Being a child of the 1970s, I can’t say I had ever heard of BBC sports commentator Raymond Carl Glendenning.
Born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, on the 25th of September 1907, to Samuel and Mathilde, he was educated at Newport High School before graduating from the University of London.
In the UK, televisions were something of a rarity until the early 1960s, so Glendenning’s career with the BBC was predominantly via radio. However, there are a few YouTube videos of him providing commentary on the Grand National of 1940, when Bogskar prevailed. Most of these early motion pictures came from British Pathé.
He looked like a dapper fellow with slick Brylcreemed hair, a handlebar moustache, and horn-rimmed glasses. By today’s standards, he had a posh accent, traditional of the presenters of that time, spoken with perfect diction and tone. As described by some, he had a “fast-paced, excitable, somewhat plummy broadcasting style.”
Initially, he was employed by BBC Radio as an organiser for Children’s Hour in 1932.
Three years later, he moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland, as an outside broadcast assistant, commentating on local sporting events.
With the start of WWII on 1st September 1939, Glendenning moved to London to join national outside broadcasting. By the end of the war (1945), he was the BBC’s leading sports commentator.
Sports he covered:
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FA Cup Finals (1946 – 1963)
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Show Jumping, London Olympics (1948)
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Domestic and International Football
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World Cup (1962)
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Boxing
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Horse Racing (until 1960)
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Wimbledon Tennis
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Greyhound Racing
His popularity led to his name being used for a number of sports books.
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Raymond Glendenning’s Book of Sport for Boys (1950) by Sportsguide Publications. The series ran from 1950 to 1962.
Another publication co-authored with Robert Bateman was called The Sportsman’s Who’s Who (1957).
Outside of sports, Glendenning was a Freemason. He had an interest in acting and had a number of credits, including:
(Character actor):
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Sking for Trouble (1942)
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Sussex Fortnight (1950)
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The Galloping Major (1951)
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Derby Day (1952)
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Dry Rot (1955)
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Make Mine a Million (1959)
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The Iron Maiden (1962)
Glendenning retired from sports commentating in 1964.
Sadly, he passed away on the 23rd of February 1974 from a heart attack at the age of 66.
He remains a memorable voice in sports broadcasting.