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The Voice of Rugby : My Autobiography
In this title, Bill McLaren talks poignantly about his entire life, focusing on his 50 years as chief rugby commentator for the BBC.
- GenresBiography
329 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2004
7 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Bill McLaren
11 books2 followersBill 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.
In his teenage years, McLaren grew up to be a useful flank forward. He would later play for Hawick RFC.
He served with the Royal Artillery in Italy during the Second World War, 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.
He played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap before contracting tuberculosis. The disease nearly killed him and forced him to give up playing. He spent 19 months in a sanatorium in East Fortune (East Lothian), where he was given an experimental drug, streptomycin, which saved his life. However, of the five patients given the drug, only two survived. While in the hospital, he began his broadcasting career, by commenting on table tennis games on the hospital radio.
McLaren studied Physical Education in Aberdeen, and went on to teach PE in different schools throughout Scotland right through to 1987. He coached several Hawick youngsters who went on to play for Scotland, including Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.
McLaren's journalistic career started as a junior reporter with the Hawick Express. In 1953, he made his national debut for BBC Radio, covering Scotland's 12–0 loss to Wales.[2] He switched to television commentary six years later. 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).
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.
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" 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.
In later life, McLaren contracted Alzheimer's; he had been renowned for his excellent memory.
McLaren was married to Bette, with whom he had two daughters Linda (born 1952) and Janie (born 1954, died 2000). He has two famous sons-in-law, Linda married former Scotland rugby scrum half Alan Lawson and Janie married horse racing commentator Derek Thompson. They had five grandchildren, 3 through Linda, Scotland scrum-half and Gloucester player Rory, Morphsuits co-founder and former Scotland 7s player Gregor and a daughter Lindsay. Then 2 through Janie, former Edinburgh and Scotland 7s player Jim Thompson and other son Alex.
McLaren died on 19 January 2010 at the age of 86 in his home town of Hawick. His funeral took place on 25 January at Teviot Church in Hawick, followed by a private burial at the town's Wellogate Cemetery after his hearse was applauded through the town of Hawick by hund
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.
In his teenage years, McLaren grew up to be a useful flank forward. He would later play for Hawick RFC.
He served with the Royal Artillery in Italy during the Second World War, 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.
He played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap before contracting tuberculosis. The disease nearly killed him and forced him to give up playing. He spent 19 months in a sanatorium in East Fortune (East Lothian), where he was given an experimental drug, streptomycin, which saved his life. However, of the five patients given the drug, only two survived. While in the hospital, he began his broadcasting career, by commenting on table tennis games on the hospital radio.
McLaren studied Physical Education in Aberdeen, and went on to teach PE in different schools throughout Scotland right through to 1987. He coached several Hawick youngsters who went on to play for Scotland, including Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.
McLaren's journalistic career started as a junior reporter with the Hawick Express. In 1953, he made his national debut for BBC Radio, covering Scotland's 12–0 loss to Wales.[2] He switched to television commentary six years later. 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).
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.
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" 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.
In later life, McLaren contracted Alzheimer's; he had been renowned for his excellent memory.
McLaren was married to Bette, with whom he had two daughters Linda (born 1952) and Janie (born 1954, died 2000). He has two famous sons-in-law, Linda married former Scotland rugby scrum half Alan Lawson and Janie married horse racing commentator Derek Thompson. They had five grandchildren, 3 through Linda, Scotland scrum-half and Gloucester player Rory, Morphsuits co-founder and former Scotland 7s player Gregor and a daughter Lindsay. Then 2 through Janie, former Edinburgh and Scotland 7s player Jim Thompson and other son Alex.
McLaren died on 19 January 2010 at the age of 86 in his home town of Hawick. His funeral took place on 25 January at Teviot Church in Hawick, followed by a private burial at the town's Wellogate Cemetery after his hearse was applauded through the town of Hawick by hund
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 9, 2021
Having grown up absolutely obsessed with rugby; in a house full of rugby videos (showing my age) and rugby memorabilia, this book was absolutely incredible.
It was so nice to hear a man who was so dedicated to his sport and his trade. He has an obvious love for rugby, but also (and most importantly) his family. The way in which he writes about a member of his family becoming ill, is genuinely heartbreaking. You can hear the grief in his words.
This is certainly for a rugby fan of a certain era; an era that appreciated the man behind the microphone and the man who is obsessed with getting his trade right.
I’m honoured to have seen some of his work and therefore the finite detail that he goes into with his notes on players. To read about the hours that actually went into producing these was incredible.
He will remain a sad loss to the rugby community to which he has given so much.
If you enjoyed hearing his voice on a Saturday afternoon, then this book is definitely for you.
It was so nice to hear a man who was so dedicated to his sport and his trade. He has an obvious love for rugby, but also (and most importantly) his family. The way in which he writes about a member of his family becoming ill, is genuinely heartbreaking. You can hear the grief in his words.
This is certainly for a rugby fan of a certain era; an era that appreciated the man behind the microphone and the man who is obsessed with getting his trade right.
I’m honoured to have seen some of his work and therefore the finite detail that he goes into with his notes on players. To read about the hours that actually went into producing these was incredible.
He will remain a sad loss to the rugby community to which he has given so much.
If you enjoyed hearing his voice on a Saturday afternoon, then this book is definitely for you.
December 22, 2020
Interesting book, particularly his war experiences and two tears stricken with TB in a sanatorium until rescued by streptomycin. Clearly a strong family man wedded to his home town of Hawick. Written when he was 81, his rugby memories and views are pretty nostalgic.
January 20, 2021
Excellent
April 5, 2022
what a great book, Bill was and is the voice of rugby for me
he was the worlds best commentator and it was great getting to know more about him
he was the worlds best commentator and it was great getting to know more about him
August 28, 2012
This was the voice of rugby with a load of wonderful memories to read. But sadly it was also too full of whining about the modern game. Some observations were relevant but others came across as a rather sad and grumpy bloke in the stand.
April 29, 2015
Hawick teacher who overcame Tb to become one of the most respected figures in rugby
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews