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25 years ago today - the Last-ever Edition of The Sporting Life Newspaper was printed.
We had a Reunion/Celebration/Wake yesterday in London - as today's Rail Strike would have undoubtedly hindered travel.
Sadly, or naturally, several stalwarts were not there, given that they have passed on to producing the newspaper 'up in the sky' in those ensuing years.
They are well and fondly remembered, though; as are those still around - as nothing could ever dissipate that feeling of camaraderie, passion and pride, shared by all who ever experienced it daily, whilst having 'the time of their Life'.
I got back home at 07:40 am early this morning - not through having been on the beer all night - but through having to return on an Overnight Coach, due to today's aforementioned Rail Strike.
That kind of attitude and approach is what The Sporting Life meant to each and everyone of us who worked to contribute to and produce - 'Racing's Greatest Daily'
What a Life - What a great Sporting Life.
We had a Reunion/Celebration/Wake yesterday in London - as today's Rail Strike would have undoubtedly hindered travel.
Sadly, or naturally, several stalwarts were not there, given that they have passed on to producing the newspaper 'up in the sky' in those ensuing years.
They are well and fondly remembered, though; as are those still around - as nothing could ever dissipate that feeling of camaraderie, passion and pride, shared by all who ever experienced it daily, whilst having 'the time of their Life'.
I got back home at 07:40 am early this morning - not through having been on the beer all night - but through having to return on an Overnight Coach, due to today's aforementioned Rail Strike.
That kind of attitude and approach is what The Sporting Life meant to each and everyone of us who worked to contribute to and produce - 'Racing's Greatest Daily'
What a Life - What a great Sporting Life.
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Hello Onlooker, hope you are keeping well.
Have you ever read 'The Story of Your Life' by James Lambie. Re-reading it now, some terrific tales from the Life - particularly the 1800s.
Have you ever read 'The Story of Your Life' by James Lambie. Re-reading it now, some terrific tales from the Life - particularly the 1800s.
The Life cost a shilling in 1968, exactly the same as my School Dinner Ticket. Not much of a contest, particularly as I could usually win a shilling at 2's and 4's before the dinner deadline.
Just noticed the first weekender launched in July 1983 cost 10 bob
Currently on ebay for £3
Inflation
Eh
Currently on ebay for £3
Inflation
Eh
Good afternoon onlooker
Pretty sure it was Dante week at York I remember been in the gimcrack restaurant and not far away on another table was alistar down,he didn’t appear to concerned about his paper finishing that day.
Pretty sure it was Dante week at York I remember been in the gimcrack restaurant and not far away on another table was alistar down,he didn’t appear to concerned about his paper finishing that day.
It was a joy to be there...even on Christmas Day (which TBF was largely in The North Pole)
onlooker
A most pleasing thread.
I learned to read with The Sporting Life circa 1967…..
And learned to count shortly after…. 1, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, 2, 9/4, 5/2, 11/4, 3, 100/30, 7/2, 4, 9/2…. etc!
A most pleasing thread.
I learned to read with The Sporting Life circa 1967…..
And learned to count shortly after…. 1, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, 2, 9/4, 5/2, 11/4, 3, 100/30, 7/2, 4, 9/2…. etc!
Which horse was featured on the front page Onlooker .If you can recall.??Seem to remember it was Time Charter on the last edition of The Chronicle.
Would be down John Snows in the Bush 5 in the Morning to buy it
^ - and You are Correct - re: Time Charter
Won the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - Ascot - July 23 1983.
Won the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - Ascot - July 23 1983.
I used to get mine from Marble Arch. One would feel pleased with oneself to be ahead of herd to the bookies. It was also a good read.
I was in the British Racing School in 1988 in Newmarket and at breakfast every morning there was a Racing Post and a Sporting Life available to share amongst the trainees. My vivid memory of this time was most wanted the Sporting Life to read. 2 papers between about 20 of us but the majority requesting the Life......great memories
I would gladly pay a fiver per day for the SL at present and six quid for the weekends. Best ever.
stewarty - rose tinted specs!! You absolutely wouldn't, even if you are as old as me!
