What a treat it was to hear that voice again.
Having turned the television on, a familiar crackle filled the air. Sky Sport's Stephen McIvor was interviewing Des White, the legendary Kiwi rugby league fullback.
Memories quickly flooded back.
White was the Kiwi fullback of the 1950s, and the holder of a test goalkicking record.
But to a child of the 1970s, a sports-mad radio-tuned child that is, he was the voice of Carlaw Park, the rickety home of rugby league.
I was reminded about the joy of radio commentaries recently, listening on the car radio to Allen McLaughlin's call of the Warriors' clash against the Roosters.
It was a rare sporting venture away from the goggle box, and highly enjoyable.
The crowd is a much more integral and intimate part of proceedings, via radio calls. I'm going to shun the box now and then, and tune into radio.
White was, to my mind, the king of the sports commentators in the 1970s, a man with a bit of gravel in the voice and the ability to shovel in a load more stones when the action got hot.
He could paint a picture, and didn't mind laying the brushstrokes on thick. He didn't shy away from calling the biffo either, and there was a bit about in those days. The memory tells me that he loved inserting make-believe statements by the players during matches to help relay the plot.
Radio was prominent in our house, because we didn't have television. But live television coverage of sport was still fairly limited in the 1970s anyway.
For my pocket money, the other stellar Auckland sports caller of the day was Alan Richards, who covered soccer and cricket. Richards had many qualities, including a tactical know-how and a slightly grumpy tone especially when the combatants were getting it wrong to his mind. Marvellous stuff, and a lesson in critical observation.
Des White was always the favourite though, the king of Sunday listening.
It was wonderful to hear the 82-year-old White, with anecdotes from the crazy old days still flowing.
So, a thanks to Des White. He introduced at least one young listener to the world of rugby league, made it vibrant and fascinating, and I still adore the game to this day.
You can't pay a commentator a better compliment than that.
League: White brought colour to call
Des White. Photo / Bradley Ambrose.
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