Ian James Major (19 September 1943 – 28 January 2009) was an Australian

sports broadcaster In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...

. Chiefly known for commentary in

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

, Major broadcast

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

matches with

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

radio station

3XY Magic 1278 (official callsign: 3EE) is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Australia owned by Nine Entertainment Co, and run under a lease agreement by Ace Radio. History 1935–1991: 3XY 1935–1967 3XY began broadcasting on 8 Sept ...

from 1966 to 1969. He formed an association with 3KZ for 21 years (1970–1991),http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/142310 ''VFL Record'', 4 April 1970 p. 16 commentating on VFL/AFL matches. His partner in the commentary box was

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

'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 The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

in Munich handling swimming, track and field, cycling and

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

. He covered the

1982 Commonwealth Games The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Australia, from 30 September to 9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium (named after Elizabeth II), in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the a ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

as track and field caller and provided general coverage of the

1990 Commonwealth Games The 1990 Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1990 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) 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. Partic ...

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

. 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 coverage of the AFL at the end of 1991, Major was hired by 3EE The Breeze. That station was sold to Wesgo after less than two years. Major also worked for the rebranded Magic 693, 3UZ,

3LO ABC Radio Melbourne (official callsign: 3LO) is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. It began transmission on 13 October 1924, and was Melbourne's second licensed radio station after 3AR. Most Local Radio stations in Victoria s ...

and

3AK 3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116, an 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. A number of unusual events and precedents throughout the stati ...

. In 2004 and 2005, Major was a co-host on the

1116 SEN 1116 SEN (call sign 3AK) is an Australian radio station in Victoria. Owned and operated by Pacific Star Network, it broadcasts a sports radio format from Lower Plenty to Greater Melbourne. First broadcast on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the sta ...

program '' Weekend Leave Pass'' with

Russell Gilbert Russell Gilbert (born 17 October 1959) is an Australian comedian and actor from Footscray, Victoria, best known for his radio and television appearances, on programs such as ''The Comedy Company'', ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' and ''Thank God You're ...

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, with three children (including

Scott Major Scott Ian Major (born 4 July 1975) is an Australian actor and TV and film director, best known for his roles as Peter Rivers in the 1994 television teen drama series ''Heartbreak High'' and Lucas Fitzgerald in soap opera ''Neighbours''. Career ...

) and five grandchildren.

References

MCG Media Hall of Fame
Radio personalities from Melbourne 3AW presenters 1943 births Australian rules football commentators Cycling announcers Cycling journalists 2009 deaths {{Australia-journalist-stub