Seriously blackburn I would. Call it old school or whatever but it was different class from the RP. (IMO)
Tomorrow’s Racing Post 144 pages
Sporting Life, even on Grand National Day in the 1990s … never more than 32 pages.
blackbarn, I totally agree!
Sporting Life, even on Grand National Day in the 1990s … never more than 32 pages.
blackbarn, I totally agree!
25 years. It seems so much longer. My dad used to buy the Sporting Chronicle, it was the Northern version printed in Manchester I believe, probably a bit cheaper. The "Life" was a class above, much easier form lines and essays on the horses chances. A real quality newspaper. To think we are paying a fiver a day for a poor offering now beggers belief.
Hope you enjoyed your reunion Onlooker. No wonder your so clued up
Hope you enjoyed your reunion Onlooker. No wonder your so clued up
The Sporting Chronicle had even less pages, I remember it from the early 80's not sure when it stopped publishing
Sorry barstool, I saw no essays on horses chances…. The spotlight of 3 or 4 paragraphs for each race was basic.
Amazing to think that the middle page where the bookmakers adverts were, had one or maybe 2 races for the weekend, which were the only prices available on that week's racing.
No worries barstool.
As blackbarn stated, there’s plenty of rose tinted specs.
Enjoy the weekend!
As blackbarn stated, there’s plenty of rose tinted specs.
Enjoy the weekend!
The betting arbitration service in the life, was it green seal ?
Not sure on that one, you have a far better memory than me SF
the dealer
Not certain of the name but it’s something like that. (and not to be confused with J. Stevenson, former Leicester COC)
Anyway GREEN SEAL was at least totally? Independent..
Not certain of the name but it’s something like that. (and not to be confused with J. Stevenson, former Leicester COC)
Anyway GREEN SEAL was at least totally? Independent..
I have a commemorative copy framed. It has the following on the front page:
After 139 years....
CECILs HOT LINE TO 6TH OAKS.
Rouge on hold-Croco Rouge-Derby run.
Savil or Purvis Race for chair HRB.
A hand written note saying:This is a Comm Edition which is numbered from Editor Tom Clarke.
Dated 12th May 1998. Great memories.
After 139 years....
CECILs HOT LINE TO 6TH OAKS.
Rouge on hold-Croco Rouge-Derby run.
Savil or Purvis Race for chair HRB.
A hand written note saying:This is a Comm Edition which is numbered from Editor Tom Clarke.
Dated 12th May 1998. Great memories.
I used to follow Dick Whitford ratings.
If i'm not going senile with age, i think he stated Slip Anchor would win the Epsom Derby by 5L.
If i'm not going senile with age, i think he stated Slip Anchor would win the Epsom Derby by 5L.
Trying to read the SL outside at a wind swept racecourse, could result in you holding two scraps of paper and the rest of the rag last seen heading west.
What game it was trying to read it outside. The Racing Post was a massive improvement in the respect.
All the Life was good for was pinning to a bookmaker's wall in a betting shop.
What game it was trying to read it outside. The Racing Post was a massive improvement in the respect.
All the Life was good for was pinning to a bookmaker's wall in a betting shop.
Alistair Down, David Ashforth, Clement Frued, Jeffery Barnard, the list goes on, sadly missed.
Dr Crippen -- "All the Life was good for was pinning to a bookmaker's wall in a betting shop."
Sadly, by the end, the Life was not even good for that because (cynically or carelessly) the Life's advert placement meant the cards and form became scattered and betting shops had to buy more and more copies just to pin it all up. That's the real reason the Life folded; the betting shop chains (acting independently of course, they are not a cartel) all at the same time dumped the Life in favour of the Racing Post's betting shop edition.
