Celebrity Deaths 2019

Things
744

Bob Willis, ex England fast bowler and long time Sky Sports cricket commentator / pundit.

745

Ah shite. I liked him and his understated, non-gruff gruffness.

1 Like
746

That news has hit me for six.

6 Likes
747

He looked shook the last time I saw him on telly recently.

748

Bob came across as a thoroughly alright sort. RIP

1 Like
749

Bob had a lovely line when Ireland beat Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup: “For Croke Park read Sabina Park”

Or was it “for Sabina Park read Croke Park”, I can’t remember, but whichever way around he said it, it was a great line and made me feel how Brian Carthy must feel when a Scottish journalist says to him live on air that hurling is a great sport and he was thoroughly impressed by it

The way Bob would lacksadaisacally run up and get batsmen out cheaply was reminiscent of hurling goalhanger/hatcher extraordinaire Seanie O’Leary, not in any obvious way in that they were actually completely different because they played different sports, but if there was such a thing as a street hurler, O’Leary was it, and if there was such a thing as a street fast bowler, Bob Willis was it

Bob had a lovely laconic way about him

2 Likes
750

Terrible news. One of my all time favourite England cricketers and commentators. I’m going to take a few hours out to watch Headingley 1981 again and Bob’s heroics.

2 Likes
751

Paul Hogan’s speech at the ‘86 Oscars :clap::clap:

752

What’s your views on Jeff boycott

753

I expect a dull response like ‘who is Jeff boycott’ here

754

You could expect a dull response in general.

755

Former Carlow hurler Jeff Boycott or the wife beater?

4 Likes
756

Charles Colville in bits there.

757

He was a big Bob Dylan fan

758

Was Willis sick for a while? One of the few Cricket commenters I respected. The Verdict on Sky Sports was always a must watch when Bob was in studio.

759

Sky said he had a long-standing illness. He’s been very thin and gaunt-looking for ages but was still a regular on air and I don’t know what his sickness was.

760

He was fighting prostate cancer for about three years.

761

Watching some clips of the great Bob Willis here. :cry::joy:

1 Like
762

Disgraced lapsed poster @GeoffreyBoycott writing in the telegraph today quite rightly points out Bothams Ashes wouldn’t even exist but for Bob Willis.

763

RenĂŠ Auberjonois, aka Odo on DS9, RIP

1 Like