition of his services came in November 2001, when he became the first non-international to be inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. He was awarded an MBE in 1992, an OBE in 1995 and a CBE in the 2003 honours list. A Facebook group, backed by over 6,000 members, was campaigning to gain a knighthood for McLaren. [6]
McLaren also featured as a commentator on the video games Jonah Lomu Rugby and EA Rugby 2001, and also did voice work for Telewest Communications.
During his final commentary, Wales v Scotland in 2002, the crowd sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"[7] and one Welsh supporter displayed a banner claiming "Bill McLaren is Welsh".
After retirement, McLaren wrote the book Rugby's Great Heroes and Entertainers in 2003.[8]
In later life, McLaren contracted Alzheimer's, a tragedy for someone renowned for his excellent memory.[9]
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