With the retirement of 'The Voice' Russ Bray, who are the most legendary voices in sports?

Russ Bray retires
'180'
Central figure
‘I have been very, very lucky’
'Voices of sport'
Howard Cosell
Changing the game
John Motson
'Hand of God'
Murray Walker
Energetic voice
Richie Benaud
Calm and insightful
Marv Albert
Hall of Fame
What the best do
Russ Bray retires

On January 3rd this year, the 'Voice of Darts' Russ Bray called his 28th and final darts World Championship final between Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

'180'

The 66-year-old has become one of the most imitated people in sports history due to his trademark '180' and 'game on' in his loud and gruff voice.

Central figure

Bray became a referee in 1996 and has become a central figure in bringing darts to the mainstream in the 21st century.

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‘I have been very, very lucky’

According to dailymail.co.uk, Bray said: "I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different, so it makes it obvious. People walk down the street and shout, 'Game on' or '180,' and it's lovely."

'Voices of sport'

Bray has become a voice that has captured the hearts of the sporting public in the last 25 years, but which other 'voices of sport' have given a lasting legacy?

Howard Cosell

Between the 1950s and 1980s, American sportscaster Howard Cosell called some of the biggest boxing fights, the NFL, and the Olympics and famously said 'Down goes Frazier' in the heavyweight fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman.

Changing the game

Cosell rose to prominence as the first white sportscaster to back black athletes, most notably supporting Mohammed Ali in his career. The American changed the sportscasting game, moving from color commentary to lively play-by-play commentary.

John Motson

John Motson, or Motty as he is better known, is the most recognizable voice in football, covering over 2000 games for the BBC after starting his career in 1968 and retiring in 2018.

'Hand of God'

His distinctive voice of enthusiasm has seen him cover Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal and the famous 1979 and 1988 FA Cup finals. Motson has been awarded an OBE and is recognized as the voice of football.

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Murray Walker

Murray Walker is the voice of Formula One and is the most famous and beloved Formula One commentator. He started his career in 1948 and finished in 2001. He covered over 500 races for BBC and ITV.

Energetic voice

Known for his high-pitched, energetic, and passionate style, Walker is remembered for legendary commentary when Nigel Mansell's tire exploded. Walker was awarded an OBE and gave an emotional speech at his last race in 2001.

Richie Benaud

Richie Benaud is the most influential and respected cricket commentator in history, covering over 500 Test matches and 1000 One Day Internationals for the BBC and Channel 4.

Calm and insightful

His calm, authoritative, and insightful voice has given color to some memorable and heartwarming moments, including England's 1981 Ashes comeback against Australia and paying tributes to the lives lost after the 2005 London bombings.

Marv Albert

Known as the 'voice of basketball,' Marv Albert has been the voice of the NBA since 1964, covering 13 NBA Finals in 55 years for Turner Sport.

Hall of Fame

The American sportscaster hasn't just stuck to basketball, calling play-by-play in eight Super Bowls and seven Stanley Cups. His distinct voice earned him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame and Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

What the best do

Being the voice of a sport is more than just describing what is happening on the field, ring, and court. It's creating a connection with the audience and emotion and meaning to the action.

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