Bruce McAvaney inducted into Logies Hall of Fame

Australia’s legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the TV Week Logie Awards.

Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the TV Week Logie Awards this year, with Australian football Hall of Fame legend, Leigh Matthews, announcing the honour.

McAvaney accepted the award saying he felt like he felt “a lot of love”.

“I am emotional but my voice is not as strong as it should be tonight,” he said.

“I wondered how I’d feel tonight when I walked up here. I feel a lot of love actually and a lot of warmth.”

The sporting legend explored his AFL, tennis and racing history saying Winx’s final victory in 2019 was his “favourite day” in racing.

He went on to thank his wife Annie, who he met through his work with Seven Network.

“Gary Fenton and Gordon Bennett mentored me at Seven and introduced me to a young journalist, Anne Johnson who became my wife and has had a profound effect on my career. Annie, thank you,” he said.

Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, with Australian football Hall of Fame legend, Leigh Matthews, announcing the honour. Picture: Nine

McAvaney said he’s always been a “sports purist” who loves stats and the performance.

“The human effort and the story behind that effort,” he said.

“Real-life do or die drama. It is just that. And I’m so grateful to have had the privilege to be there as it happens and to tell you about it.”

The recently inducted Hall of Famer was typically modest backstage revealing he was still feeling a little overwhelmed.

“This is not false modesty – you don’t feel like you deserve the accolade,” he said.

Bruce McAvaney pictured addressing the media after being inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 62nd TV Week Logie Awards. Picture: Josh Woning

“It’s something you never dream of as broadcaster. I really did feel it when Patti got up there and spoke so beautifully about Bert. And it hit me that I would be inducted into the same Hall as him and I don’t feel worthy.

McAvaney, who revealed in 2017 he was battling leukaemia, said backstage he’s doing very well healthwise.

“I’m not on any treatment at the moment,” he said.

“I’m 70 next year – I’m not as young as I was yesterday.

“The absolute truth is I don’t think about it much except when I have a blood test.”

“It’s also a great pleasure because Macca has been a friend, a confidante and a much- admired colleague on Seven’s AFL coverage for many years,” Matthews said.

Cathy Freeman became emotional when speaking about her friendship with Bruce McAvaney in a tribute video. Picture: Nine

“Many people are intrigued by his unique on-air persona and I’m often asked what Bruce is really like and my response is always the same. What you see is what you get.”

The commentary legend revealed in 2017 that he was diagnosed with leukaemia, however last year said he was “not anything close to retirement” despite no longer commentating for the AFL.

Athletics legend Cathy Freeman became emotional when speaking about her friendship with McAvaney in his tribute video.

“He is part of the drama, his voice is part of, you know, the oxygen in any arena or at any track. I’m getting shivers just thinking about it,” she said.

Bruce McAvaney loves calling sport. Picture:

Earlier in the evening, McAvaney said after the Seven Network’s win for its Olympic coverage that he’s not ready to hang up his mic just yet.

“I feel so enthusiatic at the moment,” he said.

“I’ll go for as long as I feel I can do them well.”

Colleague Hamish McLachlan joked McAvaney loved Paris in the summer so expect him in 2024.

Commentator Bruce McAvaney and his wife Annie at home in Adelaide. Picture: Alex Coppel.

In 2002, Bruce McAvaney was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for his contribution to sports media.

The sports broadcaster is considered a master of his trade, having spent years commentating AFL games, horse racing, athletics, motor racing, tennis and golf.

TV presenter and radio announcer Bruce McAvaney with binoculars and 5DN microphone in his role as a horseracing commentator in 1979.

His voice has been synonymous with the nation’s highest sporting occasions, such as the AFL Grand Final, Australian Open, as well as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

The boy from Adelaide was given his first start in the media at radio station 5DN, where he called horse races and hosted his own sports show.

In 1978, he join ADS-7 as a sports presenter. He made his first break in 1980, when he was chosen to host Adelaide’s telecast of the Moscow Summer Olympic Games for Channel 7. He has covered almost every Olympic Games since.

McAvaney has called some pretty historic sporting moments, including:

“What a moment, what a Legend!” he said of Cathy Freeman as she won the Women’s 400m final at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney. Picture: Supplied

“The greatest victory in the history of the race,” he said about Makybe Diva when she won her third Melbourne Cup in a row.

“Picken, yes, Liam Picken nails it! How big was that!”, when footballer Liam Picken kicked a goal that won Western Bulldogs the 2016 AFL Grand Final, the first the club had one since 1954.

McAvaney had called more than 1000 games of Aussie Rules, including 20 Grand Finals, but stepped back from calling the game at the start of last year.

“I felt like I got to a stage in my career where I had to reduce my workload,” McAvaney said in early 2021.

“I’m going to miss it enormously, I just visualise when Richmond and Carlton run out there in round one, and the ball is bounced, i’m going to climb a wall somewhere.”

Originally published as Bruce McAvaney inducted into Logies Hall of Fame