Patrick Dangerfield’s grandfather Bob Utber reports on MCG Test match, remember Don Bradman

At 79, Bob Utber provides a fascinating point of difference in the press box at the MCG. The grandfather of AFL Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield boasts he’s one of only a few to have seen the great Sir Donald Bradman bat.

Patrick Dangerfield's grandfather Bob Utber is reporting on the MCG Test and loves to boast he's seen Donald Bradman in the flesh.

At 79, Mildura’s Bob Utber provides a fascinating point of difference in the press box at the MCG.

After all, who else can say they saw Bradman bat in a Test match?

And who else can say his grandson is a Brownlow medallist?

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Patrick Dangerfield’s grandfather, Bob Utber, is reporting on the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

Journalism has been a hobby more than a career for the veteran wordsmith, who first penned a football column “Stab Kicks” for the Pakenham Gazette in 1963 while working as a lecturer in sports management at Victoria University.

And in retirement he’s living his journalistic dream — especially his gig working for the Footy Almanac at the Boxing Day Test.

“At 14 I wanted to be a journalist, TV was just coming on then and (I wanted to) be on radio,” Utber said.

Utber has seen the majority of grandson Patrick Dangerfield’s AFL games. Picture: Getty Images

Utber admits his famous footballing grandson, Patrick Dangerfield, gave him the chance to be a media performer again.

“It seemed to me that I was an extension of Patrick Dangerfield, rather than being myself, but I’ll take it and it did open doors,” he said.

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“I have a great passion for cricket … I saw my first Test match 47-48, Australia verses India, Bradman came out, I think he was 63 not out and retired hurt.

“I swan around the press box saying did anyone see Bradman bat? Because nobody can (say they did), there’s nobody sort of my age hanging around writing.”

Utber likes to boast he’s seen the great Sir Donald Bradman in the flesh.

Utber isn’t just a writer and broadcaster, he loves art too.

He is the curator of The Art of Football, a regular exhibition featuring works about AFL.

And while cricket is his first sporting love, he is a passionate Geelong supporter and rarely misses any of Dangerfield’s games.

“I’ve always barracked for Geelong,” Utber said.

“How many games has (Dangerfield) played? About 230? I reckon I would have seen 200 at least.”

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