Test cricket and boxing broadcasts coup in 1940s for 5AD; Victor Richardson sporting editor in the 1950s
5AD was still broadcasting overseas Test cricket coverage in the early 1950s, relaying scores coming on cable, with comments by Victor Richardson and Harry Kneebone. These were interspersed with music from the Alf Holyoak orchestra, the Jack Spots and Joan Brown, comedy by Jimmy Mundy and Len Sweeney, with Dick Moore (at left) as compere,
5AD scored a double coup in Adelaide radio’s competitive sports broadcasting in 1945, winning exclusive rights to broadcast major cricket descriptions from the Adelaide Oval – and boxing descriptions from the Adelaide Stadium.
Sporting editor and commentator Steve McKee, a former champion footballer and all-round athlete, founded 5AD's sports service in 1931. He had a strong memory of sporting facts and incidents – as did Ted (“Drummer’) Madigan, recruited by 5AD to call the horse races after several years broadcasting country trotting events.
Geof Roberts was a special Saturday night tennis commentator, having represented South Australia in Linton Cup matches. Lois Quarrell, a pioneer journalist for women’s sport, conducted a session every Saturday morning from 1946-49.
5AD had another coup in the 1950s with its sporting editor being Victor Richardson, regarded as Australia’s greatest all-rounder. Besides 19 cricket tests between 1924 and 1935, he represented Australia in baseball and played for South Australia in cricket, baseball and golf – besides winning a state tennis title, being prominent in lacrosse and basketball, and a first-rate swimmer. Richardson’s cricket commentary with former England captain Arthur Gilligan became part of the lexicon with its “What do you think, Arthur?”
Into the later 1950s and 1960s, 5AD was one of the four stations broadcasting South Australian National Football League games. But while the ABC’s 5AN and 5DN continued live broadcasts of horse racing, 5AD dropped them. 5KA, owned by the Central Methodist Mission, never covered horse racing. 5KA developed a distinctive football commentary style with Bill Davies, Max Hall, Tom Warhurst, Rod McLeod and Roger Dowsett, referring to the Woodies (Woodroofe’s drinks) scoreboard.
