The R.I.P. Thread

[arklowolf]

Tough as old boots. What a man. R.I.P. Brian Close.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

A big influence on Ian Botham in his early years. Before my time but without doubt hard as nails.

 

[ROVERT47]

I remember the pictures of him stripped to the waist covered in bruises and having a fag after facing the West Indies at their most fearsome.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

I remember the pictures of him stripped to the waist covered in bruises and having a fag after facing the West Indies at their most fearsome.

I recall seeing those photographs. He looked like he had gone 10 rounds with a prize fighter. Didn't he also get dropped by Yorkshire for deliberately slowing the over rate down.

 

[Sniffer]

The BBC have put up an over he faced from Michael Holding which is frighteningly quick. One ball looked inches off from killing him!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/34244256

 

[FrankMunro-371]

"Whispering Death" must have been a fearsome sight as he ran in to bowl. In that over that Brian Close faced on the video, Close could have been seriously injured. Holding got warned, but I do not think he was bothered about.

 

[darlowolf64]

I remember the pictures of him stripped to the waist covered in bruises and having a fag after facing the West Indies at their most fearsome.

 

[Tony Towner]

I think that was from the 76 series when Tony Greig said we would make them grovel. Coming from a South African at that time it's fair to say the Windies were wound up. Close was 46 then, to try and give some sort of perspective Michael Atherton is now 47

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Frightening, isn't it. Colin Cowdrey also faced Lillee/Thomson at their fiercest when he was in his mid 40s I believe.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I watched the footage again today. Blimey, whispering death was utterly terrifying. It was 75 I think, but still a very hot summer, and Old Trafford was like playing on concrete.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

I watched the footage again today. Blimey, whispering death was utterly terrifying. It was 75 I think, but still a very hot summer, and Old Trafford was like playing on concrete.

He was nearly at the boundary rope when he started that run up. A batsman had a long time to prepare for what was coming. And back then the batsmen wore very little protection.

 

[machin05]

...back then the batsmen wore very little protection.

And their office clothes, by the looks of it!

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Best selling British author Jackie Colin's has died of breast cancer. While her books were not really my cup of tea, millions of people bought and read her books.

RIP Jackie Collins

 

[PPB]

' PPB '

Not actually dead, but just put to bed.

 

[PPB]

' PPB '

Not actually dead, but just put to bed.

She's out of bed and talking drivel again

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

RIP Dennis Healey. A massive figure in Labour politics. A true leviathan of the labour movement.

 

[ROVERT47]

RIP, who knows what might have happened if he hadn't lost out to Micheal Foot in the early eighties, a fine man and a cracking pair of eyebrows.

 

[Parkins left foot]

A real heavyweight of the Labour movement at that time - why they chose Foot over him only they will know

 

[ROVERT47]

A real heavyweight of the Labour movement at that time - why they chose Foot over him only they will know

Because, like now, the Labour Party were going through one of their Wolfie Smith, clenched fist 'right on brother' periods.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

R.I.P. Dennis Healy. A true giant of politics in the 60's and 70's. I may not have always agreed with what he said, but I always respected him. He should have been leader of the Labour Party.