Norman "Nugget" Alfred Vale May (14 February 1928 – 11 September 2016) was an Australian radio and television sports broadcaster. His most famous moment was calling "
GOLD, GOLD for Australia, GOLD" during the men's
4 × 100 metres medley final in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.
Biography
Early life and career
May was born in Melbourne on 14 February 1928.
His family moved to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
when he was three and he was raised in
Coogee, a southern suburb of Sydney.
Despite losing an eye in an accident at the age of six,
he was considered talented at cricket, rugby league and surfing.
May got into some trouble as a youth, culminating in his arrest and week-long detention.
[ He attended Sydney Boys' High School, where he made the school's cricket and rugby union teams, but left at the age of 14.][ May was given the nickname "Nugget" during his youth due to his stocky body type, a name he was known by throughout his life.]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
whilst continuing to play cricket, as well as being an active member of the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club
The Coogee Surf Life Saving Club is a foundation member of the surf lifesaving movement in Australia. It was founded in 1907 by a group of concerned locals and has a proud history of no lives being lost whilst its members have patrolled. Coogee S ...
.Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club
The Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, established in 1908, is located at Freshwater Beach in Australia. It has become a large volunteer organization with strong community bonds. The club was founded by a push from government to foster safer ...
,[ before finally working as a clerk at an insurance company from his mid 20s.][
]
Broadcasting career
In 1957, May was invited by his friend and ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
sports broadcaster Dick Healey
Richard Owen Healey (7 December 192310 December 2000) was a New South Wales politician, ABC sports broadcaster, and minister of the crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin, Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. From 1973 to 1975 he was Minister ...
to join him as a commentator of a surf lifesaving
Surf lifesaving is a multifaceted social movement that comprises key aspects of voluntary lifeguard services and competitive surf sport. Originating in early 20th century Australia, the movement has expanded globally to other countries, inc ...
event.[ In the time since the event, May has become better associated with the win than the four swimmers who competed, with the swimmers themselves describing May as the fifth member of the ]relay team
A relay race is a racing competition where members of a team take turns completing parts of racecourse or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games. Relay races are common in running, orient ...
.[
May commentated a total of eleven Olympic and eleven Commonwealth Games during his career.]harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...
, surf life-saving, cricket and rugby.[
He was known to unnerve his co-commentators by turning up just before the start of a match and say “good morning chaps, who’s playing?”
His career in sports broadcasting continued following his official retirement from the ABC in 1984.
]
Awards and recognition
May received a Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
in 1983 and an Australian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, offi ...
in 2000.Olympic Order
The Olympic Order, established in 1975, is the highest award of the Olympic Movement. It is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, i.e. recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. Traditi ...
, and in 2003 he received an Australian Sports Commission Media Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award.Sport Australia Hall of Fame
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame was established on 10 December 1985 to recognise the achievements of Australian sportsmen and sportswomen. The inaugural induction included 120 members with Sir Don Bradman as the first inductee and Dawn Fraser th ...
in 2004 and appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
on 26 January 2009.National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
's Sounds of Australia
The Sounds of Australia, formerly the National Registry of Recorded Sound, is the National Film and Sound Archive's selection of sound recordings which are deemed to have cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance for Australi ...
registry in 2010.
Legacy
May's contribution to Australian sports broadcasting has been held in high regard both during and after his career, with ABC broadcasters such as Jim Maxwell, Drew Morphett and Gerard Whateley
Gerard Whateley is a Melbourne-based sports broadcaster and writer. Since January 2018 he has been chief sports caller and host of the ''Whateley'' program on the sports radio station SEN1116. He is also co-host of Fox Footy's ''AFL 360'' program ...
considering May a mentor.[ He was particularly noted by Maxwell for his ability to speak without the benefit of an autocue.][
]
Death
May died in Sydney on 11 September 2016 after a short illness, aged 88.
References
External links
*
Radio interview discussing his career in radio
''Verbatim'' (Monday 23 January 2012) ABC Radio National
{{DEFAULTSORT:May, Norman
1928 births
2016 deaths
Australian sports broadcasters
Members of the Order of Australia
Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal
Recipients of the Olympic Order
Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees