Ian Major
Encyclopedia
Ian Major was an Australia
n sports broadcaster.
Chiefly known for commentary in Australian Rules football
, Major broadcast Victorian Football League matches with Melbourne
radio station 3XY from 1966-69. He formed an association with 3KZ
for 21 years (1970–1991), commentating VFL/AFL matches. His partner in the commentary box was Richmond
's Jack "Captain Blood" Dyer
, leading to the reference of the duo as "The Captain and the Major". They were named Australasia's top sporting commentators and given a Pater award. Major had also won awards as Australia's top sporting commentator in 1977 and 78 and when commercial radio introduced the Rawards, Major took the title in 1990 and was runner-up in 1991.
Major was one of three callers for FARB ( Federation Australian Radio Broadcasters)at the 1972 Summer Olympics
in Munich
handling swimming
, track and field
, cycling
and boxing
. He covered the 1982 Commonwealth Games
in Brisbane
as track and field caller and provided general coverage of the 1990 Commonwealth Games
in Auckland
.
During 21 years with 3KZ, Major was sporting director but at various stages held the additional titles of manager, programme manager and assistant news editor. He was chairman of the Commercial Radio Football sub-committee which dealt with VFL/AFL over broadcasting rights and conditions for broadcasters.
When 3KZ dropped AFL at the end of 1991, Major was hired by 3EE-The Breeze. That station was sold to 3MP
/Magic after less than two years. Major also worked for Magic 693, 3UZ
, 3LO and 3AK
. In 2004 and 2005, Major was a co-host on the SEN 1116
program Weekend Leave Pass with Russell Gilbert
and Mark Fine
He was known almost exclusively as "Maj". He died as the result of cancer at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne. He was married to Pam, father to Scott
, Darren and Kellie and grandfather to five.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n sports broadcaster.
Chiefly known for commentary in Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, Major broadcast Victorian Football League matches with Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
radio station 3XY from 1966-69. He formed an association with 3KZ
3KZ
Gold 104.3 is a radio station broadcasting in Melbourne, Australia. Gold 104.3 is part of the Australian Radio Classic Hits Network and broadcasts on the 104.3 MHz frequency.- History :...
for 21 years (1970–1991), commentating VFL/AFL matches. His partner in the commentary box was Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
's Jack "Captain Blood" Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
, leading to the reference of the duo as "The Captain and the Major". They were named Australasia's top sporting commentators and given a Pater award. Major had also won awards as Australia's top sporting commentator in 1977 and 78 and when commercial radio introduced the Rawards, Major took the title in 1990 and was runner-up in 1991.
Major was one of three callers for FARB ( Federation Australian Radio Broadcasters)at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
handling swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He covered the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
as track and field caller and provided general coverage of the 1990 Commonwealth Games
1990 Commonwealth Games
The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo,...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
During 21 years with 3KZ, Major was sporting director but at various stages held the additional titles of manager, programme manager and assistant news editor. He was chairman of the Commercial Radio Football sub-committee which dealt with VFL/AFL over broadcasting rights and conditions for broadcasters.
When 3KZ dropped AFL at the end of 1991, Major was hired by 3EE-The Breeze. That station was sold to 3MP
3MP
3MP began transmission 21 July 1976, as Melbourne's seventh commercial radio station and the first new commercial station in over 40 years. The original licencees included a consortium of businessmen and media identities....
/Magic after less than two years. Major also worked for Magic 693, 3UZ
3UZ
3UZ is the official callsign of a medium-wave radio station in Melbourne, Australia which broadcasts under the name Radio Sport National.-History:...
, 3LO and 3AK
3AK
3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
. In 2004 and 2005, Major was a co-host on the SEN 1116
SEN 1116
SEN 1116 , the acronym standing for Sports Entertainment Network, is a commercial AM radio station based in Melbourne, Australia, operating on 1116 kHz...
program Weekend Leave Pass with Russell Gilbert
Russell Gilbert
Russell Gilbert , is an Australian comedian and actor from Footscray, Victoria.-Television:He has appeared in several Australian TV comedies, first attracting notice as 'Russ the Postie' on The Comedy Company , which led to a nine year stint on Hey Hey It's Saturday...
and Mark Fine
He was known almost exclusively as "Maj". He died as the result of cancer at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne. He was married to Pam, father to Scott
Scott Major
Scott Major is an Australian actor. Major's acting début was playing Murray on Home and Away in the 1990s. He joined the Neighbours cast for a brief period in 1993 as the original Darren Stark. and then was a part of the Heartbreak High cast as "Rivers" from 1994–1995...
, Darren and Kellie and grandfather to five.