Sadly, by the end, the Life was not even good for that because (cynically or carelessly) the Life's advert placement meant the cards and form became scattered and betting shops had to buy more and more copies just to pin it all up. That's the real reason the Life folded; the betting shop chains (acting independently of course, they are not a cartel) all at the same time dumped the Life in favour of the Racing Post's betting shop edition.
I was gutted when the SL was discontinued, it was a daily read for me and the RP was a poor substitute at the time. The most interesting and rewarding feature in the Life, for me, was the daily gallops report from Newmarket. It was a way of keeping tabs on one's horses to follow as well as highlighting the odd surprise. An example that I will never forget was back in 1967 when Busted was brought over from Ireland as a lead horse for Royal Palace, my ante post bet for the Derby. Royal Palace appeared regularly in the gallops reports and I was happy to read each time, "Royal Palace worked well with Busted" until one day the big surprise, "Busted worked well with Royal Palace". Thanks to the SL I backed Busted in all of his races that year and but for injury I'm sure that he would have gone on to win the Arc and put himself up there with the all time greats. That's where he'll always be in my book!
Fond memories of picking up the SL at the station and the complicated folding and refolding it to read on a slam-door train on my commute to the City in the 90s.
Great Thread onlooker, I have the last R.P. stored safely in a draw under the bed and take it out now and again when nostalgia hits...
driver2: Would that have been when George Robinson was the Life's man behind the bushes on the Newmarket gallops?
He and his brother-in-law Arty Edwards ('Our Newmarket Correspondent' in The Times) were supposed to have spent each winter noting the markings of the 1,300 horses in training in Newmarket, then memorizing each one of them.
I don't suppose there would be any point in doing that now, as so few trainers actually gallop their horses any more.
He and his brother-in-law Arty Edwards ('Our Newmarket Correspondent' in The Times) were supposed to have spent each winter noting the markings of the 1,300 horses in training in Newmarket, then memorizing each one of them.
I don't suppose there would be any point in doing that now, as so few trainers actually gallop their horses any more.
If Thr Sporting Life had had an Editor who understood racing, betting and the product it might still be here today.
Lots of good blokes on the paper, but sadly none of them was in charge.
The "reader-friendly" reshuffle did for the paper, forcing betting shops to have to buy two copies and giving the Racing Post a way to go for the jugular with their Betting Shop Edition.
Lots of good blokes on the paper, but sadly none of them was in charge.
The "reader-friendly" reshuffle did for the paper, forcing betting shops to have to buy two copies and giving the Racing Post a way to go for the jugular with their Betting Shop Edition.
In its heyday under editor Ossie Fletcher the Life was a great paper. with great writers as mentioned by others. Don't forget Campaigning Journalist of the Year John McCririck (think he won the award twice). Also Gus Dalrymple deserves a mention. The Life went right downhill after the huge change in the printing industry started by Eddie Shah on Today. Full colour offset printing replaced black and white Linotype machines. The Mirror group, of which the Life was part, was left in the stalls with the blindfold on as Murdoch stole a march. In the 80s it was a case of 'any Life on Saturday?' and if they did manage to get an edition out it was crap - missing sections and terrible use of colour. The Racing Post was welcomed with open arms - well-produced, good content and always on time. Shame it's now a shadow of its original self. Anyway thanks to all for the memories of a great Life.
The sportsman was never given a chance I thought it was a good racing paper.
I much preferred the Racing Post at the time. The SL had the feel of the FT. It wasn't practical and felt very outdated. It may have had some good content, but just didn't look appealing. Good for sticking on betting shop walls and felt like that was it's purpose. Obviously it had no future with the digital age oncoming.
In hindsight wish more had given The Sportsman a chance though I found the layout messy on the eye and gave up quickly trying to get use to it. I'm sure they'd have eventually sorted it out but they clearly did not have the funds for hope inspired patience.
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