Murray Walker's Chequered Flag Site

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=828222" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0898dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <B>Murray Walker's Chequered Flag Site </b></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0a628260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a828260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0a928260.gif" border=0 width="40" height="38" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0898dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Welcome to Murray Walker's Chequered Flag Site!</b></I></div> <div>                                    <IMG SRC="09a45d60.jpg" border=0 width="325" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     </div> <bR> <div> <B>"The Voice" is Retiring........</b></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0ab28690.jpg" border=0 width="296" height="361" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Well, it had to happen eventually - Murray Walker, who for years has been "The Voice" of Formula 1 commentary to millions of people worldwide, has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2001 season. For some of us, Murray is the one constant that we have had over all the years we have watched F1, and it's somehow difficult to imagine a race without him. But, as Murray once said of his career: "You don't want to stop the year after everyone says you've lost the plot!" Here's to a timely and graceful exit, Murray!</div> <bR> <div> So, we decided to create this site as a little tribute to "Muddly Talker", and we hope that you will join us in boding him.... er, no, that would be <I>bidding</I> him farewell with peugeot.... um, panis..... oh dear, withwithwithwith <I>panache!</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Story</b></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0d02ce20.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="226" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Murray Walker was born in 1923, the son of motorcycle champion Graham Walker. In his early years Murray displayed little interest in his father's career, as he himself says: "My dad rode motorcycles for a living and I wasn't turned on by it.". After retiring from racing in 1935 Graham started commentating, but Murray wasn't to follow in his father's footsteps for a while yet.</div> <bR> <div> Captain Murray Walker served in the Royal Scots Greys during his time in the army, and spent time during WW2 in both Germany and Holland. In 1946 he got special leave from the army to go to the Manx Grand Prix - this event marked the real start of his racing career. However, Murray felt that he was "good, but not good enough", and decided to focus on his business career instead.</div> <bR> <div> The world of motor racing still held an attraction, though, and it was an organizational hitch at Shelsley Walsh that gave Murray his first real commentating break. There was no-one to do the public address, and Graham Walker suggested that his son do the job. Murray proceeded to do the PA in radio-commentary style, which was a great success and resulted in him being contracted by the BBC for numerous events. Among these were races at Goodwood, Silverstone and Isle of Man. In 1949 Murray was second commentator at the British Grand Prix, alongside Max Robertson, a renowned tennis commentator.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0a4b6f00.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="240" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">Motorsport commentary remained a weekend occupation for Murray as he built his successful advertising career, working for clients like Dunlop and Beecham. But he was already becoming well known for his "Murrayisms", and BBCtv's Sportsnight regularly had requests from viewers for segments of Murray's commentaries. </div> <bR> <div> In 1978, the BBC started broadcasting all 16 Formula 1 Grand Prix, and who better to host the show "Grand Prix" than Murray Walker! In the more than 20 years since then, Murray has seen co-hosts come and go, including James Hunt, Jonathan Palmer and Mark Blundell, and is currently teamed with Martin Brundle. <IMG SRC="0ce5e720.jpg" border=0 width="94" height="114" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">This is an excellent combination, with Martin regularly (and calmly) correcting Murray's bloopers, and occasionally making a few of his own! Murray must be training him well.........</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Rest of the Site</b></div> <bR> <div> No Murray Walker site would be complete without Murrayisms! We also have a page where you can leave a message or tribute for Murray during his last year - we want to collect as many as possible, so please contribute! Keep checking the Race by Race page for new Murrayisms during 2001, and don't forget to have a look at our favourite links. And when you've finished looking around, sign our guestbook. We would love to know what you think!</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Murrayisms"><U>Murrayisms</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Messages to Murray"><U>Messages to Murray</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Murray: Race by Race 2001"><U>Murray: Race by Race 2001</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guestbook"><U>Guestbook</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us!"><U>Contact Us!</U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>You are Visitor No:</b></I></div> <div>                                                    <center> <img src=http://counters.honesty.com/cgi-bin/honesty-counter.cgi?df=gen.0729906.00001><br> <font size=-1>Free counters provided by <a href=http://www.honesty.com>Honesty.com</a>.<br></font> </center>  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>